What is this thing?

[Andrew]

I found this thing on the ceiling of my greenhouse. I've never seen anything like it. Can anyone here ID it? You can't really tell from the pic, but it's got a really long neck.

 

[ABbuggin]

Its called a snake fly, its in the stone fly family. The larvae are aquatic and live in freshwater streams for a year or so. When the larvae emerge, they emerge similarly to a dragonfly and live for a few weeks as adults.

Other species actually get a LOT bigger than the one you found, up to 4" or so! :wub:

If you can't tell, I don't just like mantids!

 

[Andrew]

Thanks! Wierd how it found its way into the greenhouse. It looks like they eat aphids and such, so I guess I'll let the little guy go.

 

[Malnra]

or feed it to a mantis ;-)

 

[Rick]

Mantis food is what that is.

 

[obregon562]

or plant food depending on which greenhouse Andrew found it in! ugly little booger...

 

[Andrew]

Hah! It would have been plant food, if any of my neps were pitchering.

 

[Birdfly]

Its called a snake fly, its in the stone fly family. The larvae are aquatic and live in freshwater streams for a year or so. When the larvae emerge, they emerge similarly to a dragonfly and live for a few weeks as adults. Other species actually get a LOT bigger than the one you found, up to 4" or so! :wub:

If you can't tell, I don't just like mantids!

Sorry AB but most if not all snake fly Raphidiodea larvae live under bark hence there flattened body shape were they prey on smaller inverts.

I think you might have been thinking of Dobson flies Corydalidae, they are also much larger, up to 5 inches or so with huge mandibles on the males, the larvae are aquatic

 

[idolomantis]

u all wrong...

its a mantis hot-dog dont you see?! well packaged in some wings and served with crisps and cream!!!

 

[ABbuggin]

Sorry AB but most if not all snake fly Raphidiodea larvae live under bark hence there flattened body shape were they prey on smaller inverts. I think you might have been thinking of Dobson flies Corydalidae, they are also much larger, up to 5 inches or so with huge mandibles on the males, the larvae are aquatic

Interesting information. You must be thinking of a different species then. I know there is one where I live that is aquatic. I guess I just assumed that all were aquatic.

Dobsonflies have got to be the scariest looking insect out there. I got lucky, and found about a dozen on a barn last year! (the barn was very close to a stream and it had a street light shining on it) :blink: :blink: :blink:

 

[Birdfly]

Interesting information. You must be thinking of a different species then. I know there is one where I live that is aquatic. I guess I just assumed that all were aquatic. Dobsonflies have got to be the scariest looking insect out there. I got lucky, and found about a dozen on a barn last year! (the barn was very close to a stream and it had a street light shining on it) :blink: :blink: :blink:

Ok, :lol: theres always exeptions

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http:/...=image&cd=1 Dobson fly

http://www.everythingabout.net/articles/bi...sects/snakefly/ Snake fly