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Trying to Identify this Insect...Help?

I hope I copy the image correctly--my apology in advance if I messed up.

I found this bug outside on a cinder block retaining wall seperating my yard from the woods--clay hill and a lot of bushes and trees. I live in Cleveland Tennessee just north of Chattanooga, Tennessee. (let me host the image then I'll get on with the discription)


http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/9337/thestrangebug9xe.opt.jpg

Hope it comes through?

It has an upright body -- ^ not > -- with a slightly whip like appendage at its tail with a thick thorn like stinger.
The head has a spider look to it--that's why I think its in the spider family.
The 2 sets of front legs are jointed and I believe fuzzy (hairy) and larger than the back 2 sets of legs (I'm fairly positive it had 8 legs) The front pair of legs extend higher than the body and I'm pretty sure the 2nd set are the same size. The back legs (2 sets) are shorter but still gives it a pretty good clearance from the ground. The legs are a medium reddish/brown in color.
The main body is a slight grayish/biege color with several (various sized) spots of the same reddish/brown color as the legs with the larger spots having a pale yellow or white center.
Since I've made the above sketch of it I'm revising the estimated measurements that I had given on another post---
The body is approximately 1 and a half to 1 and 3/4 inches long
1 to 1 and 1/4 inches at the highest point of its back.
the Tail appendage is solid not segmented and curves slightly aroung the insect's backside and about 1 and a half inches long with the stinger that actually resembles a cat's claw in shape and its transparancy is about 3/4 inches long, and the stinger had something that resembled a cuticle.

It has a mandible (mouth) like a spider or ant and big bubous black eyes.

I have never seen a insect that looked like this..I at first thought that it might be in the Scorpion class because of the curved tail and stinger but it does not have any claws..when I studied it a little bit more thoroughly I noted all of the markings and characteristics that I mentioned above.

If anyone could help me IDENTIFY this little guy and tell me a little about it I would be forever grateful...especially if its poisonous to humans because I have a lot of grandkids that come over and play in my yard and I'm a little concerned for their safety if they should come across it. (I've seen it about 4 times now--not sure if its the same one or 4 different ones)

Thanks in Advance
Contributed by Granny on 9 November, 2005 - 12:55am

Root borer?
The only thing I can think of that remotely matches the size and structure of her description is a female broadnecked root borer, Prionus laticollis. Mary needs to look up our images of that creature in our guide pages to see if they might match. Females have a telescoping ovipositor (egg-laying organ) that matches her description of the "tail." It is a place to start anyway:-)
… Eric R. Eaton, 9 November, 2005 - 11:30am

Sketch


This is the sketch Mary tried to include.
… Christopher Hunt, 9 November, 2005 - 9:34am

Hi Mary
It seems that you have an image of this creature, in which case you can post it to our ID Request page for comments. Here's a link to the page - just follow the instructions to add an image.
… Hannah Nendick-Mason, 9 November, 2005 - 7:43am

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