# Need help identifying a flying insect
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-identifying-a-flying-insect/311329
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [July 6, 2005, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-identifying-a-flying-insect/311329 "2005-07-06T19:18:38Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)
#### Post date: [July 6, 2005, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-identifying-a-flying-insect/311329/1 "2005-07-06T19:18:38Z")
I’m sorry I don’t have a picture - I’ve looked and cannot find one. But this insect is so distinct-looking I’m hoping someone can tell me what it is based on its description.
Yesterday I noticed a large flying insect feeding on my butterfly bush. At first I thought it was a small hummingbird, but it was in fact an insect. Its head and thorax were the same shade of green as a ruby-throated hummingbird’s. Its wings were also very similarly shaped and beat very, very fast. Its tail was a dark ruby red and shaped like a lobster’s. It had a long proboscis it used to feed on the individual florets of the blooms, and it carefully went over every bloom, flying almost the entire time.
Sound familiar to anyone? I thought it was really neat, and my husband said there had been a mess of them flying around earlier in the day.
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### Author:  [@Walkabout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walkabout)
#### Post date: [July 6, 2005, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-identifying-a-flying-insect/311329/2 "2005-07-06T19:22:53Z")
I think I’ve seen these around my house before. Does it look like [this](http://www.naturalsciences.org/funstuff/notebook/inverts/hummingbird_moth.html) ?
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### Author:  [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)
#### Post date: [July 6, 2005, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-identifying-a-flying-insect/311329/3 "2005-07-06T19:26:22Z")
> [@WVmom](#):
>
> I think I’ve seen these around my house before. Does it look like [this](http://www.naturalsciences.org/funstuff/notebook/inverts/hummingbird_moth.html) ?
Yay! Yes, that’s it! How cool!
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### Author:  [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)
#### Post date: [July 6, 2005, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-identifying-a-flying-insect/311329/4 "2005-07-06T19:39:20Z")
Ok, now that you’ve got your answer, I’m going to hijack…
I meant to start a very similar thread a few weeks ago. There were several (I assume they’re some sort of moth) of [these guys](http://www.sirblah.com/misc/oddmoth.jpg) hanging around outside of work. The curious body shape was what grabbed my attention. When the upper wings were closed over the lower wings, they looked quite a bit like manta rays. Any idea what we’re looking at here?
Apologies for the lousy pic quality. I had to use a coworker’s camera phone.
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### Author:  [@Harborwolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harborwolf)
#### Post date: [July 6, 2005, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-identifying-a-flying-insect/311329/5 "2005-07-06T19:51:10Z")
> [@WVmom](#):
>
> I think I’ve seen these around my house before. Does it look like [this](http://www.naturalsciences.org/funstuff/notebook/inverts/hummingbird_moth.html) ?
Round these heah pahts we call 'em Pellston Bombers. It’s kind of unnerving when one hits your windshield. Bit messy too.
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### Author:  [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)
#### Post date: [July 6, 2005, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-identifying-a-flying-insect/311329/6 "2005-07-06T19:57:40Z")
That green thing is a luna moth. I had one hanging out for two years at my house. They’re beautiful. That’s what that new sleep aid – Lunesta – uses as it’s mascot or whatever.
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### Author:  [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)
#### Post date: [July 6, 2005, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-identifying-a-flying-insect/311329/7 "2005-07-06T20:04:41Z")
Just be careful around them. They won’t harm you but carry the souls of your dead relatives checking up on you.\* :rolleyes:
\*Popular family myth 😛😛😛
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### Author:  [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)
#### Post date: [July 6, 2005, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-identifying-a-flying-insect/311329/8 "2005-07-06T20:26:58Z")
We had a strange looking almost spider like insect getting into the house.
They freaked my wife out to no end. (Especially as they showed up in the bathroom)
I caught one in a Chinese soup container and quickly determined it was some form of cricket or grasshopper.
My wife & I spent about 5 hours in Google & especially Google images to identify them as Cave Crickets. example [http://www.biosurvey.ou.edu/okwild/misc/cavcrick.html](http://www.biosurvey.ou.edu/okwild/misc/cavcrick.html)
They like moist, dark areas.
I bought a dehumidifier for the basement.
I went on a cave cricket hunt using my shop vacuum and a high powered flashlight.
I have only had 2 since.
These are freakish insects, as you approach one they jump at you. This caused by wife to let out a blood curdling scream.
She is not normally squeamish, but these really disturbed her. We had a Yellow Orb Spider at the front door 2 years ago and she had no problem with her. I could not take it and used a broom to sweep her away into the grass. We called the spider Borothy. (A play on Boris)
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### Author:  [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)
#### Post date: [July 6, 2005, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-identifying-a-flying-insect/311329/9 "2005-07-06T20:59:46Z")
> [@ouryL](#):
>
> Just be careful around them. They won’t harm you but carry the souls of your dead relatives checking up on you.\* :rolleyes:
>
> \*Popular family myth 😛😛😛
Well, that’s about the creepiest thing I’ve heard all day. (shudder!!!)
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### Author:  [@Tupug\_Anachi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tupug_Anachi)
#### Post date: [July 6, 2005, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-identifying-a-flying-insect/311329/10 "2005-07-06T21:09:49Z")
At first before you described the colors, I thought you might be refering to [this fellow](http://www.hiltonpond.org/ThisWeek010515.html) who made an appearance on our back porch last week. In flight he looked exactly like a hummer. Mr. Anachi recognized him as a “click beetle” and picked him up. Sure enough, he snapped his back end and resulting noise was quite loud and startling.
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### Author:  [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)
#### Post date: [July 6, 2005, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-identifying-a-flying-insect/311329/11 "2005-07-06T23:23:57Z")
> [@jrfranchi](#):
>
> I caught one in a Chinese soup container
How did it get into the fridge? 😉
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### Author:  [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)
#### Post date: [July 6, 2005, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-identifying-a-flying-insect/311329/12 "2005-07-06T23:48:48Z")
> [@Cervaise](#):
>
> How did it get into the fridge? 😉
Well it was wearing my pajamas at the time.
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### Author:  [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)
#### Post date: [July 7, 2005, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-identifying-a-flying-insect/311329/13 "2005-07-07T11:57:38Z")
> [@jrfranchi](#):
>
> We had a strange looking almost spider like insect getting into the house.
> They freaked my wife out to no end. (Especially as they showed up in the bathroom)
> I caught one in a Chinese soup container and quickly determined it was some form of cricket or grasshopper.
> My wife & I spent about 5 hours in Google & especially Google images to identify them as Cave Crickets. example [http://www.biosurvey.ou.edu/okwild/misc/cavcrick.html](http://www.biosurvey.ou.edu/okwild/misc/cavcrick.html)
>
> They like moist, dark areas.
>
> I bought a dehumidifier for the basement.
>
> I went on a cave cricket hunt using my shop vacuum and a high powered flashlight.
> I have only had 2 since.
>
> These are freakish insects, as you approach one they jump at you. This caused by wife to let out a blood curdling scream.
> She is not normally squeamish, but these really disturbed her. We had a Yellow Orb Spider at the front door 2 years ago and she had no problem with her. I could not take it and used a broom to sweep her away into the grass. We called the spider Borothy. (A play on Boris)
We call these [camel crickets](http://www.uark.edu/depts/entomolo/museum/camcrick.html), and they are completely harmless. They jump when you approach them because they are afraid and they want to get away. I actually kind of like them, especially the very small ones with huge antennae. In our old house, we had albino ones living in the crawl space. Those were some strange looking creatures, and anyone who went under the house (plumber, electrician, etc.) would comment on them.
**Hal,** count yourself lucky to have seen a live luna moth. Since they are nocturnal, people don’t get to see them much, and they are indeed very beautiful.
As for the hummingbird moth, I now hope I get to see the one that looks like a bee. Very pretty!
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### Author:  [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)
#### Post date: [July 7, 2005, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-identifying-a-flying-insect/311329/14 "2005-07-07T13:02:12Z")
> [@jrfranchi](#):
>
> My wife & I spent about 5 hours in Google & especially Google images to identify them as Cave Crickets.
In New Zealand they’re called a [weta](http://www.wwf.org.nz/earthsaver/earthsaver_images/weta.jpg), which is what the visual effects company that did Lord of the Rings named itself after. They get pretty big, too.
Actually, I’m not 100% sure wetas are cave crickets, but if they’re not they must be closely related.
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### Author:  [@Rubystreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rubystreak)
#### Post date: [July 7, 2005, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-identifying-a-flying-insect/311329/15 "2005-07-07T14:55:03Z")
Had what I thought was a giant flying cockroach fly right into my face a few weeks ago. Of course, I flipped out extensively until I found out it was a [wood cockroach](http://pested.unl.edu/woodroa.jpg). Apparently there are species of cockroach who only live outdoors. The males are attracted by light and will come into your house and scare the bejesus out of you, but the females don’t, and so they won’t infest your house. 🙂 Still, they are huge, and ewwww.
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### Author:  [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)
#### Post date: [July 7, 2005, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-identifying-a-flying-insect/311329/16 "2005-07-07T15:29:26Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#):
>
> In New Zealand they’re called a [weta](http://www.wwf.org.nz/earthsaver/earthsaver_images/weta.jpg), which is what the visual effects company that did Lord of the Rings named itself after. They get pretty big, too.
>
> Actually, I’m not 100% sure wetas are cave crickets, but if they’re not they must be closely related.
From my readings it is a large family, Camel Crickets & Cave crickets are closlely related in the family Rhaphidophoridae.
There is 2 families of Weta.
The Cave Weta is family Rhaphidophoridae.
The Giant Weta, along with the Tree, Ground and Tusked Weta, are members of the family Anostostomatidae (or Stenopelmatidae). (From Wikipedia)
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### Author:  [@Prancer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prancer)
#### Post date: [July 7, 2005, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-identifying-a-flying-insect/311329/17 "2005-07-07T15:46:08Z")
Mole Crickets & Camel Crickets give my entire family the willies.
Ugh.
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### Author:  [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)
#### Post date: [July 7, 2005, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-identifying-a-flying-insect/311329/18 "2005-07-07T17:01:11Z")
> [@romansperson](#):
>
> **Hal,** count yourself lucky to have seen a live luna moth. Since they are nocturnal, people don’t get to see them much, and they are indeed very beautiful.
Hey, thanks! Yup, [that’d](http://www.fcps.k12.va.us/StratfordLandingES/Ecology/mpages/luna_moth.htm) be the one.
Glad I got to see one…or a half-dozen of them actually.
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### Author:  [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)
#### Post date: [July 7, 2005, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-identifying-a-flying-insect/311329/19 "2005-07-07T17:03:16Z")
Since you guys have been so efficient, I figure I’ll throw another one out there. No pic unfortunately, but these guys wierd me out since they are in my apartment.
They are a kind of millipede or centipede. They get about 3/4 to 1 inch long. Are brownish grey, and seem to have really long hairs sticking off their bodies. They seem to like to scamper across the wall and floors at the most inopertune times.
Anyone know of any common indoor pests like this? I gotta get rid of the little bastards. Wish I had more to go on, but when I see one I usually kill it as opposed to grabbing the camera.
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### Author:  [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)
#### Post date: [July 7, 2005, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-identifying-a-flying-insect/311329/20 "2005-07-07T17:21:13Z")
> [@Omniscient](#):
>
> Since you guys have been so efficient, I figure I’ll throw another one out there. No pic unfortunately, but these guys wierd me out since they are in my apartment.
>
> They are a kind of millipede or centipede. They get about 3/4 to 1 inch long. Are brownish grey, and seem to have really long hairs sticking off their bodies. They seem to like to scamper across the wall and floors at the most inopertune times.
>
> Anyone know of any common indoor pests like this? I gotta get rid of the little bastards. Wish I had more to go on, but when I see one I usually kill it as opposed to grabbing the camera.
Google is a great place to start but:
does it look like this:
[kaweahoaks.com/html/](http://kaweahoaks.com/html/) centipede\_millipede.htm
or this [http://vector.ifas.ufl.edu/graphics/fig7-10-co.jpg](http://vector.ifas.ufl.edu/graphics/fig7-10-co.jpg)
These are common if you live near a creek or marsh.
I lived near Matawan Creek in NJ in my first apartment and we always had them.
I couldn’t get rid of them but my cat use to hunt and eat them.
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