Male Dobsonfly I believe
Thanks to your website, i was able to identify this wicked looking critter. I haven’t seen a Mississippi version of this insect on your site, so, i decided to send you one. This must be a young one, measuring between 3 and 4 inches total. It was photographed in central Mississippi in June 2008.
Darrell B. Lloyd

Hi Darrell,
Some of our readers tend to exagerate or miscalculate the size of their insects. Even at 3 to 4 inches, a male Dobsonfly is an impressive insect.

What is this bug???
Good day bugman,
My husband & I were out walking my dog the other night when this bug just crash landed, almost at my husbands feet. We live in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada. Thankfully, I always carry my camera with me and, naturally had to get down on the ground (in the middle of the bridge) to get pictures of this strange creature. We’ve never seen one quite like this. He (or she) was approximately 2 1⁄2” to 3” long from the back end to the tips of the antennae. He (or she) stayed in it’s place long enough for me to get my pictures, only moving the wings when large vehicles drove by (thankfully because I really am a coward and can take pictures as long as it doesn’t decide to fly at me – yikes!)
Debi Duff

Hi Debi,
Your creature is a male Dobsonfly. We will be posting your letter with another that arrived today of a female Dobsonfly. Dobsonflies exhibit marked sexual dimorphism, with males having long pointed mandibles.

Female Dobsonfly
(06/30/2008) Large bug
Hello,
Could you give me some help identifying this insect? This large one with several other smaller ones appeared on our front porch recently. Any help would be appreciated! Thanks…
Patrick Buckland

Hi Patrick,
We are posting your photo along with a photo of a male Dobsonfly that arrived today. Also, there is a photo of a similar looking Fishfly as comparison.

Identify
We were camping along Pine Creek in PA. This insect hung around for 2 days. Never saw anything like it before. Could you please identify it for us. Thanks
Bill & Maryann

Hi Bill and Maryann,
This is a male Dobsonfly. For some reason its wings have atrophied. Without properly developed wings, he will not fly. The male Dobsonfly is a spectacular insect and though frightening looking, it is harmless. You should see how magnificent a properly developed male looks next to your poor disabled creature.

Giant winged bug attacks helpless family in KY!
OK, so I have a confession: This bug didn’t actually attack us, and we probably aren’t helpless. But it was giant! And winged! It terrified my daughters and I, as we had never seen this type of bug before. My husband swatted it down, but not before I could snap a couple of pics. They aren’t the best pics, but I really didn’t want to get too much closer. About the bug: It was resting on the window air conditioner above the sink in our kitchen. It had large mandibles and really long wings. It looked like a mean monstrous thing! Could you help me identify it, and tell me whether it bites, so that I can avoid panicking in the future (if it poses no threat to humans)? From looking at your site, I thought perhaps it might be an antlion? Thanks so much for any help!
Heather

Hi Heather,
Your fierce looking insect is a Dobsonfly. Dobsonflies and Antlions are in the same insect order, Neuroptera. This is a female Dobsonfly. She does have strong mandibles, and if she bites, she may pierce the skin, but she is basically harmless and does not have venom. Interestingly, the mandibles of the male Dobsonfly are even more frightening looking, but he is totally harmless. We should try to do some research on why, exactly, the male Dobsonfly has such unusual mandibles. We have long suspected it is related to the mating ritual, courtship, or perhaps the establishment of a dominant male. Dobsonflies do not eat as adults. Here is what BugGuide has to say: “The huge mandibles of the males are used to grasp the females during mating. The females, with much smaller jaws, can apparently bite more effectively. Although neither male nor female feed in the adult stage, they may use their mandibles for self-defense. “

Update: (06/15/2008) A heartfelt thank-you, and a rebuttal!
Hello again.
First, I’d like to thank you for identifying the female Dobsonfly photo (on 6-12-08) that I sent in. Second, I find myself compelled to comment on the e-mail that ‘Truly Candid Girl’ sent to you on 6-14-08 about “repeats”. I’d like to say that looking at several pics of the same bugs helps me to identify them. One pic cannot possibly show all the different sides, angles, sizes, and colors of a particular bug. I think “repeats” are necessary if you truly want to learn about a bug! And last, I LOVE your site! I have always been the type of girl that highly disliked bugs, and when I would see one, I’d say “Eww, bug!” and squash it if possible. Now, I’m not saying that I’ve fallen in love with bugs, but this site has evoked a curiosity in me. Every time I see a bug that I’m not familiar with, I want to know what it is, and I always come to this site. It’s a much better alternative to swatting, squishing, or running! Thank you so much for helping me to overcome my fear bit-by-bit, and keep up the good work!
Heather P

Peruvian insect
We saw some dozens of flying insects beating against the window of our hotel in Agua Caliente, at the foot of Machu Picchu, Peru. The one attached was no longer working and was about 5cm long. This resembles nothing we know in the UK and I wonder whether you can identify it. Thanks
Peter Seamer

Hi Peter,
This is a male Dobsonfly. Very soon now, in the late spring and early summer, we expect to begin getting Dobsonfly submissions from the eastern U.S. At that time of year, it is one of our most common submissions.