Weird Flying Insect

[RaymondV]

My brother happened to come across this insect while walking his dog in a field near his condo in Clinton Twp, MI.
His dog saw it first and started sniffing at it and it then started flying around the dog, trying to land on her. My brother was able to swat it out of the air and step on it.
We both have been living is this area for most of our lives and have never seen anything like this.

[luckydog]

Aliens

[Meathead]

Good thing you only killed one. I think that's the bag limit. Is your license current?

[Moparformances]

looks like a dragon fly???

[RaymondV]

Dragonfly is what I thought too.
But I google searched dragonfly pics and could not find one like that.
A dragonfly's body is long like a tube, this thing's body is shorter.

[KimbaWLion]

Its a Dobson Fly... At least that was instant answer and I here is why I think so... Its not all that rare... And yes its weird I know this...

http://www.fcps.edu/islandcreekes/ecology/dobsonfly.htm

[Meathead]

hellgrammites, I used to look in streams for them to use fishing.

[MrGneiss]

That reminds me of the creepy bug I found a few years ago!!

The 'What's This Bug' Thread!!

[Sid]

damn.. that's a nasty looking bug..

[RaymondV]

I sent the pics to Michigan State University last night and they also replied that it is a Dobsonfly.
Quite common from what they said...I never saw one before

[Moparformances]

when in its larva form it looks like the bug that Khan put in Chekov ear, during Star Trek Wrath of Khan

grose looking

[Microbus99]

If you live in the midwest you're probably immune to this creature. the Cicada. We dont have these in Colorado so I'm fascinated by them when I'm in country that has them.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cicada

However while digging in my backyard I did dig up a larvae of one which I guess can take several years before maturing?!

Another insect that I encountered for the first time was in Chicago was a Firefly. I was absolutely amazed by these creatures. I grew up in Hawaii and we didnt have those in our collection of many insects. Believe me Hawaii has MANY insects and you just get used to them such as Centipedes, Scorpions, and some freaky looking spiders.

I think the Firefly scores big points on being the coolest insect. Do you agree?

I'm glad I'm in Colorado now and only deal with small spiders, mosquitoes, and flys. No problem coming from what I'm used to in Hawaii.

[MrGneiss]

when in its larva form it looks like the bug that Khan put in Chekov ear, during Star Trek Wrath of Khan

grose looking

Thats exactly the same thing I thought of when I saw them!!

If you live in the midwest you're probably immune to this creature. the Cicada. We dont have these in Colorado so I'm fascinated by them when I'm in country that has them.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cicada

However while digging in my backyard I did dig up a larvae of one which I guess can take several years before maturing?!

Another insect that I encountered for the first time was in Chicago was a Firefly. I was absolutely amazed by these creatures. I grew up in Hawaii and we didnt have those in our collection of many insects. Believe me Hawaii has MANY insects and you just get used to them such as Centipedes, Scorpions, and some freaky looking spiders.

I think the Firefly scores big points on being the coolest insect. Do you agree?

I'm glad I'm in Colorado now and only deal with small spiders, mosquitoes, and flys. No problem coming from what I'm used to in Hawaii.

My two favorite bugs!!

Lightning bugs have been my favorite bug all my life..They are fun to catch!!

I had never seen a cicada until 1987 when there where bazzilions of them that summer in Cincinnati..It was gross in swimming pools that summer!!

In Indy they are here every year and I love them!!

[Sid]

Cicadas are my favorite...

we get them here during the summer.. they are fun little bugs..

since they tend to "chirp" when its hot, i often think they are grumbling.. grumble grumble its hot grumble grumble its hot.

[RaymondV]

I love seeing fireflys, there were a couple of them buzzing around my yard the other night.
I remember as a kid you could sometimes see a dozen or more at one time flying around but I don't see that many of them anymore

[JACKSJE4]

I think the Firefly scores big points on being the coolest insect. Do you agree?

I'm glad I'm in Colorado now and only deal with small spiders, mosquitoes, and flys. No problem coming from what I'm used to in Hawaii.

There are some fireflies in Colorado. I saw some a few weeks ago while at a BBQ up in Firestone. While not common, they do exist here.

[MrGneiss]

Around here most nights during the summer there are hundreds of lightning bugs out flying around being awesome!!