This summer I heard one of those big flying insects go by, I would like to know what they are. My friend calls them “beezers”, but my google-fu is weak.
I saw one a number of years ago in south-west New Mexico, not too far from Deming. Its body was 4~5 inches long (I was about forty feet away, so I have to estimate), wide in front (maybe as much as two inches) tapering to a rounded end. Solid Kraft caramel color with, obviously, large wings that were somewhat colorful but mostly black. It was hovering over a thistle blossom, which offered the only frame of reference for estimating its size. These things make a lot of noise flying by.
I’m going to guess that was an over-estimation. Any of these look familiar? My best guess would be a wasp or moth, even though you appear to be describing a beetle.
Thanks, that helps a lot. It appears to have been a sphinx moth of some sort (probably tersa or vine), which do get that big and some fly during the day.
In San Diego, we had enormous beetles that flew and made a loud buzzing noise. To my knowledge, they didn’t hover over flowers (but did sound a lot like hummingbirds when they buzzed you). I’m not sure what they are called, but at a guess figeater beetles. The picture doesn’t look like my memory of them, but since my memory is mostly concerned with hitting the ground while screaming in terror, it’s possible I didn’t observe closely. (Edit: this link does look like my memory of them.)
