# Found a weird thing



## DonVhanDude (Jan 12, 2016)

So, unfortunately, I don't have picture, and I know that would help a lot but Ive been searching all night, and I can't find this thing I found in Bear Creek, my buddy told me its a whip scorpion, its not dangerous, and uses its tail to breath. Okay, well, first off, this ain't no whip scorpion, I don't know what it was, but I know it wasn't that. About half an inch long, (tiny, right?) White, maybe off white, six legs, and I can tell you for a fact it lives in water. Me and my buddy were trying to catch frogs when I found it, I didn't know what it was, and you know the rest. Found it in Medford, Oregon, any ideas what it may be?


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## bioLogic (Jan 12, 2016)

That doesn't sound like a scorpion. Could it have been a mayfly larvae?


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## zonbonzovi (Jan 12, 2016)

Look up genus Ranatra.  Does that look about right?


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## Biollantefan54 (Jan 12, 2016)

He beat me ^ I have found them but they have always been huge, I have heard they are called water scorpions.


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## Tenevanica (Jan 12, 2016)

DonVhanDude said:


> So, unfortunately, I don't have picture, and I know that would help a lot but Ive been searching all night, and I can't find this thing I found in Bear Creek, my buddy told me its a whip scorpion, its not dangerous, and uses its tail to breath. Okay, well, first off, this ain't no whip scorpion, I don't know what it was, but I know it wasn't that. About half an inch long, (tiny, right?) White, maybe off white, six legs, and I can tell you for a fact it lives in water. Me and my buddy were trying to catch frogs when I found it, I didn't know what it was, and you know the rest. Found it in Medford, Oregon, any ideas what it may be?


Maybe as others have suggested it's a waterscorpion. Family Nepidae

http://bugguide.net/node/view/109

If it wasn't that, my best guess would be a dragonfly naiad.


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## DonVhanDude (Jan 18, 2016)

Unfortunately, its not ANY of those things. I'm not sure how familiar y'all are with bea creek, but its hella, HELLA polluted, so whatever it is, its resilient, man. Think about like a mix of damselfy larvae, and mayfly larvae, but like, hella thin, about the roundness of a twig, completely whitish, no visible features really defining it, (mouth, see, etc.) And if I were to put it on my hand, stretched out, it'd reach from my wrist, to my first thumb knuckle.


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## Hisserdude (Jan 18, 2016)

Whatever it is, it sounds weird, you have to go take a picture of it.


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## Exuviae (Jan 18, 2016)

When you say it breathes with its tail, was it more snorkel-like, like in water scorpions and mosquito larvae, or more gill-like, like in damselfly naiads?


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## Tenevanica (Jan 18, 2016)

DonVhanDude said:


> Unfortunately, its not ANY of those things. I'm not sure how familiar y'all are with bea creek, but its hella, HELLA polluted, so whatever it is, its resilient, man. Think about like a mix of damselfy larvae, and mayfly larvae, but like, hella thin, about the roundness of a twig, completely whitish, no visible features really defining it, (mouth, see, etc.) And if I were to put it on my hand, stretched out, it'd reach from my wrist, to my first thumb knuckle.


There are Nepidae that fit your description. They can survive in heavily polluted conditions.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Biollantefan54 (Jan 18, 2016)

I found one of those in the nastiest creek I have ever seen ^


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## DonVhanDude (Jan 21, 2016)

Just know that this creek has been every colour, and then some. Literally. But I don't even know, it was like... Oh, like an Arizona bark scorpion, only tiny, with no claws, and eggshell coloured. That's how I remember it, about an inch long, give or take, tail and all. Calvin said it was a whip scorpion, it breathes with its tail, so its not venomous, but it CAN bite, but he's never been bitten, but assumes it would feel like an ants bite. (Just for another comparison, it LOOKED like it might hurt about as much as an ant if it bit you)


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## DonVhanDude (Jan 21, 2016)

Tenevanica said:


> There are Nepidae that fit your description. They can survive in heavily polluted conditions.
> 
> View attachment 204600


And dude, that thing... That's just creepy


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## Toxoderidae (Jan 21, 2016)

I think I know, is it a pseudoscorpion? They kinda fit your description, BUT die in polluted areas..


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## DonVhanDude (Jan 21, 2016)

Nope. I'm starting to think it might be a freak mutation, or something. Nobody seems to know what it is.


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## dragonfire1577 (Jan 21, 2016)

diving beetle larvae? dragonfly or damselfly nymph? mayfly nymph? just throwing out things that live in streams at this point.

Reactions: Like 1


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## dragonfire1577 (Jan 21, 2016)

DonVhanDude said:


> Nope. I'm starting to think it might be a freak mutation, or something. Nobody seems to know what it is.


I don't think we know what it is because there are a lot of aquatic insects that can be tiny and white (especially after a molt) and we don't have an image to work off of.


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## DonVhanDude (Jan 21, 2016)

Nah, but the diving beetle larvae is almost exactly like it. But it was thinner, and its tail curved over it, like a scorpion, and it didn't have ay visible mandibles.


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## Exuviae (Jan 21, 2016)

Maybe a caddisfly larva? I frequently find them kind of curled up.


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## Tenevanica (Jan 21, 2016)

DonVhanDude said:


> Nope. I'm starting to think it might be a freak mutation, or something. Nobody seems to know what it is.


Freak mutations don't usually just happen like that in the wild. I suggest you browse through bugguide.net

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1


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## dragonfire1577 (Jan 21, 2016)

DonVhanDude said:


> Nah, but the diving beetle larvae is almost exactly like it. But it was thinner, and its tail curved over it, like a scorpion, and it didn't have ay visible mandibles.


a few types of diving beetle larvae often carry their tails sticking up above them and can fold their mandibles pretty much completely closed plus turn white after molting.


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## dragonfire1577 (Jan 21, 2016)

A stonefly is possible too.


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## Jacob Ma (Feb 9, 2016)

I was thinking a hellgrammite.  Those things can get to about 2+ inches, and turn into huge dobsonflies.





There are also some pretty big crane fly larvae, from what I've seen.


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## DonVhanDude (Feb 20, 2016)

Take that caddisfly larvae there, move the legs to the middle, take the two points off the end of its tail, and make it completely semen-coloured, and you're seeing close to what I seen.


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## PinkyDinky (Feb 20, 2016)

Reading this thread has been like reading a Nancy Drew book.

I want to know the ending already  Someone come up with the answer already! 

_Solve the case! Solve the case! _

Reactions: Like 2


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## Jacob Ma (Feb 20, 2016)

Could it be a backswimmer?  The only part I'd be concerned about is the "scorpion-like" tail.





There are also riffle beetle larvae, whirligig beetle larvae, marsh treaders, mayfly larvae, pyralid caterpillars, or many other things.  This aquatic insect could be a lot of things without the proper description, and could even be attacked by predators or a larvae of a wide assortment of aquatic beetles.  Was it above or below the water? Did it appear to have any wings?  Was it fast in any way?  Did it have a needle-like mouth or pincer-jaws?  Is it possible you can give a drawing of what you saw?Honestly, this animal could be lots of things without more information.


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## DonVhanDude (Feb 24, 2016)

Alright, I'll describe it again, then, from the wrist, to the first thumb knuckle, was its length, it was the color of sperm, and not much thicker than a twig, it was below the water, but I got it on a stick, and it reminded me of a facehugger from AVP, the way it curled around it, it got up on the stick, and started rushing me, no claws, or pincers, or teeth that I could see, just its tail, I threw it in the water, and it slipped between some rocks on the shore, so I don't know if it lives in, or out of the water, and keep in mind that Bear Creek used to be a landfill, and then some, and it's been every color of the rainbow, so if it can't survive pollution, then it's not what I seen. So, to sweeten it up, its about an inch long, from tip to tip, semen coloured, six legs, a tail, and a body.


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## Tenevanica (Feb 24, 2016)

DonVhanDude said:


> Alright, I'll describe it again, then, from the wrist, to the first thumb knuckle, was its length, it was the color of sperm, and not much thicker than a twig, it was below the water, but I got it on a stick, and it reminded me of a facehugger from AVP, the way it curled around it, it got up on the stick, and started rushing me, no claws, or pincers, or teeth that I could see, just its tail, I threw it in the water, and it slipped between some rocks on the shore, so I don't know if it lives in, or out of the water, and keep in mind that Bear Creek used to be a landfill, and then some, and it's been every color of the rainbow, so if it can't survive pollution, then it's not what I seen. So, to sweeten it up, its about an inch long, from tip to tip, semen coloured, six legs, a tail, and a body.


✓ One inch long.
✓ Breaths through tail.
✓ Pollution tolerant.
✓ No claws or pinchers.
✓ Six legs, tail, and body.
✓ Slim like a twig.
✓ Can be semen colored after a molt.






It's a waterscorpion in the genus _Ranatra. _You just saw one after a molt.

Reactions: Agree 1 | Useful 1 | Winner 1


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## DonVhanDude (Feb 24, 2016)

So... The butler did it.

Reactions: Like 1 | Award 1


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## Jacob Ma (Feb 24, 2016)

Though this specimen of water scorpion (_Ranatra _sp.) might be a lot slimmer than a normal twig, but more hair-like.  I wonder why there would be such a small water scorpion in such polluted waters?  I could see an adult specimen looking for somewhere to lay its eggs, but why would nymphs be in there out of all places?


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## DonVhanDude (Feb 24, 2016)

It's Oregon, bro. We adapt. To anything.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Tigrosa (Feb 25, 2016)

Tenevanica said:


> ✓ One inch long.
> ✓ Breaths through tail.
> ✓ Pollution tolerant.
> ✓ No claws or pinchers.
> ...



I think you are absolutely correct. Fits the description to a tee... even the part OP's buddy said about "they can't sting, but they do bite".


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