What the heck is this thing?

Sonofaglitch

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Jun 6, 2005
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I don't have a picture to put up of this large and scary looking insect, but I can give you decent details...it's wings are dragonfly like, clear and veined, very large and tapered at the end, I believe it to have a two-segmented body, with a very loooong abdomen, probably about twice and a half the length of it's carapace. I didn't see any type of probiscus when studying the mouth parts...and didn't see a stinger on the end of it's body. It's head is small and wedge shaped, with no "neck" movement that I can see. It's a dark brown insect. Head to end of body it's about 1.5" length, and the wingspan about the same. Any ideas? I'll try to get pictures up, I just want to know if I need to worry about this bug or not. Thank you! By the way, I'm in New England, if that helps!
 

mr.wilderness

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Are both of the wings roughly the same size and shape? sounds almost like an antlion. kinda on the smallish size though
 

Sonofaglitch

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Yes, they are about the same size although I looked at it this morning and it's wings are resting folded over it's back now, where last night they weren't, they were spread like a dragonfly. Also, I just looked at a pic of ant lions and it doesn't look like those guys at all. I really have to get a picture up. It's mouthparts seem to be almost ant-like (just in shape, I mean...they're straight out from the face, not angled down).
 

Sonofaglitch

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Also a no for that owl fly. I just googled images for it. I honestly am wondering if this bug is even from around here because I've never *ever* seen one before, and I'm a night person.
 

Sonofaglitch

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Aha, maybe? I think I may have a female dobsonfly...no idea wth that is...but that might be what it is!! I'm hopefully going to put a pic up within a few minutes, waiting on a camera.
 

Sonofaglitch

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eyeball cams suck, but here's the bug.




And here is the bug I compared it to:




Yep, thats what I've got...and it's gross...just so you know the bug isn't dead, it was just cooled down enough for it to slow down so I could get a pic w/o her biting me (Yes, they bite!). She's moving around now and I'm going to let her go in a bit, now that I know what the heck she is! Thanks for all the help though.
 

Darwinsdad

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Mar 23, 2004
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If that is the same bug we get around here it is the mature form of what we know as a "helgermite" The larva are aquatic and awsome Large Mouth Bass bait. If it is the same you have a male as the females pincers/jaws are very long. I have seen them at well over an inch.
 

Sonofaglitch

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that pic is off, it's pinscers were actually short, the eyeball cam didn;t have a good angle. but thanks. :) I had no idea we had these around here cuz I've never ever seen one!
 

Elytra and Antenna

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At 1.5" it's a fishfly not a dobsonfly (Chauliodes not Corydalus) -- they look similar.
 

Black Widow88

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At 1.5" it's a fishfly not a dobsonfly (Chauliodes not Corydalus) -- they look similar.
Oh shoot! I saw 2 of eather of the 2 you posted at camp. I got photos so when I get them developed I'll know for sure if it's a female dobson or fishfly. I know it's one of them. But in my notes ( I keep track of all the bugs I see ) I put dobson fly. I'll know soon enough any way.

But the 2 that I saw looked alot like the one sitting on the leaf in your photo. And they were both females. I didn't have ruler on me at those particular times because I wanted to get a picture soooooooooo bad.

I've never seen these in person alive and it was a real treat to see 2 2 nights in a row! :eek: :D

Black Widow88
 

Sonofaglitch

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"Treat" haha...yeah not for me. Funny how a 6" T can be crawling all over me and I'm okay...but a beetle, cricket, or, apparently, fishfly or dobsonfly...I'm all set! :eek:

Just googled "Fishfly" and you're right!!! *NOT* a Dobsonfly as I thought...definately, without a doubt now that I have a pinscer size to compare to, a fishfly. THANK YOU SO MUCH! But still icky.
 

charlet_2007

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May 14, 2007
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yeah i had one thos land on me in a outside restroom.. &%&$& scared the *^&(^ out of me lol and the darn thing knew i was the one that was trying to get it in a bottle i had to take pics of it.. and flew on me again.. i hate those things... but heres mine i found.. well actuly found me lol





 

Black Widow88

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Thank you Thank you Thank you! Your pictures confirmed that the 2 that I saw were female Dobson Flies! Thank you!

Black Widow88
 

Black Widow88

Arachnobaron
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Aaah! I've got some research to do now thanks to you guys! Thank you!

Black Widow88
 

ScienceDvia

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Aug 3, 2007
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fishfly larvae

The larvae are also aquatic, like the dobson fly. If you want to find some interesting insects and other creatures, google benthic macroinvertebrates and go from there.

ScienceDiva
 
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