Bugs Show 'Insect'

Leaf-footed bug. November, 2015.

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From May 9, 2013:

Another insect found on the inside of my driver's side car window. I had no camera with me, so I took it home for a little photo shoot and then put it outside. It's one of the Common Snakeflies (Agulla sp.) in the Snakefly order (Raphidioptera). This order is quite a fascinating group.

Currently there are about 260 species of Snakeflies in the world, occurring primarily in Europe and Asia in temperate coniferous forest. In Africa they occur in the mountains north of the Sahara, and in North America west of the Rockies down to the Mexican-Guatemalan border. Snakeflies are an ancient, relict group. The abundance of Snakefly fossils from around the world all the way back to the Mesozoic era (252 to 66 mya) indicate a much more diverse and widespread fauna. This changed abruptly at end of the Cretaceous period when the majority of the Snakefly families - including those occurring in tropical and subtropical areas - became extinct. The prevailing thought is the same asteroid responsible for the extinction of the dinosaurs was the ultimate cause and only the most cold-adapted snakefly lineages survived.

The snakefly in the photo below is a female - check out her long ovipositor (egg-laying tube) extending past her wings. Snakeflies are predators feeding primarily on aphids and mites.

Snakefly1.jpg
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From April 15, 2021:

The last couple of years I've actually been regularly seeing Snakeflies when I'm out looking for insects. Here is a male Agulla sp.

Snakefly1.jpg
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Last edited:
From May 9, 2013:

Another insect found on the inside of my driver's side car window. I had no camera with me, so I took it home for a little photo shoot and then put it outside. It's one of the Common Snakeflies (Agulla sp.) in the Snakefly order (Raphidioptera). This order is quite a fascinating group.

Currently there are about 260 species of Snakeflies in the world, occurring primarily in Europe and Asia in temperate coniferous forest. In Africa they occur in the mountains north of the Sahara, and in North America west of the Rockies down to the Mexican-Guatemalan border. Snakeflies are an ancient, relict group. The abundance of Snakefly fossils from around the world all the way back to the Mesozoic era (252 to 66 mya) indicate a much more diverse and widespread fauna. This changed abruptly at end of the Cretaceous period when the majority of the Snakefly families - including those occurring in tropical and subtropical areas - became extinct. The prevailing thought is the same asteroid responsible for the extinction of the dinosaurs was the ultimate cause and only the most cold-adapted snakefly lineages survived.

The snakefly in the photo below is a female - check out her long ovipositor (egg-laying tube) extending past her wings. Snakeflies are predators feeding primarily on aphids and mites.

View attachment 352899

From April 15, 2021:

The last couple of years I've actually been regularly seeing Snakeflies when I'm out looking for insects. Here is a male Agulla sp.

View attachment 352918
Very nice photos and info, Rich. Thanks.
 
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