Unknown critter
We recently found this attached to a wall outside our apt in Pennsylvania. It is appx 5 inches long, pinchers or what appear to be pinchers are about an inch long, Antenna are about 2 inches long and it has 6 legs. Could you possibly tell me what this bug is and where it is usually found?
Thank you
Mike
Hi Mike,
This is a male Dobsonfly. The Dobsonfly was featured at the top of our homepage as the Bug of the Month for June. Now readere will have to scroll down to find it. We always try to keep seasonal sitings posted on our homepage. More information and images can be found on our Dobsonfly page. Just click the link on the left column of the www.whatsthatbug.com homepage.
¶ Posted 02 July 2006 § ‡ ° what is this bug?
Hi, I found this bug outside my apartment in Athol, Massachusetts. I’ve never seen anything like it! What is it?
Melissa Paige
Hi Melissa,
Why, it’s our featured Bug of the Month, a Dobsonfly. Your specimen is a female.
¶ Posted 26 June 2006 § ‡ ° really nice dodsonfly photo
Great page ! Here is a nice pic of a Dobsonfly I took in Cincinnati Ohio on 6/25/2006. He is missing a feeler. Pic is large but shows great detail.
Thanks for sending in your photo of a male Dobsonfly.
¶ Posted 25 June 2006 § ‡ ° Fish fly?
Dear Bugman,
From the pictures in you site I believe this is a Fish Fly. I found it in my living room watching the soccer game. Since it seemed very comfortable and was not moving much I decided to take the time to take some close-ups. Found in Lexington, MA
Regards,
Jaime
Hi There Jaime,
Dobsonflies and Fishflies both belong to the order Megaloptera along with Alderflies. Further classification puts the Dobsonflies and Fishflies in the Family Corydalidae and Fishflies are in the genus Chauliodes. This is a Fishfly
¶ Posted 23 June 2006 § ‡ ° 5 inches long with wings, and maybe pinchers??
We found this on the top of our garage. It’s about 5 inches long, kind of reminds me of a cicada(sp?) but is bigger than those I’ve seen … and looks like it has pinchers of some kind. I didn’t see one on your site and was wondering if you know what it is? I know you’re very busy but if it fits in your schedule, we’d love some help identifying it. Thank you,,
Hilary Evans
Hi Hilary,
We are very surprised that we haven’t gotten more requests this year for Dobsonflies. June and July are generally our peak months for sightings. Male Dobsonflies have those signature mandibles that make it virtually impossible to confuse this species to any other.
¶ Posted 16 June 2006 § ‡ ° Dobson fly
Based on other photos on you site I believe this is a photo of a Dobson fly. Am I correct? This Insect was photographed near the Hiawasse river in Murphy NC.
Thanks.
Richard
Hi Richard,
Yes, this is a male Dobsonfly. Despite those formidible looking jaws, he is harmless. Now that summer is arriving, we expect to get many queries targeting the Dobsonfly. Fishermen use the equally fearsome appearing larvae, known as Hellgrammites, as bait. Your photo is marvelous, and we have decided to feature it near the top of our webpage for the entire month.
What in the world is this thing??
My mom and I were camping in central Texas. The camp isn’t finished yet, so although they have a shower house, there isn’t a roof. The lights were on so of course there were a multitude of books. When I opened the door, I saw this BUG with the biggest pinchers I’ve ever seen. The bug itself has a three section body approx 3 inches long, lacey wings and pinchers approx an inch long. He took one look at me and raised his head and started clacking his pinchers together. I ran!! I did go back and turned off the lights, setting my lantern by the door away from the shower so all the bugs would go to the light. After showering, I opened the shower curtain and there he was waiting on me, raising his head and clacking his pinchers again. I’d like to know what I’m running from.
Thanks
Nora
Hi Nora,
That male Dobsonfly won’t hurt you. The females with much smaller mandibles can nip painfully. We should be getting many more Dobsonfly images in the coming months, but yours is on the advanced guard.
¶ Posted 10 June 2006 § ‡ ° A bug I caught
Hello,
My name is Josh, I will attach a picture of a bug that I found this weekend while walking down the side walk, it was in the area of Ceder Falls Iowa, I was with in less than a 1/4 mile of a river and the area I found it in is a little bit swampy as well, I am wondering if you could tell me what kind of bug it is? the first picture of it is sitting on the ground, the next it is hanging from a stick by it’s jaws, in the second picture of it you can see the bottom of it, thanks again, and I’ll await your response,
Josh
Hi Josh,
The Hellgrammite is the larval form of the equally fierce-looking, winged Dobsonfly.
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