FOR AGES 3 YEARS TO 18 YEARS
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Kidadl provides inspiration to entertain and educate your children. We recognise that not all activities and ideas are appropriate and suitable for all children and families or in all circumstances. Our recommended activities are based on age but these are a guide. We recommend that these ideas are used as inspiration, that ideas are undertaken with appropriate adult supervision, and that each adult uses their own discretion and knowledge of their children to consider the safety and suitability.
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Did you ever come across these small crawling insects that resemble centipedes? They are called hellgrammites. Most of the time found in freshwater streams and lakes and is famous with anglers as live baits. However, did you know that these hellgrammites grow into large Eastern dobsonflies?
Endemic to North America, the Eastern dobsonfly is a large winged insect with prominent mandibles. They are attracted to the lights on streets and are mostly nocturnal insects. And if handled roughly, the bite can be painful but not harmful and does not last for a long time.
The life cycle of dobsonfly is divided into four stages generally referred to as ELPA: egg, larva, pupa, adult. The larva stage lasts for a very long time than the adult phase of the winged Eastern dobsonfly. They are soft-bodied and vary from yellow to dark brown with translucent wings that can sometimes have a gray shade.
If you enjoy this article, check out stink bug facts and giant stonefly facts to find out more!
An Eastern dobsonfly (Corydalus cornutus) is an insect.
The Eastern dobsonfly (Corydalus cornutus) belongs to the Insecta class of the order Megaloptera.
Eastern dobsonflies (Corydalus cornutus) are found in abundance in nature. There are 30 species of dobsonflies in the world.
Eastern dobsonflies (Corydalus cornutus) are found across eastern North America. They are found near the flowing streams from Canada to Mexico.
The freshwater bodies with a high amount of dissolved oxygen are the preferred habitat of these Eastern dobsonflies. Streams, rivers, lakes, and ponds provide habitat to their larvae.
Eastern dobsonflies (Corydalus cornutus) are seen in groups, and they live close to their kind.
The total lifecycle of Eastern dobsonflies (Corydalus cornutus) species lasts between two to five years. However, the adult winged Eastern dobsonfly lives for a maximum of one week. They are eaten by stream fish and crayfish in water. Birds and bats are natural predators of adult dobsonflies.
The life cycle of the dobsonfly is divided into four stages generally referred to as ELPA: egg, larva, pupa, adult. The adults indulge in courtship rituals where the male Eastern dobsonfly attracts the females while chasing away other male dobsonflies. After the female Eastern dobsonfly mates, she lays a coin-sized mass with a white, chalky substance all over it to protect the eggs laid in layers near streams. The female Eastern dobsonfly dies after laying eggs.
The females deposit the mass, which contains about 1000 eggs on a rock or a branch near streams. The females deposit about two to three egg masses. It takes two to three weeks for dobsonfly eggs to incubate, after which the larvae hatch. Hatched larvae(hellgrammite) drop into water or crawl into the water. The larval form is called hellgrammites. This stage lasts for up to five years, during which the larva undergoes 10-12 molts. The matured hellgrammite then starts to convert into a pupa, and the process takes from few days to few weeks. And finally, the winged Eastern dobsonfly adults emerge. This stage of adults lasts only for a week, and during this time, they only mate and don’t tend to eat too.
They are so abundantly found in nature that the conservation status of the Eastern dobsonfly (Corydalus cornutus) is of Least Concern. Eastern dobsonflies are not endangered.
The Eastern dobsonfly is a large winged insect with prominent mandibles. Typically adults’ wings are folded down when the fly is at rest. The wings of a dobsonfly are twice the length of its body. They have chewing mouthparts and have two antennae on the head. In addition, they have powerful sickle-shaped mandibles to draw blood with their bite.
Female lays a white chalky mass at multiple sites. These egg masses contain tiny gray cylindrical dobsonfly eggs.
The larvae hatch out and appear like the centipedes, with flattened bodies in brown, tan, or black colors. They are known as hellgrammites and grow to 2-3 in (5.08-7.6 cm) in length. They have six legs and six to eight pairs of thick filaments replicating gills’ function for them to breathe under the water. For feeding, they use their powerful set of pinching mouthparts.
The pupae are yellow-orange in color with dark spots. The winged Eastern dobsonfly adults emerge, and they are soft-bodied. Adults can vary from yellow to dark brown with translucent wings that can sometimes have a gray shade.
They are fearsome-looking insects with frightening large mandibles. The larva stage looks like a centipede. These large insects appear fascinating for a few as they linger in large numbers, attracted to lights on streets or outside the home at night.
Not much is known about the communication techniques of dobsonflies. Herigrammites probably depend on touch or chemical cues. The winged Eastern dobsonfly has scent glands, and during courtship, the male Eastern dobsonfly places their mandibles on females’ wings. Hence chemical cues and touch are essential ways of communication of Eastern dobsonflies.
Eastern dobsonflies are giant insects that grow to a length of 3.9-5.5 in (9.9-13.9 cm). They resemble stick insects.
The exact speed at which Eastern dobsonfly travel is not available. They have a type of awkward fluttery flight. They also travel long distances, especially at night.
The exact weight of the Eastern dobsonfly is not available. However, they weigh just a few ounces.
There are no specific terms for the male and female species of the Eastern dobsonfly (Corydalus cornutus).
Eastern dobsonfly goes through many stages of development before becoming an adult dobsonfly with wings. The larvae come out of the eggs. Later, pupae stage, and finally, the fearsome-looking Eastern dobsonfly flies out. The larva stage is known as the hellgrammite.
The dobsonflies are predaceous in their larvae stage. They feed on anything that swims or ambles by. Their diet includes aquatic insects, small fish, and so on. The adult generally does not eat since they gain all the required nourishment in the larvae stage. Also, as their life is only for a few days or a week, and spends their time mating.
No, the Eastern dobsonfly (Corydalus cornutus) is not a dangerous or harmful insect. But Eastern dobsonflies do bite when handled roughly. The painful bite is not harmful. Since male insects have long mandibles, they can not bite, but eastern dobsonfly female with shorter and sharper mandibles tends to bite.
No, they are not taken in as pets. However, some anglers use the larvae of the Eastern dobsonfly as fish bait.
When an Eastern dobsonfly reaches adulthood, it stops eating and starts to mate.
The dobsonfly emits an unpleasant smell when threatened.
The painful bite of an Eastern dobsonfly is not harmful and does not last for a long time. They do not bite unless handled roughly. The adult male dobsonflies have long and curved mandibles, while the females and larvae have smaller pincers that are sharp enough to pierce through human skin.
Dobsonfly larvae reside in the water of rivers and streams and feed on many aquatic organisms, thus keeping a check on their population. The larvae are called hellgrammites and are very much used by the fishermen and anglers as live baits.
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other bugs from our fairyfly facts and stick bug facts pages.
You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable Eastern dobsonfly coloring pages.
Read The Disclaimer
At Kidadl we pride ourselves on offering families original ideas to make the most of time spent together at home or out and about, wherever you are in the world. We strive to recommend the very best things that are suggested by our community and are things we would do ourselves - our aim is to be the trusted friend to parents.
We try our very best, but cannot guarantee perfection. We will always aim to give you accurate information at the date of publication - however, information does change, so it’s important you do your own research, double-check and make the decision that is right for your family.
Kidadl provides inspiration to entertain and educate your children. We recognise that not all activities and ideas are appropriate and suitable for all children and families or in all circumstances. Our recommended activities are based on age but these are a guide. We recommend that these ideas are used as inspiration, that ideas are undertaken with appropriate adult supervision, and that each adult uses their own discretion and knowledge of their children to consider the safety and suitability.
Kidadl cannot accept liability for the execution of these ideas, and parental supervision is advised at all times, as safety is paramount. Anyone using the information provided by Kidadl does so at their own risk and we can not accept liability if things go wrong.
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