Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Randy Anderson zn.5/Il. USA on November 20, 2011 at 4:18am

Interesting insect! I don't know what it is but I have gone to the bug guide and used them for a resource for researching out an insects ID when other avenues failed!

Permalink Reply by Beth Strassman on December 4, 2011 at 7:31pm

Looks like what my grandmother always called a Mosquito Hawk.  According to her they eat mosquitoes but I don't know if there is any truth to that...

Permalink Reply by Mary Adams-zone 6a on December 4, 2011 at 9:20pm

Beth, I did a little research on mosquito hawk. And mosquito hawks are another word for dragonflies. They do help eliminate mosquitos. Also listed were crane flies. This is the name I now remember being told.

Thanks, Randy, for the bug guide, I did also check there.

Permalink Reply by Randy Anderson zn.5/Il. USA on December 5, 2011 at 4:35am

Glad you found the name of your insect Mary. It was an interesting specimen and I enjoyed seeing it. Hopefully I'll remember the name when or if I see them in my garden! Thanks!

Permalink Reply by Beth Strassman on December 5, 2011 at 2:59pm

Hi again Mary,  Funny thing, after I replied to your comment I was looking through an edition of Organic Gardening and there was an article about your bug!!  See Organic Gardening April/Sept 2011, page 68.  What you have IS an what my grandmother called a mosquito hawk.  It is called an Assassin Bug in this magazine.  The University of Kentucky goes into a lot of detail about them, here's their link:  http://www.uky.edu/Ag/CritterFiles/casefile/insects/bugs/assassin/a...  Apparently they ARE "good" bugs...

Permalink Reply by Mary Adams-zone 6a on December 6, 2011 at 1:54pm

Beth, thanks for the link. I also have a (dead) wheel bug. This was the second one I collected. Have attached a picture. I wouldn't want one for a pet, but they are not evil to humans. I also had a leaf leg bug. He crawled all over my hand, but customers didn't appreciate it very much so I let him crawl onto some wood, and it disappeared!

Permalink Reply by Beth Strassman on December 8, 2011 at 4:38pm

No problem Mary, hope it was helpful.  That wheel bug looks like he can do some damage!! I don't think we have them where I live.  At least I have never seen one.  My daughter always liked playing with the leaf bugs, the are pretty neat!!

Permalink Reply by Mary Adams-zone 6a on December 8, 2011 at 5:07pm

Beth, the wheelbug only does damage to other bugs/insects, just like the leaf leg bug. But it does look pretty creepy! ;o)