Living the Scientific Life (Scientist, Interrupted)

Eastern Dobsonfly

Posted by "GrrlScientist" on December 28, 2006
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Eastern Dobsonfly, Corydalus cornutus.
Photographed alive after briefly chilling in a refrigerator.
In her warmed-up state, she was more than a little intimidating.

Image: Bev Wigney.

Happy Holidays to everyone.

I am receiving so many gorgeous pictures from you, amigos bonitos, and I am overwhelmed by the beauty of these images and the creatures and places depicted. If you have a high-resolution digitized nature image (I prefer JPG format) that you’d like to share with your fellow readers, feel free to email it to me, along with information about the image and how you’d like it to be credited.

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Comments

  1. #1 Bob O'H
    December 29, 2006

    Now, that’s a really nice specimen photo. I was trying to find the pin holding it down…

    Bob

  2. #2 Julie Stahlhut
    December 29, 2006

    I just love dobsonflies. That one’s a female, which could actually inflict a bit of a nip. The adult males have gigantic mandibles that are much less effective for biting.

    Actually, C. cornutus probably does its best biting in the late immature stages; these are the ferociously predatory “hellgrammites” that are sometimes sold in bait shops. (I don’t know whether the fish bite them or they bite the fish!) I once tried to pick up a full-grown hellgrammite with my fingers during an aquatic collecting trip in Michigan. The critter bit me so hard it drew blood from both sides of my thumb. Saved its own life, too, since I reflexively flung it back into the water rather than stuffing it into my killing vial!