I found this bug, would love to know what it is
Tue, Jun 2, 2009 at 12:53 PM
Me and the kids stopped off by a mountain stream at the bottom of helvellyn in the lake district on sunday and there were lots of these creatures on the rocks around the water, i would appriciate your help in finding out what type of “thing” it is – it resembled something like a flat grass hopper/ over grown earwig crossed with a scorpion, it didnt have a sting but had quite large mouth/biting bit – ithey were a good 2″ long and not particualrly friendly looking
jodie lee
lake district
Stonefly Naiad
Hi Jodie,
This is the aquatic nymph of the Giant Stonefly known as a naiad. Presumably it has crawled from the stream, will soon molt its exoskeleton, and become a winged adult. Adult Giant Stoneflies do not feed, but are relished by trout, other fish, birds and many riparian predators. Anglers use both larval and adult Giant Stoneflies as bait. We have recently posted a photo of an adult Giant Stonefly for comparison. You photo and letter will not go live on our site until Tuesday at noon. We have been preparing posts to update one a day while we are out of the office planting tomatoes.
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Posted 09 June 2009
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7th grade river walk this afternoon, …
Wed, Jun 3, 2009 at 3:22 PM
Left us wondering “who” this is. It was stationary, hanging onto the side of a small tree, 15 feet from the river that runs behind our school in VT. It looked to be 2 – 2.5 inches long.
Lisa
North Central VT, a couple of miles from the base of Mt Mansfield.
Giant Stonefly
Hi Lisa,
This is a Giant Stonefly in the family Pteronarcyidae. The aquatic nymphs have gills and are found in streams and rivers and they eat aquatic vegetation. We recently received an ID request that we did not post of a nymph, and we are going to try to locate it in the labyrinth of our email inbox. Adult Giant Stoneflies do not feed. Fishermen are fond of Giant Stoneflies as bait for trout and other freshwater fish. You may learn more about Giant Stoneflies on BugGuide. We are preparing your letter and photo in advance to post live to our site on Monday at noon since we will be out of the office for a week and not answering any new incoming mail. We feel an obligation to our regular readership to continue to update on a daily basis in absentia.
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Posted 08 June 2009
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Odd Spokane Resident
Sat, Dec 20, 2008 at 10:12 PM
Odd Spokane Resident
While tilling a flower bed this last summer (May/June), my wife found this bug under a top covering of pine needles. I have never seen anything like this.
It has a beautiful black with orange outlines. Its wings are huge!
Spencer Morley
Spokane, WA, USA
Giant Stonefly
Hi Spencer,
This is a Giant Stonefly in the family Pteronarcyidae. According to information posted to BugGuide, we believe this is probably a California Salmonfly, Pteronarcys californica . BugGuide indicates: “The California Salmonfly ( Pteronarcys californica ) is common in western United States and southwestern Canada; it is an important food of trout and salmon, and a favorite bait of anglers.” These aquatic insects are often attracted to lights.
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Posted 22 December 2008
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dobson-fly? With Orange neck?
Found on the side of a building by the New Brunswick/Maine border. After looking at your site I believe this might be a type of Dobson Fly, cigar shaped body, 4 inches in length, clear wings. There does not appear to be mandibles and unlike the pictures on your website this one has a flourescent orange neck. Hoping you can open the attachments! Same one in both pics! Sorry about the poor quality!
This is a Common Stonefly in the family Perlidae. BugGuide has images, including one with a ruler showing the size 4 inches, and one showing the orange color of the neck, and they identify the genus as Perlesta or perhaps Pteronarcys pictetii. While we can’t exactly confirm the genus or species, we are confident this is a Common Stonefly.
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Posted 12 June 2008
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another pic of a fishfly
Here’s another great pic of a fishfly. I put something on a park bench concealed from a rainstorm allowing this "little" guy to get out of the rainstorm.
Karen MacEwan
Hi Karen,
This is not a Fishfly. It is a common Stonefly in the family Perlidae. We just spent a bit of time adjusting the contrast and sharpening a far inferior image of a Common Stonefly to post because we opened that letter first. Though we don’t really feel the need to have two Common Stonefly images on our homepage at once, you image is so lovely we cannot resist the temptation to do so. Your telephone area code (which we are not posting) indicates you are from the Minneapolis, Minnesota area.
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Posted 11 June 2008
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FishFly or Female Dobson Fly?
Hey Bug Man,
You have a ton of Dobson flies on your site, but I’m still not convinced that this is one because of the lack of mandibles (or else this one’s are puny). It also doesn’t have the trademark feathered antennae of a fishfly. The orange accents were also interesting. I found this 3 inch specimen on a tree in my backyard in Ashburn, Virginia on April 26. I live 100 yards from a stream and the weather has given us several 80 degree days for the first time this year. Thanks for the great compilation of excellent photos on your site.
Joe
Hi Joe,
This is a Common Stonefly in the family Perlidae.
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Posted 27 April 2008
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Bug photo attached for your collection if wanted
Came across your neat site while searching for stonefly photos on Google. Found this yesterday as it came out from under my son’s riding mower as we pushed it into the back yard to work on it. Been told it’s a Golden stonefly. Thought you might want it for your photo collection. We’re in southwest Virginia.
Dick & Jane
Hi Dick and Jane,
Thanks for sending your image. According to BugGuide, Golden Stoneflies or Common Stoneflies are in the family Perlidae.
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Posted 03 April 2008
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what’s this bug?
We were interested to see a couple of this bug crawling on top of the snow on March 15 near Niagara Falls Ontario in a provincial park where there are horseback riders and dog walkers. Is it a common insect?
Nancy Cook
Hi Nancy,
Winter Stoneflies, known as Snowflies, are not rare, but are very seasonal. They are one of the few insects that are active when there is still snow on the ground.
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Posted 15 March 2008
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bug identification
Hi,
Attached is a picture of a bug that we are seeing on wintery sunny days on the outside and a few inside our house. It has wings, but does not fly. We live in a woody area in CT. We have also have had an increase of ladybugs and houseflies recently. Thank you
This is a Winter Stonefly in the family Capniidae. According to BugGuide there are 151 [identified] species in North America in 10 genera, and the: “family is distributed throughout much of North America but many species have restricted geographic ranges, and are endemic to relatively small areas.” They are also called Snowflies.
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Posted 10 February 2008
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Hello! Bug from Hell’s Canyon Oregon here!
Beautiful laced wings on this bug we saw at Indian Crossing campground on the Imnaha river, Hells Canyon national recreation area on the border of Oregon and Idaho. It was in a forested area. Any ideas? Love the site!!!!! Thanks!
Justin Friedman
Hi Justin,
This is a Giant Stonefly. BugGuide has a matching photo, but does not identify the species. They only identify it to the family level, Pteronarcyidae.
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Posted 12 October 2007
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Glacier insect
Aloha Bug-people:
Thanks again for the help with the Passionvine Hopper nymph last year. I have another mystery. Attached image is of an insect found while trekking on top of the Perito Moreno Glacier, Patagonia, Argentina. Length about 3/4 inch. Our guide told us these were discovered on the glacier, but he did not know a name for them. Searched your site of course, but the only thing with a similar structure was a Timema. I have read that sprintails have been known to live on glaciers as well, but they are much smaller to my knowledge. Sorry for the poor image. Had to shoot handheld without my tripod, and the little guy was moving. Kind regards,
Don Brown
Hi Don,
This looks like a Snowfly, a group of Stoneflies in the family Capniidae, the Small Winter Snowflies. Some are winged and some are not.
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Posted 20 December 2006
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What is it?
Hi
I took a pic of an insect that appears to be skeletal remains that had been on a rock near a river. I have no idea what type of bug it is. I used a super macro shot on it. The actual size is about 1/2". Looking forward to hearing from you,
Deb
Hi Deb,
This is the exoskeleton of a Stonefly. The larvae are known as naiads and they are aquatic.
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Posted 12 August 2006
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not a grasshopper or mayfly?
What the heck is this? I live in Alberta Canada, and can’t for the life of me figure out what this is!
Thanks in advance!
Chris
Hi Chris,
This is a Giant Stonefly in the family Pteronarcyidae. They are sometimes called Salmonflies. The only way we could get your photos on our homepage was to photograph them with a digital camera on the computer screen from the email as we were not able to open the png file. Hence the quality is rather poor.
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Posted 19 May 2006
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Caddisflies
Dear bugman,,
I have what appears to caddisflies all over my house. I have a large woods(over 100 acres) behind my house there is a stream 100 feets from my house and a pond about 100 yards from my house. There are thousands covering my house. Do you have any idea what to do with them. Unfortunately, Iam not a fly fisherman.
Thanks,
John
Hi John,
These are not Caddisflies, but Stoneflies, Order Plecoptera. We are baffled why, having a stream and a pond, you don’t fish. Your Stoneflies are seasonal and some years there are population explosions. Soon enough, they will be gone for another year.
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Posted 04 February 2006
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stonefly
Hey,
What kind of stonefly is this? He’s about an inch and a half. I caught him in february in central pennsylvania. I put him in rubbing alchohol for long term studying and he didn’t die untill the next day. Thats one tough stone. Please email me back when you get a chance. Aquatic insects are fantastic!!!
Stephen
Hi Stephen,
This is a Common Stonefly Naiad in the Family Perlidae.
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Posted 23 January 2006
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Bugs seen only in Winter snow
Hello Bugman,
My son is very interested in identifying a bug that we see each winter in the snow. I have attached two pictures – one against a ruler. The insect has 6 legs, two long antenna and two things off the back (two tails?). It’s approx. 1/2 inch in length. Please help!
Thanks – Kevin and Stephen Crowley
Dear Crowleys,
We are always very excited to get new species for our site, but even more excited to get new families. This is a type of Stonefly, Order Plecoptera, known as the Snowfly or Winter Stonefly, Family Capniidae, probably the genus Allocapnia. We located photos on Bugguide, but there wasn’t much information, so we decided to search further. Sadly our search was in vain as there seem to be photos and maps, but not much in the way of text. If you find any additional links, perhaps you can contact us with the information.
I found a website with some further information on stoneflies. I hope this helps.
Yvonne
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Posted 03 January 2006
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Bugs of VT
I have photos of some insects that were taken in Southern Vt. near Albany, NY. I didn’t take the photos but I’m supposed to name them. I hope you can help. 2 Photos Attached. Sincerely, mrsvgrant
Hi Mrs V Grant,
Your one photo shows a Stink Bug or Shield Bug in the family Pentatomidae. The other insect, and the one we are interested in posting, is a fabulous photo of a Giant Stonefly in the family Pteronarcyidae which includes the giant salmonflies famous among flyfishers. The giant stonefly of the East and Midwest can be either Pteronarcys dorsata or Pteronarcys picteti. Sadly, we have not been able to determine which species you have as internet information is sketchy. More information can be found on the American Stonefly Page which has an image that matches yours but is not correctly identified. The range map of P. dorsata includes many areas around Vermont, though Vermont is not listed. P. pictetii ranges relatively far from Vermont, being concentrated in the Midwest. By process of elimination, we believe you have Pteronarcys dorsata.
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Posted 17 September 2005
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Stonefly and Hellgrammite
I noticed that on your website that you did not have any pictures of the Common Stonefly adult or a Dobsonfly Larvae. I have included a picture of each for your records.
Chad
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| Stonefly |
Hellgrammites |
Hi Chad,
Thanks for the images. You must be a fisherman with all those Hellgrammites for bait. We actually have a Hellgrammite page seperate from our Dobsonfly page. The Common Stonefly looks like one of the Green-Winged Stoneflies in the Family Isoperlidae.
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Posted 04 August 2005
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what is this bug/water beetle and this shed husk?
I found these in Arizona in the Pinetop-Lakeside area. Thanks,
glen b.
Hi Glen,
This is the shed skin of a Stonefly naiad left after it crawled out of the water and began life as a winged adult.
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Posted 04 August 2005
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What is this bug?
Dear Bugman,
I am really impressed with your swift reply and you certainly have helped. Here is my next mystery – well not for you probably but certainly for a novice like me. Found near the pond, well originally on a pond leaf. I am wondering is it a stonefly as it seems to have many of the characteristics of the stonefly nymph which are numerous in our pond.
Diolch yn fawr
Thank you
Mary.
Cynon Valley, South Wales
Hi again Mary,
Sure looks like a Stonefly to us. They belong to the order Plecoptera and are generally found near rapidly running streams or wave-washed lakes. Perhaps your European species favor calmer waters. The naiads are common under stones, hence the common name.
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Posted 14 June 2005
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