Dobsonflies are amazing creatures and one of the largest insects in the world. Let’s learn all about the dobsonfly weight in the article below.
With some species of dobsonflies being among the largest insects in the world, it’s only normal for them to generate curiosity.
Especially if you find interested in various insect species, you might be trying to find out more about these large aquatic organisms.
Considering their large dimensions, you might be particularly curious about their weight.
Well, while they are quite light, it’s hard to weigh them accurately. Let’s learn some more about these interesting insects.
What Is This Bug?
The dobsonfly is a large aquatic insect found in Asia, Australia, Africa, and the Americas. Its wings resemble those of a dragonfly – four narrow and translucent wings with a visible network of veins.
However, the biggest identifying feature of this bug is its pair of sickle-shaped mandibles. Although these mandibles look quite scary, dobsonflies don’t usually bite humans.
They are a part of the Corydalidae family of insects.
How Big Does it Grow?
As mentioned previously, dobsonflies grow quite big and are among the largest insect species in the world.
The adult size varies from one subspecies to another, with the largest one being the Asian Acanthacorydalis Fruhstorferi – with a wingspan of up to 8.5 inches.
However, the Eastern Dobsonfly (Corydalus cornutus), which you’d find in the US, has a body size of around 3 inches and a wingspan of 5 inches.
The males have long and curved mandibles growing up to 1.6 inches. Female dobsonflies have much shorter but sharper mandibles with powerful jaws, careful of inflicting painful bites.
How Much Does It Weigh?
The exact weight of these aquatic bugs hasn’t been recorded yet. However, considering their size and structure, it’s easy to see that they’re quite lightweight.
The Eastern Dobsonfly, for instance, can’t weigh more than just a few ounces.
How Big are the Dobsonfly Larvae?
Dobsonfly larvae are called hellgrammites. With flattened and elongated bodies, they usually grow up to 2 to 3.45 inches. However, some species of hellgrammites can also reach a length of 4 inches.
Hellgrammites are usually tan, dark brown, or black, with the abdomen divided into eight segments.
The first seven segments each have a pair of leg-like appendages with ventrolateral tufts of tracheal gills that help them breathe underwater.
All eight segments have lateral tactile filaments that help protect the larvae from predators or other hellgrammites.
These larval bugs have three pairs of legs, along with two hooked appendages on the rear to help them anchor themselves against the flow of water.
Like adult dobsonflies, the larvae have tough mandibles and can bite hard.
Dobsonfly Lifecycle
The lifecycle of a dobsonfly is quite interesting – it lives for several years but only a few days as an adult. Let’s explore the different stages of the life cycle of dobsonflies.
- Egg: Dobsonflies hatch from gray and cylindrical eggs smaller than 1.5 inches in length and about 0.5 inches in width. This insect lays its eggs in egg masses resembling a white substance, each containing up to 1000 eggs. When the eggs hatch, the egg mass turns liquid and allows the larvae to leave.
- Larva: As described earlier, the larvae of dobsonflies are dark and long, with various appendages that make them resemble centipedes. Hellgrammites live in shallow and fast-flowing waters and prey on small fish and other insects. They go through 10-12 larval instars over three to four years before they pupate.
- Pupa: Although the larvae are aquatic, they pupate on land. Covered by a minute setae, the pupae are yellow-orange. There are a few dark spots over the abdomen.
- Adult: At the end of pupation, mature dobsonflies complete with four wings emerge. The males develop much longer mandibles, but the female dobsonflies have much sharper and stronger mandibles and can deliver painful bites.
Frequently asked questions
How big does a dobsonfly get?
While dobsonflies are large insects in general, the size may differ between different subspecies. The Eastern Dobsonfly grows up to 3 inches and has a 5-inch wingspan. On the other hand, the Asian Acanthacorydalis Fruhstorferi boasts an impressive wingspan of 8.5 inches.
How painful is a dobsonfly bite?
This depends on whether you get bitten by a male dobsonfly or a female one. The long mandibles of male dobsonflies aren’t very suitable for biting and do not inflict any pain. However, the females have short and sharp mandibles with powerful jaws, and their bites can even draw blood.
Are Dobson flies rare?
Dobsonflies aren’t rare, but they’re uncommon in the US. While you’ll be much more likely to come across these aquatic insects in China or Vietnam, they aren’t as abundant in North America. However, you can still find the Eastern Dobsonfly around streams, creeks, or small rivers.
Do male dobsonflies eat?
Regardless of their sex, mature dobsonflies don’t feed at all. Hence, they aren’t a threat to crops or gardens. Of course, this is quite contrary to their aggressive predatory nature as hellgrammites. Adult males mate soon after pupation and die within a few days.
Wrap Up
If you live near a body of water, there’s a chance that you might find dobsonflies around your home.
Don’t let the dobsonfly size scare you; you won’t have to worry about painful bites unless you handle female dobsonflies. Thanks for reading this article, and I hope it was worth your time.
10 Comments. Leave new
Thanks for the info. There was a female one on my mother’s porch last weekend. Weird because we live in Ohio.
There are North American species.
Yep, just took a pix of one on our deck. Northern Indiana
Just saw one of these critters in the mountains ov Virginia.
Though you are commenting on a Brazilian sighting, Dobsonflies are quite common in North America.
We had a big one in Kansas.
Saw one in Barrie Ontario in late August. Pretty cool bug.
First time I’ve ever seen one on my porch in SE Missouri.
Just found one on my porch in sw missouri
I have a picutre of a dobsonfly that i just took while fishinh in ohio on june 27 2020