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Strange bee/mantis
Thu, Jul 2, 2009 at 12:43 PM
My son had this bug on his pant leg yesterday…July 1. He lives in Saratoga County, NY. It had front legs like a praying mantis but when I dumped it out of the jar I broke it’s leg and I watched it chew it off. It has wings and tail end like a wasp or hornet. The head and front legs looked like that of a praying mantis but brown. It has a long neck, too. It is not quite an inch long
Wondering in NY
Malta, NY

Wasp Mantidfly

Dear Wondering,
This is Climaciella brunnea, commonly called a Wasp Mantisfly.  The interesting thing about the common name, which includes three different types of insects by way of description, it that it is neither a wasp, nor a mantis, nor a fly.  Other common names include Western Mantispid and Brown Mantisfly, according to BugGuide.  These interesting Neuropterans, related to Antlions and Lacewings, always cause a stir when they are encountered by our readership.  BugGuide also indicates they are “Predatory on other insects (and other Mantidflies), especially those coming to flowers. Also takes some nectar and sap.”

Related Posts

1. Grasslike Mantis (December 17, 2005)
2. Brown Mantisfly (August 21, 2006)
3. Brown Mantisfly (October 4, 2005)
4. Mantisfly (July 11, 2008)
5. Wasp Mantisfly (July 22, 2007)