# Another Weird Bee-like Insect Question
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-weird-bee-like-insect-question/8080
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [March 2, 2000, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-weird-bee-like-insect-question/8080 "2000-03-02T20:14:00Z")
**Posts on this page:** 16
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)
#### Post date: [March 2, 2000, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-weird-bee-like-insect-question/8080/1 "2000-03-02T20:14:00Z")
Well, now that Spring is almost upon us, i guess I should ask another buggie question! Has anyone ever observed a large bee-like insect which looks like a cross between a honeybee and a small dragonfly? The body is longer than a typical honeybee, but the coloring is similar. The wingspan is not quite as great as a dragonfly, and perhaps not as complex in structure, but that’s the image that comes to mind.
I’ve never seen the thing land, and it flies rather swiftly. I believe it can hover, too.
But, I’ve never been able to get a good look at this flying bee-like insect.
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“They’re coming to take me away ha-ha, ho-ho, hee-hee, to the funny farm where life is beautiful all the time… :)” - Napoleon IV
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### Author:  [@aseymayo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aseymayo)
#### Post date: [March 2, 2000, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-weird-bee-like-insect-question/8080/2 "2000-03-02T22:33:00Z")
Yellow jacket? [Hornets, wasps and yellow jackets](http://www.fishontario.com/bugs/hornetswaspsyellow.html)
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### Author:  [@DeViLBoY](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeViLBoY)
#### Post date: [March 2, 2000, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-weird-bee-like-insect-question/8080/3 "2000-03-02T23:50:00Z")
The bug you are talking about may be a diamond needle. Did this bug havee a long stinger?
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### Author:  [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)
#### Post date: [March 3, 2000, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-weird-bee-like-insect-question/8080/4 "2000-03-03T13:51:00Z")
Aseymayo, no, you wouldn’t mistake this sucker for a yellow jacket, hornet, or wasp. I’ve been around the garden enough to know those guys, but this one is a biggie!
As for DeViLBoY’s question, I am not certain if there is a long stinger. I hardly get a good look at this thing, and I hope I never personally find out the hard way! As for your suggestion it may be a “Diamond Needle”, I haven’t heard of that insect so I’ll have to look that one up!
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“They’re coming to take me away ha-ha, ho-ho, hee-hee, to the funny farm where life is beautiful all the time… :)” - Napoleon IV
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### Author:  [@frolix8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/frolix8)
#### Post date: [March 3, 2000, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-weird-bee-like-insect-question/8080/5 "2000-03-03T15:02:00Z")
This might not be your insect, but Sphynx Moths (also called Hawk Moths) are a little like what you describe. They look like a hummingbird from a distance, they hover and dart and are fairly large. I’ve seen them the last week or so, that’s what brought them to mind. Here’s the only picture I could find:
[sphynx moth](http://www.desertusa.com/mag99/jan/papr/sphinx.html)
It’s not very good, because they look very different in flight.
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### Author:  [@Soup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soup)
#### Post date: [March 3, 2000, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-weird-bee-like-insect-question/8080/6 "2000-03-03T15:14:00Z")
It could also be a Hummingbird Moth. I saw one of these things last spring, it’s pretty freaky-looking. Go here:
[http://www.geocities.com/~shelbee/hummingbird\_moth.html](http://www.geocities.com/~shelbee/hummingbird_moth.html)
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### Author:  [@Soup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soup)
#### Post date: [March 3, 2000, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-weird-bee-like-insect-question/8080/7 "2000-03-03T15:16:00Z")
Sorry. Try this:
[http://pw1.netcom.com/~flzhgn/humoth.htm](http://pw1.netcom.com/~flzhgn/humoth.htm)
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### Author:  [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)
#### Post date: [March 3, 2000, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-weird-bee-like-insect-question/8080/8 "2000-03-03T23:35:00Z")
It’s not a robber fly, is it? Robber flies look very much like dragonflies, but they’re smaller…they take off, fly and land very quickly. One very distinguishing feature is their legs; their legs form a little basket under their bodies. Found a picture of one [here](http://www.naturalpartners.org/InsectZoo/Images/dip-i-3.jpg).
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### Author:  [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)
#### Post date: [March 4, 2000, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-weird-bee-like-insect-question/8080/9 "2000-03-04T04:06:00Z")
A couple of candidates include the Pigeon Horntail (marked like a bee, built like a dragonfly, long ovipositor looking like a fierce stinger, 1 1/2 inches long) and the Five-banded Tiphiid Wasp (similar appearance, slightly shorter).
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Tom~
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### Author:  [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)
#### Post date: [March 4, 2000, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-weird-bee-like-insect-question/8080/10 "2000-03-04T04:22:00Z")
This page has a b/w drawing of a horntail just over halfway down the page:
[Firewood Insects](http://ohioline.ag.ohio-state.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2065.html)
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### Author:  [@RiftZM2003](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RiftZM2003)
#### Post date: [July 30, 2010, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-weird-bee-like-insect-question/8080/11 "2010-07-30T22:04:11Z")
Hi, Jinx. I know exactly what type of bug you’re talking about. It matches the description of the Pigeon Horntail, but when I looked at the picture, it’s definately not it. That looks far too much like a bee. I think the one you’re talking about is the exact same one that seems to be following me around. It seems to be very curious, too. Hard to explain, but everywhere I go in my yard, it seems to follow me around, landing nearby and just watching. If I move somewhere else, it follows. Not sure if this is territorial, curious, or maybe wanting to mate with me? Lol. Anyway, this all started today. It has the body structure of a Dragonfly, on steroids. Middle section is somewhat rounded and beige in color, lower body is very long and appears in color and shape like a Yellowjacket except much, much longer. From what it looked like, it appears to have a black stinger-like thing protruding from it’s rear, and I saw a drop of fluid come from that thing. So, it’s either a stinger, or… well, you know… It’s wings are a pair (not 4 like a dragonfly), and they are tucked neatly upon it’s back when sitting. It has the head of a dragonfly, with very large eyes that are reddish in color. No antenna’s, unless they’ve been lost from some incident or accident. Very long legs that are brown, fairly thick for it’s size, and it appears to stand just like a dragonfly (legs bent and whatnot). It even looks like it has a tongue poking from it’s mouth that is black and hangs out for about 1/4 of an inch. Just below it’s head, it appears to have a mane. Very hairy about it’s neck. I wish my camera was working, I’d take a picture as my little stalker is ALWAYS out there when I go, and follows me about. I’ve come very close to it, and it steps back from me and that’s when I come no closer. I’ve sat there and stared it down for a full 7 minutes once while smoking a cigg. Hope this helps, and see if it matches what you may be seeing. Also, none of the pictures or suggestions so far match what I saw, but it’s possible we saw something different.
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### Author:  [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)
#### Post date: [July 30, 2010, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-weird-bee-like-insect-question/8080/12 "2010-07-30T22:56:10Z")
Wow, a ten year old Zombie. That may be the oldest that I’ve seen so far…
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### Author:  [@Jamicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jamicat)
#### Post date: [July 31, 2010, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-weird-bee-like-insect-question/8080/13 "2010-07-31T18:59:36Z")
LOL…:eek:
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### Author:  [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)
#### Post date: [July 31, 2010, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-weird-bee-like-insect-question/8080/14 "2010-07-31T22:31:33Z")
> [@RiftZM2003](#):
>
> Hi, Jinx. I know exactly what type of bug you’re talking about. It matches the description of the Pigeon Horntail, but when I looked at the picture, it’s definately not it. That looks far too much like a bee. I think the one you’re talking about is the exact same one that seems to be following me around. It seems to be very curious, too. Hard to explain, but everywhere I go in my yard, it seems to follow me around, landing nearby and just watching. If I move somewhere else, it follows. Not sure if this is territorial, curious, or maybe wanting to mate with me? Lol. Anyway, this all started today. It has the body structure of a Dragonfly, on steroids. Middle section is somewhat rounded and beige in color, lower body is very long and appears in color and shape like a Yellowjacket except much, much longer. From what it looked like, it appears to have a black stinger-like thing protruding from it’s rear, and I saw a drop of fluid come from that thing. So, it’s either a stinger, or… well, you know… It’s wings are a pair (not 4 like a dragonfly), and they are tucked neatly upon it’s back when sitting. It has the head of a dragonfly, with very large eyes that are reddish in color. No antenna’s, unless they’ve been lost from some incident or accident. Very long legs that are brown, fairly thick for it’s size, and it appears to stand just like a dragonfly (legs bent and whatnot). It even looks like it has a tongue poking from it’s mouth that is black and hangs out for about 1/4 of an inch. Just below it’s head, it appears to have a mane. Very hairy about it’s neck. I wish my camera was working, I’d take a picture as my little stalker is ALWAYS out there when I go, and follows me about. I’ve come very close to it, and it steps back from me and that’s when I come no closer. I’ve sat there and stared it down for a full 7 minutes once while smoking a cigg. Hope this helps, and see if it matches what you may be seeing. Also, none of the pictures or suggestions so far match what I saw, but it’s possible we saw something different.
Not to perpetuate a zombie, but that really sounds like a [robberfly](http://www.google.com/images?q=robberfly&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=og&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wi&biw=1280&bih=833).
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### Author:  [@nakieshasimmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nakieshasimmons)
#### Post date: [July 13, 2012, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-weird-bee-like-insect-question/8080/15 "2012-07-13T22:37:01Z")
I’ve seen what u r talking about. I took a picture of it. But not sure how to post it here.
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### Author:  [@starrbuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/starrbuck)
#### Post date: [May 21, 2015, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-weird-bee-like-insect-question/8080/16 "2015-05-21T16:51:19Z")
I found something like this on my porch in Florida, it is long red, with black eyes. It has a big long stinger and 4 wings like a dragonfly.