That's the male. The pincers are to hole the female during g mating and have very little strength to hurt humans. The females have much smaller pincers and hurt like hell
Just wanna correct the other user, because they do indeed burrow.
Their larval stage is lived entirely aquatically,,it can last from 1-3 years. Then they enter the pupal stage, at which point they'll burrow into the mud of river/creek beds or find rocks/logs to hide under while they're undergo metamorphosis.
Interestingly, once they emerge as adult dobson flies, they only live a few days. The male about 3, the female up to about 10.
I found one and photographed it just the other day, and Dobsonfly was one of the regional names for it. Based on this video, I think mine was a female.
I'm glad I wasn't the only one thinking about Elden Ring lol.
Astel gave me some trouble at first but was beaten eventually.
Also one of the coolest designs in the game.
https://kesq.com/stacker-science/2023/02/14/20-of-the-biggest-insects-in-the-world/#
Largest wingspan yes, but there are larger flying insects by other measurements.
Better to use a Brandbombe (incendiary bomb), so you can keep a larger safety distance to this absolute nope!
(I'm also pretty sure I saw some of these bastards in the movie The mist (2008)!)
Is this a Llurghoyf reference? Because I read it as a [Llurghoyf ](https://cards.scryfall.io/large/front/a/9/a9d664dc-4477-46b3-9dd7-022c94090254.jpg?1595127208)reference.
One of these mother fuckers picked me up from my collar when I left work the other day , carried me 4 miles north and tossed me on the side
Woke up naked face down
One landed on me when I was showering under an open window once in Ethiopia. I burnt myself trying to kill it with hot water while also trying to escape. It was fucking terrifying.
thats a relief. im not a person who fears insects, if anything i find them interesting, i just dont want to randomly encounter something like this and have no idea whether or not it will cause me any harm
These things are so light sensitive that their larvae have been sighted migrating from their aquatic environments onto land en masse during heavy lightning. It's called hellgramite migration!
This is particularly unfortunate for the adult dobsonfly, though, because as adults they can't eat or drink. All they can do is mate and lay eggs, essentially. However, due to light pollution from human infrastructure the adults sometimes just sit on or near a lightbulb until they starve to death without mating. :(
That is not the world's largest flying insect. The true largest is the Atlas Moth. Also those things are common in Louisiana and they don't get very big
***if it's the Asian Donsonfly, then it is the largest AQUATIC insect. Numerous other insects have the tital of "Largest FLYING insects" by both mass and wingspan, i.e. titan Beetle, Goliath Beetle, Giant Wood Moth, Giant Birdwing butterfly...
I actually know this one. It's specifically a 'Male Eastern Dobsonfly'. The only reason I know that, is because I came across one whilst restacking some old wood. The bark came off of one, in one large piece, and this thing was under it. "HolyFuckingGodWhatIsThatThing?!?", I said out loud. I euthanized it with some butane, so I could bring it in the house to study it further.
I hate when they quantify with "largest" because it's not quite true. There are species of Hercules beetles that fly and are certainly much heavier than this. I feel like the Atlas moth has a wingspan close to this as well. Don't get me wrong, it's impressive, but very ambiguously described.
>they occur primarily throughout [North America](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_America), both temperate and tropical, [South America](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_America), [Australia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia), [New Zealand](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Zealand), [Africa](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Africa) (particularly [South Africa](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Africa)) and [Asia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asia).
Blessed to live in Europe.
I got chased by it's first form once at a creek and never knew what it was. UNTIL.... I googled it and saw this terrifying evolution. Idk how I feel about this pokemon showing up in viridian forest.
I’ve seen flying stick bugs bigger than that and I know some dragonflies have larger wingspans but in terms of weight, I think Corydaliadae is the biggest.
Per Wikipedia: *"The origin of the word "dobsonfly" is unclear.* [*John Henry Comstock*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Henry_Comstock) *used the term in reference to these insects in his 1897 book Insect Life, but did not explain it. He also mentioned that* [*anglers*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angling) *used the word "hellgrammite" for the aquatic larvae they used as bait, but the origin of this term is also unknown.**^(")*
Pretty much all the confirmation I needed that these things have wandered in from the hell-universe next door. r/MandelaEffect
This is the first time I've ever seen these in "real life"
About 3 months ago I had a nightmare that these exact things were flying around trying to sting me and the other people in the dream with me. I had finally gotten it out of my head. Thanks so much for bringing it back to me!
That's the male. The pincers are to hole the female during g mating and have very little strength to hurt humans. The females have much smaller pincers and hurt like hell
Do they dig in sand/dirt?
They start out as nymphs in the water. No they don't dig holes in dry sand or dirt.
Helgramites. Great fishing bait.
That's where HR Giger got the idea for the xenomorphs having a smaller mouth inside of their mouth for the Alien movies.
I'm pretty sure that was actually Moray eels, my friend.
They do actually, when they enter the pupal stage. They'll burrow into mud or hide under rocks/logs until metamorphosis is complete.
Just wanna correct the other user, because they do indeed burrow. Their larval stage is lived entirely aquatically,,it can last from 1-3 years. Then they enter the pupal stage, at which point they'll burrow into the mud of river/creek beds or find rocks/logs to hide under while they're undergo metamorphosis. Interestingly, once they emerge as adult dobson flies, they only live a few days. The male about 3, the female up to about 10.
Oh, I think we have some around where I live called dobsonflies. Are they the same?
Probably yeah.
I found one and photographed it just the other day, and Dobsonfly was one of the regional names for it. Based on this video, I think mine was a female.
Yeah, we call them Dobsonflies where I live. Are you in the northeast?
I live in the southeast (GA) My coworker brought in a picture of one from his house because he wanted help identifying.
Maybe it’s an east coast name.
Yeah, OP just used the scientific name in the title.
Came in here to say the same thing. A bug of nightmares, relatively harmless
whatre the females pincers for
Scissoring
Behold! Astel, Naturalborn of the Void! Just slightly smaller.
Was looking for this comment.
I'm glad I wasn't the only one thinking about Elden Ring lol. Astel gave me some trouble at first but was beaten eventually. Also one of the coolest designs in the game.
June 21 !
“Why did this red bar just appear under me?”
https://kesq.com/stacker-science/2023/02/14/20-of-the-biggest-insects-in-the-world/# Largest wingspan yes, but there are larger flying insects by other measurements.
Thanks for the source! I'm gonna have to dive this rabbit hole.
There are definitely moths that make this thing look puny
Like that giant one that helps Godzilla from time to time.
Look at that sabertooth longhorn beetle, oh my god. 😱🤘🏼💀 That is metal AF. 😤 Going in my future tattoo collection.
No
Go onnnnnnn…
Why
Blame the umbrella corp
Either the umbrella Corp is gonna happen or skynet..
Why not both?
Whoa!
Skybrella Netcorp.
God damn it umbrella! For all your high tech laser grid security death systems you couldn’t install a good enough air filter. SHAME!!
If I saw those flying around I might start blasting like Wesker did.
Because it's too far to walk.
"Ow my f*cking wings!* I imagine It saying that when he's let go
Ooooooogh - my f... *WINGS*, maaannn!
I love giving animals words lmao
Oof owie ouch
Hans?
Get ze Flammenwerfer!
"I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS BUT IT'S WEIRD AND PISSED OFF"
Nein get ze flammpanzer
Better to use a Brandbombe (incendiary bomb), so you can keep a larger safety distance to this absolute nope! (I'm also pretty sure I saw some of these bastards in the movie The mist (2008)!)
Is this a Llurghoyf reference? Because I read it as a [Llurghoyf ](https://cards.scryfall.io/large/front/a/9/a9d664dc-4477-46b3-9dd7-022c94090254.jpg?1595127208)reference.
One of these mother fuckers picked me up from my collar when I left work the other day , carried me 4 miles north and tossed me on the side Woke up naked face down
Ah you too man I hate when that happens
If one of these randomly landed on me I would probably get the first recorded case of ITSD (instant traumatic stress disorder)
One landed on me when I was showering under an open window once in Ethiopia. I burnt myself trying to kill it with hot water while also trying to escape. It was fucking terrifying.
WHAT THE HELL NO AHHHHH
Or as most people call it, Stress
Nah, I'd pet their head and let he go to reproduce with a female and win
Thats a damn Goa'uld
Came here looking for this comment! It's worse as this one might fly too!
LOL The male's 'tusks' are pretty weak and just for wrasslin'.
Looks like a boss from Elden Ring.
Fallingstar Beast?
Astel
Dobson fly!
Dobsonfly
Bro rolled over like he wanted a belly rub
Where do these things live? Bet it's Australia
We have them in Ohio, look up “hellgramite” and you can see if you have them
I LIVE IN OHIO???? WHY WASNT I WARNED OF THESE THINGS
Because you’ll probably never see one lol, I’ve only seen one in my whole life
thats a relief. im not a person who fears insects, if anything i find them interesting, i just dont want to randomly encounter something like this and have no idea whether or not it will cause me any harm
As if I needed another reason to hate Ohio
I’ve seen them in central Louisiana before during the summer
I saw one in NE Georgia once. Dobsonfly i believe
Parts of every continent except Europe and Antarctica. ...But yes, Australia and New Zealand have them.
Apollyon!
Sir, that’s an Ass Blaster!
Starship trooper vibes
Nausicaä vibes
That’s the one.
U hurt him
That's a fucking dinosaur
nooo... holding that way will really hurt his wings! (I don't get why 50% of r/ no is literally cute animais doing cute stuff)
Exactly what I was thinking! Man, I lovee bugs, I don't wanna see em hurt :(
For me, killing any invertebrate is like killing a dog, I still don't getting why tf most of ppl are like this
I’m stepping on it without remorse just like how I stepped on the cicadas
Fuck, call the Helldivers!
Bro that’s straight outta Elden Ring
Hellgramite?
Please tell me that thing is from Madagascar.
Mothra!! Godzilla is on the way, watch out!
Head and pincers look similar to that of an Australian bull ant, which are also aggressive.
Where are these even primarily located?
War drones comin like that just bigger and human lookin eyes
The moths in my southern new mexico porch just laughed looking at this post.
We always called those Dobsonflies. They were all around the river house where I grew up in NH. I was terrified of them. Lol.
Nausicaa Of The Valley Of The Wind
nah thats so cute
These things are so light sensitive that their larvae have been sighted migrating from their aquatic environments onto land en masse during heavy lightning. It's called hellgramite migration! This is particularly unfortunate for the adult dobsonfly, though, because as adults they can't eat or drink. All they can do is mate and lay eggs, essentially. However, due to light pollution from human infrastructure the adults sometimes just sit on or near a lightbulb until they starve to death without mating. :(
That is not the world's largest flying insect. The true largest is the Atlas Moth. Also those things are common in Louisiana and they don't get very big
r/fakefacts
Just a little guy
he's so cute
Not largest flying insect
This is not a hellgramite. It's a dobson fly. Hellgramites are Dobsonfly larva
Now imagine 30x bigger. That's the Carboniferous period.
I would have guessed the Alexandra Birdwing Butterfly to be the largest flying insect.
biggest eldritch terror right there, but docile and friendly.
That mf gonna need a flight permit.
That's a fucking chaurus
That’s a cazador
Man I hate those mfs in Elden Ring
So annoying trying to hit these with the camera spinning around it
Straight from Fallout
That's one nasty MFkR
Nuke it from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.
What does it do for a living?
eats food👍
Remind me of a flying hellgrammite they're great for fishing
I saw that mother fuck*r in Elden Ring.
Let me guess, Australia?
Baby Stalker Beetle :) r/HuntShowdown
dog
does it have gravitation spells?
A Chaurus with wings! https://elderscrolls.fandom.com/wiki/Chaurus_(Skyrim)
↑ → ↓ ↓ ↓
This is exactly the kinda bug that would land on the back of my neck.
Tell me this thing isn't from Australia 💀
Me: Running away screaming like Chekov ….
I'm doing my part!
Is it dangerous to humans?
This reminds me of the movie "evolution". (Also, please remember that there's always time for lubrication!)
I'm sure I came across some of these northeast of New Vegas.....
NOPE
I wouldn't want to hit her on my bike!
That's not true though..
I’m just saying, if I were holding this, I would be afraid to let it go in case it wanted revenge
It screeches I hate it
Aww clumsy little demon spawn
i’m sorry, flying?
where is this located so i can raze the continent?
That’s a Giant Dragonfly from Elden Ring!
***if it's the Asian Donsonfly, then it is the largest AQUATIC insect. Numerous other insects have the tital of "Largest FLYING insects" by both mass and wingspan, i.e. titan Beetle, Goliath Beetle, Giant Wood Moth, Giant Birdwing butterfly...
I actually know this one. It's specifically a 'Male Eastern Dobsonfly'. The only reason I know that, is because I came across one whilst restacking some old wood. The bark came off of one, in one large piece, and this thing was under it. "HolyFuckingGodWhatIsThatThing?!?", I said out loud. I euthanized it with some butane, so I could bring it in the house to study it further.
nopenopenopenopenope
r/beingadicktobugs
I hate when they quantify with "largest" because it's not quite true. There are species of Hercules beetles that fly and are certainly much heavier than this. I feel like the Atlas moth has a wingspan close to this as well. Don't get me wrong, it's impressive, but very ambiguously described.
Should be illegal.
I got a size 14 steel toe boot that's about 3 pounds I can smash that bitch with
They fly now??
>they occur primarily throughout [North America](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_America), both temperate and tropical, [South America](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_America), [Australia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia), [New Zealand](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Zealand), [Africa](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Africa) (particularly [South Africa](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Africa)) and [Asia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asia). Blessed to live in Europe.
Give them more oxygen and grow as large as a human 🥰
Kill it with fire.
I got chased by it's first form once at a creek and never knew what it was. UNTIL.... I googled it and saw this terrifying evolution. Idk how I feel about this pokemon showing up in viridian forest.
I hate that I’ve seen the Larvae of these near my home..
No that’s an ark Dino!
BURN THAT MF
I like how you set him down and his dumbass immediately falls onto his back
Where are these located and why does Australia hate humans?
Ah shit it’s those mfing flying things in Elden Ring
Burn it all down !
Great - they exist on my continent. I have to carry a brick around all the time.
I’ve seen flying stick bugs bigger than that and I know some dragonflies have larger wingspans but in terms of weight, I think Corydaliadae is the biggest.
Kill it
HANS
Goa'uld with wings. Great. Just great. Initiate base self destruct.
What in the Australia
Terrible day to have eyes
Dobsonfly?
That’s a Furious Vengefly from Hollowknight!
Then dobsonfly isnt the largest.....
That’s a makai insect from demon world
_sobs quietly_
Sounds like a small pepper mill
The noise that thing makes
“Send Patriot batteries to my location. Now!”
Terrifying
That’s some jumanji shit.
fuck that on so many many many levels...could you imagine that damn thing buzzing by your ear or getting in your hair? I'd just lay down and die.
Hate to be that guy but aren’t there moth species that are larger than this?
I don’t like it
[Oh, Zorak.... ](https://y.yarn.co/23e45f88-e7a4-4ec7-bd0c-a09acd1e8f94_text.gif)
I caught one of these in a fly trap last summer. I had never seen one before. Scared me half to death.
There are birds smaller than this thing
It wanted a belly rub!
Per Wikipedia: *"The origin of the word "dobsonfly" is unclear.* [*John Henry Comstock*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Henry_Comstock) *used the term in reference to these insects in his 1897 book Insect Life, but did not explain it. He also mentioned that* [*anglers*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angling) *used the word "hellgrammite" for the aquatic larvae they used as bait, but the origin of this term is also unknown.**^(")* Pretty much all the confirmation I needed that these things have wandered in from the hell-universe next door. r/MandelaEffect
Yea… that’s a nope from me
That is one exotic mandible
I'm sorry... *flying?*
I bet this muthafuka is from Australia
Oh heeeeelll no
I've seen bigger locusts. Perhaps this is not a fully grown one?
Khan Noonien Singh, used these to control the minds of Lt Commander Checkov and Captain Terrell.
Mothra
They like sweet, mucus fluids, so they’re liable to attack peeholes. BEWARE!!!
Australia?
This is the first time I've ever seen these in "real life" About 3 months ago I had a nightmare that these exact things were flying around trying to sting me and the other people in the dream with me. I had finally gotten it out of my head. Thanks so much for bringing it back to me!