Why You Want to Catch Not Kill this Giant Scary Bug in New York

This has been the summer of the bugs in the Hudson Valley. As if the Spongy Moth Caterpillars weren't bad enough we are not dealing with bugs that are so big they could make a bat look small.

Okay, I may be exaggerating just a tad but seriously I encountered a bug in my house the other night that I would have needed a whole roll of bounty to mop up if I had chosen to swish. Have you ever seen a Dobsonfly up close?

How to Catch and Release a Hudson Valley Dobsonflies

I am not a bug killer. Honestly, I really don't like killing things, I also don't like the crunching noise stepping on bugs can make. Ever since I chased a wood spider down a hallway with a can of raid I have gone from killing to catch and release. I am not sure how lucky the female dbsonfly felt when I caught it in my living room but I am sure she appreciated being back outside.

So how do you catch and release a Dobsonfly? Simple, get a large container with a lid and scoop them off the wall. Be sure to close the lid quickly. As you can see from the video below they can get pretty aggressive very fast. I don't suggest catching them with your hand. Someone told me their bite can be nasty.

SEE Also: What is This Large Bug Seen in the Hudson Valley

Thanks to entnemdept.ufl.edu I know a lot more about the creature that my husband let in through the front door Wednesday Night. His hilarious response when I showed him the video was "Oh, it did come in I wasn't sure". Really? it was the size of a small plane, again maybe slightly dramatic but you weren't there in the dark with me and the angry winged creature.

FYI, it is still hanging around. She has been spotted back at the front door the last two nights.

Why You Might Have Dobsonflies at Your House

So why do I have Dobsonflies near my house? It could be the rocky creek that runs behind my house.

Dobsonfly eggs hatch in 1 to 2 weeks and always at night. The newly hatched hellgrammites are often buoyed by an air bubble and float or swim until reaching a suitable site for larval development - most often a swift-flowing part of the stream with a rocky bottom. (via entnemdept.ufl.edu)

 

Why You Don't Kill Dobsonflies

In case you are thinking I am crazy for not killing it the overwhelming response on Facebook when I posted the video with the question "What would you do if you found this bug in your house" was ... "It's a Dobsonfly let it go".

Turns out these giants are very beneficial and should be conserved. The Hellgrammites (newly hatched Dobsonflies) are prized by bait shops they can be costly to purchase. Fishermen like them for trout fishing. Because of their worth, they can be over-harvested.

Get our free mobile app

How Many of these Giants Have You Seen