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Photo#24318
Unknown Insect - Corydalus cornutus

Unknown Insect - Corydalus cornutus
Townsend, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, USA
July 14, 2005
Size: 5 inches

Moved
Moved from Dobsonflies.

Corydalidae (Dobsonflies and Fishflies)
This is a member of the family Corydalidae (Dobsonflies and Fishflies). If I am not mistaken it is a female Dobsonfly. The males have grotesquely large pincers, while the female pincers are of more normal proportions.

--Stephen

Stephen Cresswell
Buckhannon, WV
www.stephencresswell.com

 
Found a male one
I just found a male one of these yesterday. I live in Westbrook, Maine. Had no idea what it was, but was curious enough to research it. Glad I found it on this site, because it was starting to drive me crazy trying to figure it out! I picked it up and you're right, they have very long pinchers (almost 1")! They were strong too. Thank God I had gloves on. I could really feel him grabbing onto my finger through the leather gloves! Unfortunately, I didn't have a camera readily available.

 
thanks for the idententificat
thanks for the idententification. Have always enjoyed finding insects and trying to determine what they are - but this one kept me looking for hours trying to determine what it was. Thanks for your timely reply. Are they common to this area (central region?). I assume they are herbavore's and not carnivores. Is that correct?

M.Hartman

 
Female Dobsonfly
I agree with Stephen, be careful she can bite!

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