Interesting Long Black Bug
July 18, 2009
Thanks for taking a look at this bug. It was hanging out on the side of our house, and wasn’t afraid when I brought the camera lens up close. It must have been at least two inches long, and that may have been just the body length. It was late spring. I have higher resolution pictures if required.
Shilo
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Hi Shilo,
This is a Giant Stonefly or Salmonfly in the genus Pteronarcys. There is a matching photo on BugGuide also from Alberta Canada.
I just found one on my house and thought it was a retarded cicada! I caught it and it wasn’t scared at all! My mom said that not long ago, her friend found one and said it was a salmon fly. I looked it up and all I saw was a bunch of fly fishing lures. I only found about 2 pictures of the actual bug, and it wasn’t even very clear. then I came to your website and found the information.
: ) Happy
Happy to hear we could help.
I just found one on my house and thought it was a retarded cicada! I caught it and it wasn’t scared at all! My mom said that not long ago, her friend found one and said it was a salmon fly. I looked it up and all I saw was a bunch of fly fishing lures. I only found about 2 pictures of the actual bug, and it wasn’t even very clear. then I came to your website and found the information.
: ) Happy
I know what this large bug insect is, being a salmonfly, I live in Massachusetts but in the tip of Suffield and have worked in ct, and two times or more I’ve seen them attached to stone buildings.
Not sure how large these can grow, but I saw one So large, I nearly fainted in shock. I am not an alcoholic, I don’t use any drugs and I don’t have psychological issues, but several years ago about 2008, there was one perched on a stone wall at night, and no lie or exaggeration, this salmon/stonefly had to be at least 3 or 3 1/2 feet long with its massive arena, but its wing span from top to bottom had to be 2 feet long. I grabbed a stick and poked at it, and it turned its head backward to look at me and made a creepy loud clicking sound.
. I ran back to the office to grab my cell phone to take a pic, but of course it was gone. I know its hard to believe, but that was in Windsor Locks, ct and the new ones I see are in Enfield, virtual neighbor towns. They’re both seen at night on stone walls. I even went in to report to some geological nature, scientific local organization or foundation but I never heard back, they probably thought I was crazy, on drugs, alcohol or exaggerating but again its wing span was longer than three of my (fingers to elbow).
The dimensions you cite are much too large for any species currently living on the planet, however, sometimes our minds fool us into thinking things appear larger than they really are. Male Dobsonflies might get to about five inches long, but 3-3 1/2 feet is enormous. Perhaps you witnessed and experimental government or private DRONE.
I know what this large bug insect is, being a salmonfly, I live in Massachusetts but in the tip of Suffield and have worked in ct, and two times or more I’ve seen them attached to stone buildings.
Not sure how large these can grow, but I saw one So large, I nearly fainted in shock. I am not an alcoholic, I don’t use any drugs and I don’t have psychological issues, but several years ago about 2008, there was one perched on a stone wall at night, and no lie or exaggeration, this salmon/stonefly had to be at least 3 or 3 1/2 feet long with its massive arena, but its wing span from top to bottom had to be 2 feet long. I grabbed a stick and poked at it, and it turned its head backward to look at me and made a creepy loud clicking sound.
. I ran back to the office to grab my cell phone to take a pic, but of course it was gone. I know its hard to believe, but that was in Windsor Locks, ct and the new ones I see are in Enfield, virtual neighbor towns. They’re both seen at night on stone walls. I even went in to report to some geological nature, scientific local organization or foundation but I never heard back, they probably thought I was crazy, on drugs, alcohol or exaggerating but again its wing span was longer than three of my (fingers to elbow).