Here is one of those off-topic general science stories we were just talking about. It may be of interest to those of you who camp extensively or go fishing. At my place of employment, we recently received several large crates from a business partner in Canada. In one of them, my crew found the largest insect I have ever seen that wasn't dead and pinned under glass- it was easily 3 inches long and almost an inch wide. In fact it appeared to be perfectly healthy. Our shipping/receiveing supervisor called the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources and emailed photos of the animal. Here is the reply of a staff zoologist, George V. Oliver: *"The insect in the 2 digital photographs that you sent is a giant water bug (Belostoma sp.). It's a true bug (order Hemiptera) in the family Belostomatidae. Giant water bugs do rarely occur naturally in Utah and Arizona, but whether this one is the same as our native species is uncertain; due to its size I would think it is an Asian species, which are very rare. * *Although I was not certain of the exact scale (despite the backgrounds that you provided), it looks large to me, and, if so, it's a female. The males are much smaller than the females, maybe a third or quarter the size of the females. The females of some species of Belostoma get to be more than 3 inches long, maybe even 4 inches.* *They're aggressive aquatic predators and kill small fish, (Up to four pounds) and tadpoles in addition to invertebrate prey. (They suck the juices out of their prey with their proboscis.) Under water, they're good swimmers, but they also leave the water and fly around in the air, often being attracted to lights at night. The big females can produce a painful bite to a person if one handles them carelessly. (They stab their sharp proboscis into a fish, tadpole, or a person's finger.)* *As I mentioned in our telephone conversation, you may wish to contact the Utah Department of Agriculture about what to do with the insect. You may also wish to contact the federal agency APHIS (which, I believe, stands for something like Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service), which has a office here in SLC and which has staff entomologists."* Our shipping/receiving supervisor then goes on in his email to fellow employees: *"And the USDA: Plant Protection and Insect Quarantine Dept. just picked up our little friend. Randal from that Org. who came to pick the bug up, said it was the largest he had ever seen!"* So, the speculation is that an Asian water bug made it to Utah, via Calgary. If I find out definitively what the species is and where it came from, I'll post that info. And BTW, I work next to an open canal in Davis county...if this bug had friends who escaped...
Quoting Chuck Hards <chuck.hards@gmail.com>:
but they also leave the water and fly around in the air, often being attracted to lights at night.
You see, it's not OT Chuck, these may be just what the doctor ordered. If they are that big and are attracted to light sources, this may be one answer to light pollution which IS Astromomy related... Now if only they would excrete fuel! ;)
These are big enough that if you can find a dozen, you won't need fuel. Just hitch 'em up to the front of the car and they can pull you. On Tue, Aug 5, 2008 at 5:40 PM, <diveboss@xmission.com> wrote:
You see, it's not OT Chuck, these may be just what the doctor ordered. If they are that big and are attracted to light sources, this may be one answer to light pollution which IS Astromomy related... Now if only they would excrete fuel! ;)
I sure hope these suckers are rare. I've already killed the largest spider that I've ever seen outside of a zoo this summer. Kim -----Original Message----- From: utah-astronomy-bounces@mailman.xmission.com [mailto:utah-astronomy-bounces@mailman.xmission.com] On Behalf Of Chuck Hards Sent: Tuesday, August 05, 2008 6:34 PM To: Utah Astronomy Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] OT: Giant water bugs These are big enough that if you can find a dozen, you won't need fuel. Just hitch 'em up to the front of the car and they can pull you. On Tue, Aug 5, 2008 at 5:40 PM, <diveboss@xmission.com> wrote:
You see, it's not OT Chuck, these may be just what the doctor ordered. If they are that big and are attracted to light sources, this may be one answer to light pollution which IS Astromomy related... Now if only they would excrete fuel! ;)
_______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list Utah-Astronomy@mailman.xmission.com http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy Visit the Photo Gallery: http://gallery.utahastronomy.com Visit the Wiki: http://www.utahastronomy.com No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG. Version: 7.5.524 / Virus Database: 270.5.12/1592 - Release Date: 8/5/2008 6:03 AM No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG. Version: 7.5.524 / Virus Database: 270.5.12/1595 - Release Date: 8/6/2008 8:23 AM
Hello to all. The giant water bug is not really all that rare in Utah. I have seen dozens of them over my years of working on the Provo River Restoration Project in Heber Valley. The bigger ones that I have seen were real whoppers, and probably measured almost 3 inches in length. In addition to killing and eating fish, they also kill and eat spotted frogs. If you spend much time in wetland areas in Utah, you will probably see one. I must admit.... they are the scariest bug I have ever encountered in the great outdoors! Cheers, Tyler _____________________________________________
We are not amused. I recently watched a History Channel episode about giant prehistoric critters, such as the big bugs that ruled the Paleozoic period. Now those guys were scary - dragonflies the size of hawks and 8-1/2-foot-long millipedes. Fortunately, it seems that insects and spiders cannot get much larger than they are today as their sizes are controlled by the oxygen levels in the atmosphere. During the Paleozoic period the Earth's oxygen levels were much higher than they are today. This may be one benefit of global warming - smaller bugs. Kim -----Original Message----- From: utah-astronomy-bounces@mailman.xmission.com [mailto:utah-astronomy-bounces@mailman.xmission.com] On Behalf Of Chuck Hards Sent: Thursday, August 07, 2008 10:11 AM To: Utah Astronomy Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] OT: Giant water bugs Ooh, too bad, Kim! Lol! On Thu, Aug 7, 2008 at 9:36 AM, Tyler Allred <tylerallred@earthlink.net>wrote:
Hello to all. The giant water bug is not really all that rare in Utah.
Utah-Astronomy mailing list Utah-Astronomy@mailman.xmission.com http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy Visit the Photo Gallery: http://gallery.utahastronomy.com Visit the Wiki: http://www.utahastronomy.com No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG. Version: 7.5.524 / Virus Database: 270.5.12/1597 - Release Date: 8/7/2008 5:54 AM No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG. Version: 7.5.524 / Virus Database: 270.5.12/1597 - Release Date: 8/7/2008 5:54 AM
Or dust off the 10-gauge. Apparently, the big bugs were also at the top of the food chain. No spiders big enough to eat them. The largest fossil spider had a leg span of about 20 inches. Still about 100 times too big. Kim -----Original Message----- From: utah-astronomy-bounces@mailman.xmission.com [mailto:utah-astronomy-bounces@mailman.xmission.com] On Behalf Of Chuck Hards Sent: Thursday, August 07, 2008 12:40 PM To: Utah Astronomy Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] OT: Giant water bugs On Thu, Aug 7, 2008 at 10:41 AM, Kim A. Hyatt <kimharch@cut.net> wrote:
- dragonflies the size of hawks
Now think of this: What do dragonflies eat? Mosquitos. And I'm sure BIG dragonflies ate BIG mosquitos! Mosquitos the size of starlings! The hell with DEET. Hand me a .357. _______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list Utah-Astronomy@mailman.xmission.com http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy Visit the Photo Gallery: http://gallery.utahastronomy.com Visit the Wiki: http://www.utahastronomy.com No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG. Version: 7.5.524 / Virus Database: 270.5.12/1597 - Release Date: 8/7/2008 5:54 AM No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG. Version: 7.5.524 / Virus Database: 270.5.12/1597 - Release Date: 8/7/2008 5:54 AM
Again, this is not OT. What better way to see stars, than exposing ones self to the recoil of a 10 ga. If nothing else it will take your mind off the bugs. 'Til the bruise heals anyway. ;) And that is Astronomy related! Quoting "Kim A. Hyatt" <kimharch@cut.net>:
Or dust off the 10-gauge.
Apparently, the big bugs were also at the top of the food chain. No spiders big enough to eat them. The largest fossil spider had a leg span of about 20 inches. Still about 100 times too big.
Kim
-----Original Message----- From: utah-astronomy-bounces@mailman.xmission.com [mailto:utah-astronomy-bounces@mailman.xmission.com] On Behalf Of Chuck Hards Sent: Thursday, August 07, 2008 12:40 PM To: Utah Astronomy Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] OT: Giant water bugs
On Thu, Aug 7, 2008 at 10:41 AM, Kim A. Hyatt <kimharch@cut.net> wrote:
- dragonflies the size of hawks
Now think of this:
What do dragonflies eat? Mosquitos. And I'm sure BIG dragonflies ate BIG mosquitos! Mosquitos the size of starlings!
The hell with DEET. Hand me a .357. _______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list Utah-Astronomy@mailman.xmission.com http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy Visit the Photo Gallery: http://gallery.utahastronomy.com Visit the Wiki: http://www.utahastronomy.com
No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG. Version: 7.5.524 / Virus Database: 270.5.12/1597 - Release Date: 8/7/2008 5:54 AM
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_______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list Utah-Astronomy@mailman.xmission.com http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy Visit the Photo Gallery: http://gallery.utahastronomy.com Visit the Wiki: http://www.utahastronomy.com
Just for interest: http://www.gedcasserley.saddleworth.net/html/megarachne_servinei.html -----Original Message----- From: utah-astronomy-bounces@mailman.xmission.com [mailto:utah-astronomy-bounces@mailman.xmission.com] On Behalf Of diveboss@xmission.com Sent: Thursday, August 07, 2008 1:02 PM To: utah-astronomy@mailman.xmission.com Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] OT: Giant water bugs Again, this is not OT. What better way to see stars, than exposing ones self to the recoil of a 10 ga. If nothing else it will take your mind off the bugs. 'Til the bruise heals anyway. ;) And that is Astronomy related! Quoting "Kim A. Hyatt" <kimharch@cut.net>:
Or dust off the 10-gauge.
Apparently, the big bugs were also at the top of the food chain. No spiders big enough to eat them. The largest fossil spider had a leg span of about 20 inches. Still about 100 times too big.
Kim
-----Original Message----- From: utah-astronomy-bounces@mailman.xmission.com [mailto:utah-astronomy-bounces@mailman.xmission.com] On Behalf Of Chuck Hards Sent: Thursday, August 07, 2008 12:40 PM To: Utah Astronomy Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] OT: Giant water bugs
On Thu, Aug 7, 2008 at 10:41 AM, Kim A. Hyatt <kimharch@cut.net> wrote:
- dragonflies the size of hawks
Now think of this:
What do dragonflies eat? Mosquitos. And I'm sure BIG dragonflies ate BIG mosquitos! Mosquitos the size of starlings!
The hell with DEET. Hand me a .357. _______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list Utah-Astronomy@mailman.xmission.com http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy Visit the Photo Gallery: http://gallery.utahastronomy.com Visit the Wiki: http://www.utahastronomy.com
No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG. Version: 7.5.524 / Virus Database: 270.5.12/1597 - Release Date: 8/7/2008 5:54 AM
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_______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list Utah-Astronomy@mailman.xmission.com http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy Visit the Photo Gallery: http://gallery.utahastronomy.com Visit the Wiki: http://www.utahastronomy.com
_______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list Utah-Astronomy@mailman.xmission.com http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy Visit the Photo Gallery: http://gallery.utahastronomy.com Visit the Wiki: http://www.utahastronomy.com No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG. Version: 7.5.524 / Virus Database: 270.5.12/1597 - Release Date: 8/7/2008 5:54 AM No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG. Version: 7.5.524 / Virus Database: 270.5.12/1597 - Release Date: 8/7/2008 5:54 AM
Anybody read "The Hot Zone", it's the bugs you can't see.
Just for interest:
http://www.gedcasserley.saddleworth.net/html/megarachne_servinei.html
-----Original Message----- From: utah-astronomy-bounces@mailman.xmission.com [mailto:utah-astronomy-bounces@mailman.xmission.com] On Behalf Of diveboss@xmission.com Sent: Thursday, August 07, 2008 1:02 PM To: utah-astronomy@mailman.xmission.com Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] OT: Giant water bugs
Again, this is not OT. What better way to see stars, than exposing ones self to the recoil of a 10 ga. If nothing else it will take your mind off the bugs. 'Til the bruise heals anyway. ;) And that is Astronomy related!
Quoting "Kim A. Hyatt" <kimharch@cut.net>:
Or dust off the 10-gauge.
Apparently, the big bugs were also at the top of the food chain. No spiders big enough to eat them. The largest fossil spider had a leg span of about 20 inches. Still about 100 times too big.
Kim
-----Original Message----- From: utah-astronomy-bounces@mailman.xmission.com [mailto:utah-astronomy-bounces@mailman.xmission.com] On Behalf Of Chuck Hards Sent: Thursday, August 07, 2008 12:40 PM To: Utah Astronomy Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] OT: Giant water bugs
On Thu, Aug 7, 2008 at 10:41 AM, Kim A. Hyatt <kimharch@cut.net> wrote:
- dragonflies the size of hawks
Now think of this:
What do dragonflies eat? Mosquitos. And I'm sure BIG dragonflies ate BIG mosquitos! Mosquitos the size of starlings!
The hell with DEET. Hand me a .357. _______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list Utah-Astronomy@mailman.xmission.com http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy Visit the Photo Gallery: http://gallery.utahastronomy.com Visit the Wiki: http://www.utahastronomy.com
No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG. Version: 7.5.524 / Virus Database: 270.5.12/1597 - Release Date: 8/7/2008 5:54 AM
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To all. I find this to be a very interesting blog and would like to know more about their occurance in Utah. Personally, I have never run into one of them but may have not frequented their environment. Thanks Rodger Fry ----- Original Message ----- From: "Tyler Allred" <tylerallred@earthlink.net> To: "'Utah Astronomy'" <utah-astronomy@mailman.xmission.com> Sent: Thursday, August 07, 2008 9:36 AM Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] OT: Giant water bugs
Hello to all. The giant water bug is not really all that rare in Utah. I have seen dozens of them over my years of working on the Provo River Restoration Project in Heber Valley. The bigger ones that I have seen were real whoppers, and probably measured almost 3 inches in length. In addition to killing and eating fish, they also kill and eat spotted frogs. If you spend much time in wetland areas in Utah, you will probably see one. I must admit.... they are the scariest bug I have ever encountered in the great outdoors! Cheers, Tyler
_____________________________________________
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Anyone know if there are Paleozoic fossils (i.e. giant insects) found in Utah or nearby states? -----Original Message----- From: utah-astronomy-bounces@mailman.xmission.com [mailto:utah-astronomy-bounces@mailman.xmission.com] On Behalf Of Rodger C. Fry Sent: Saturday, August 09, 2008 1:55 PM To: Utah Astronomy Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] OT: Giant water bugs To all. I find this to be a very interesting blog and would like to know more about their occurance in Utah. Personally, I have never run into one of them but may have not frequented their environment. Thanks Rodger Fry No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG. Version: 7.5.524 / Virus Database: 270.6.0/1601 - Release Date: 8/8/2008 9:02 AM
Kim, I am a geologist and I have never encountered large insect fossils in the state. There are some pretty ominous fossils that resemble an insect one is the Eurypterus which was present in the Silurian and Devonian periods. This is what they looked like: The largest specimens which have been found in New York State were over 2 meters long. I would hate to encounter one of these in the wilds Rodger Fry ----- Original Message ----- From: "Kim A. Hyatt" <kimharch@cut.net> To: "'Utah Astronomy'" <utah-astronomy@mailman.xmission.com> Sent: Saturday, August 09, 2008 4:30 PM Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] OT: Giant water bugs
Anyone know if there are Paleozoic fossils (i.e. giant insects) found in Utah or nearby states?
-----Original Message----- From: utah-astronomy-bounces@mailman.xmission.com [mailto:utah-astronomy-bounces@mailman.xmission.com] On Behalf Of Rodger C. Fry Sent: Saturday, August 09, 2008 1:55 PM To: Utah Astronomy Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] OT: Giant water bugs
To all.
I find this to be a very interesting blog and would like to know more about their occurance in Utah. Personally, I have never run into one of them but may have not frequented their environment.
Thanks Rodger Fry
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participants (6)
-
Chuck Hards -
diveboss＠xmission.com -
erikhansen＠TheBlueZone.net -
Kim A. Hyatt -
Rodger C. Fry -
Tyler Allred