You touch it.

[DixonCyder]

With all the weird things on this planet that I love. This scares me.
I've seen them at my fishing hole too. Crawling out from under rocks, and flying in for the assault. They've actually attacked me before. Hissing and all kinds of aggressive postures.

 

[krbshappy71]

With all the weird things on this planet that I love. This scares me.
I've seen them at my fishing hole too. Crawling out from under rocks, and flying in for the assault. They've actually attacked me before. Hissing and all kinds of aggressive postures.

Eastern Dobsonfly https://nature.mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/eastern-dobsonfly me thinks?

 

[Andrew Clayton]

I don't like the look of that one bit lol

 

[Arthroverts]

I agree with @krbshappy71, a Dobsonfly. They don't bite with their large mandibles up front though from what I hear, so you don't have anything to worry about.

Thanks,

Arthroverts

 

[DixonCyder]

Eastern Dobsonfly https://nature.mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/eastern-dobsonfly me thinks?

Yep. That's what I figured out as well.

 

[MrTwister]

That thing just looks like a flying a hole.

 

[DixonCyder]

I agree with @krbshappy71, a Dobsonfly. They don't bite with their large mandibles up front though from what I hear, so you don't have anything to worry about.

Thanks,

Arthroverts

Zoom in on that pic. Those mandibles look sharpened, and serrated. And not being willing to use them. That's what they threatened me with, along with the hissing.

 

[The Seraph]

Zoom in on that pic. Those mandibles look sharpened, and serrated. And not being willing to use them. That's what they threatened me with, along with the hissing.

I do believe they only bite when actively touched. Just ignore them and continue on your way. The males (the one in your picture) cannot even bite hard. They use their mandibles to show off for females and to grasp the females. It is the females whose bite hurts.

 

[schmiggle]

Man, I love dobsonflies. Have yet to see one in the wild, of course, but that rarely changes these things.

It's like fiddler crabs--they can probably still bite, but it's so exaggerated compared to other mandibles that they're probably fairly ineffective.

 

[The Mantis Menagerie]

The timing of this post is incredible. I did a light trap tonight, and for the first time, I attracted two female dobsonflies.

 

[ThorsCarapace22]

here is something I seen in my building the other day. Iv only seen two. I have not the slightest idea of what it is. Creepy looking though...

 

[Joey Spijkers]

View attachment 314279 here is something I seen in my building the other day. Iv only seen two. I have not the slightest idea of what it is. Creepy looking though...

Mole cricket, Gryllotalpa sp. Most likely G. gryllotalpa, as it's most common, but there might be other species in your region as well. They're really cool animals.

 

[ThorsCarapace22]

Mole cricket, Gryllotalpa sp. Most likely G. gryllotalpa, as it's most common, but there might be other species in your region as well. They're really cool animals.

Dang thanks man. I ain't gonna lie I wasnt gonna start poking it, It did seem brave though. Appreciate it

 

[Joey Spijkers]

Dang thanks man. I ain't gonna lie I wasnt gonna start poking it, It did seem brave though. Appreciate it

Hahaha you're welcome. You could though, I once found one and let it crawl over my hands, they won't really do anything to you.

 

[The Mantis Menagerie]

Hahaha you're welcome. You could though, I once found one and let it crawl over my hands, they won't really do anything to you.

These things are so fun to hold. I have been trying to establish a breeding colony to keep as pets.

 

[Joey Spijkers]

These things are so fun to hold. I have been trying to establish a breeding colony to keep as pets.

That's really cool, I hope they do well for you

 

[PidderPeets]

I was originally afraid of dobsonflies as well, until I came across my first male. He tried so hard to be scary and intimidating, but all it did was make him look goofy. They can't actually do any damage with those giant mandibles (the females can though, since they have a much smaller set), and the one I found was holding his entire head up in the air as if he couldn't see past his massive jaws. While anthropomorphizing isn't usually the best idea, I think it helps a bit when trying to get over an apprehension towards harmless things.

Male dobsonfly

• PidderPeets
• Jul 15, 2017
• 2

Family: Corydalidae
I have a pond in my backyard and see females all the time, but this was the...

 

[mantisfan101]

It’ll pinch but it won’t break skin. The female dobsonflies are what you have to watch out for.

 

[Smokehound714]

mole crickets are pretty cool, they are the only orthoptera that actually care for their young

 

[Galapoheros]

Mole cricket challenge, hold one in an open fist while it tries to dig between your fingers, commit to it. Those things are strong! I used to keep them but they're like keeping, well, a mole, never see them.