Hellgrammites & Dobsonflies

Hellgrammites and eastern dobsonflies are like caterpillars and butterflies – they are the larvae and winged adult versions of the same insect.

Unlike caterpillars and butterflies, hellgrammites and dobsonflies are scary looking with formidable pinchers that can deliver a sharp bite and, although they are fascinating to some people, they may be a bit intimidating to others. Dobsonflies are one of the largest aquatic insects found in North America, and the eastern dobsonfly is found across the U.S. east of the Rocky Mountains.

This page requires Javascript.

Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.

kAm%96 @77:4:2= ?2>6 7@C E9:D 4C62EFC6 :D k6>mr@CJ52=FD 4@C?FEFDk^6>m[ 3FE 3642FD6 @7 :ED H:=5 2?5 52?86C@FD =@@<[ E96 62DE6C? 5@3D@?7=J 92D 2 ?F>36C @7 4@=@C7F= 4@>>@? ?2>6D[ :?4=F5:?8 8@\56G:=[ 8C2>AFD[ 4C2>AFD[ C@4< H@C>[ 4C66A6C[ 56G:= D4C2E496C 2?5 E@6\3:E6C]k^Am

kAms@3D@?7=:6D 368:? 2D E:?J[ 8C2J 688D E92E E96 >@E96C =2JD :? 4=FDE6CD @7 23@FE `[___] %96 688D 2C6 FDF2==J =2:5 @? 2 C@4< @C =627 E92E @G6C92?8D E96 H2E6C] %96 >2DD @7 688D 2AA62CD H9:E6 2?5 =@@<D D@>6E9:?8 =:<6 3:C5 5C@AA:?8D] p3@FE EH@ H66<D 27E6C E96 688D 2C6 =2:5[ E96 323J 96==8C2>>:E6D 92E49 @FE 2E ?:89E 2?5 72== @C 4C2H= :?E@ E96 H2E6C]k^Am

kAmx? E9:D 7@C>[ E96 :?D64ED 2C6 =@?8 2?5 7=2E[ H:E9 E9C66 A2:CD @7 =68D @? E96:C E9@C2I 2?5 6:89E D68>6?ED @? E96:C 235@>6?] %96 6?5 @7 E96:C 3@5:6D 92G6 EH@ 9@@<65 “AC@=68D” E92E 2==@H E96 :?D64E E@ 92?8 @?E@ C@4<D :? 72DE\>@G:?8 H2E6C] %96J >2J 36 @C2?86[ 3C@H? @C 2=>@DE 3=24< 2?5 2C6 23=6 E@ 3C62E96 23@G6 2?5 F?56C H2E6C] %96:C >2?5:3=6D[ @C ;2HD[ 2C6 3:8[ A@H6C7F= 2?5 7:6C46\=@@<:?8 – 2?5 2 3:8 96==8C2>>:E6 42? 8:G6 2 7:?86C 2 A2:?7F= 3:E6] %96J =@@< D@>6E9:?8 =:<6 2 3:8[ 7=2E[ F?56CH2E6C 46?E:A656[ 2?5 :7 J@F ECJ E@ 42E49 @?6[ :E 42? D?2A :ED E2:= 324<H2C5 2?5 D4@@E 2H2J =:<6 2 4C2H7:D9]k^Am

Hellgrammite_9029.tif — Buy Now

Hellgrammites prefer rocky, fast-moving streams and come in a variety of colors
Kenneth S Boone

Buy Now

Hellgrammites prefer rocky, fast-moving streams and come in a variety of colors
Kenneth S Boone

kAmw6==8C2>>:E6D =:<6 C@4<J[ 72DE\>@G:?8 DEC62>D – :? @E96C H@C5D[ 2C62D H:E9 2 92C5 3@EE@> 2?5 >@G:?8 H2E6C] %96 96==8C2>>:E6 A:4EFC65 96C6 H2D 7@F?5 F?56C 2 =@8 E92E H2D @? E@A @7 E96 4@?4C6E6 #FDD6== !@?5 DA:==H2J :? p=6I2?56C r:EJ] %96J 2C6 =:<6=J E@ 36 7@F?5 F?56C C@4<D :? 2?J 72DE\>@G:?8 DEC62>[ H96C6 E96J 2C6 2E E96 E@A @7 E96 :?D64E 7@@5 492:?[ FD:?8 E96:C D92CA ;2HD E@ 9F?E 7@C 2BF2E:4 :?G6CE63C2E6D]k^Am

kAmw6==8C2>>:E6D D965 E96:C D<:? 2?5 8C@H =2C86C FA E@ 2 5@K6? E:>6D @G6C E96 4@FCD6 @7 D6G6C2= J62CD 2?5 42? C6249 2? :>AC6DD:G6 b `^a :?496D =@?8]k^Am

kAm(96? :E 4@>6D E:>6 E@ AFA2E6[ E96 96==8C2>>:E6 H:== 4=:>3 @FE @7 E96 H2E6C 2?5 4C2H= FA E@ d_ J2C5D E@ 7:?5 2 DF:E23=6 DA@E E@ 5:8 2 9@=6 :? E96 H6E D@:= @C 4C2H= F?56C 2 C@4< @C =@8 H96C6 :E 42? C6>2:? >@:DE] $@>6 A6@A=6 H9@ =:G6 2=@?8 ':C8:?:2 C:G6CD 92G6 ?@E:465 E92E 2 A@H6C7F= E9F?56CDE@C> 42? 42FD6 2 >2DD 6>6C86?46 @7 96==8C2>>:E6D[ H9:49 :D 42==65 2 “96==8C2>>:E6 4C2H=:?8]” xE’D E9@F89E E92E E96 E9F?56C G:3C2E:@?D EC:886C E96 :?D64E’D D62C49 7@C 2 A=246 E@ AFA2E6]k^Am

kAmp7E6C 2 E:>6 E92E 42? G2CJ 7C@> 2 H66< E@ @G6CH:?E6C[ E96 >2EFC6[ H:?865 5@3D@?7=J H:== 5:8 :ED H2J @FE 2?5 368:? E96 =2DE H66< @7 :ED =:76 D62C49:?8 7@C 2 >2E6 ?62C 2 DEC62>]k^Am

kAmx? :ED >2EFC6 7@C>[ E96 5@3D@?7=J :D 2 =2C86[ 8C2J[ 3C@H? @C 3=24< :?D64E H:E9 H9:E6 5@ED 2?5 @3G:@FD G6:?D :? :ED H:?8D] (96? 2E C6DE[ E96 5@3D@?7=J <66AD :ED H:?8D 7@=565 2=@?8 E96 =6?8E9 @7 :ED 3@5J]k^Am

kAms@3D@?7=:6D 2C6 >@DE=J ?@4EFC?2= 2?5 2C6 @7E6? 2EEC24E65 E@ =:89ED[ D@ J@F >:89E =@@< 7@C E96> @? 2 =:89E @? 2? @FED:56 H2==] ~?46 E96 5@3D@?7=:6D >2E6[ E96 76>2=6 H:== D62C49 7@C 2 8@@5 A=246 E@ =2J 96C 688D] }6:E96C >2=6 @C 76>2=6 5@3D@?7=:6D 2C6 23=6 E@ 9F?E[ 2?5 :E :D E9@F89E E96J 2C6 F?23=6 E@ 62E 2E 2==] %96 >2=6D 92G6 9F86 ;2HD E92E =@@< D@>6E9:?8 =:<6 6=6A92?E EFD<D 3FE 2C6 F?23=6 E@ 3:E6 2 A6CD@?[ 2=E9@F89 E96J 5@ FD6 E96:C 6=@?82E65 ;2HD E@ 4@>A6E6 H:E9 @E96C >2=6Dj 9@H6G6C[ E96 76>2=6D DE:== C6E2:? E96:C D92CA ;2HD 2?5 92G6 366? <?@H? E@ 5C2H 3=@@5 H96? E96J 3:E6 A6@A=6]k^Am

kAmp D9@CE E:>6 27E6C 86EE:?8 E96:C H:?8D[ 5@3D@?7=:6D >2E6 2?5 E96? 5:6[ 2?5 E96 =:76 4J4=6 368:?D 282:?] |2=6D FDF2==J =:G6 23@FE E9C66 52JD[ H9:=6 76>2=6D 42? =:G6 6:89E E@ `_ 52JD 2D 5@3D@?7=:6D]k^Am

kAmw6==8C2>>:E6D C6BF:C6 4=62?[ 72DE\>@G:?8 H2E6C[ 2?5[ 2D 2 C6DF=E[ :7 J@F 7:?5 E96> :? 2 DEC62>[ :E’D 2 8@@5 :?5:42E:@? E92E E96 H2E6C :D ?@E A@==FE65] w6==8C2>>:E6D 2C6 2=D@ 9:89=J AC:K65 2D 7:D9:?8 32:E – >@DE 82>6 7:D9 =@G6 E@ 62E E96>]k^Am

kAmk6>m$@>6 :?7@C>2E:@? 7@C E9:D 2CE:4=6 42>6 7C@> E96 |:DD@FC: s6A2CE>6?E @7 r@?D6CG2E:@?[ %6I2D pU2>Aj| p8C:{:76 tIE6?D:@?[ E96 r96D2A62<6 q2J !C@8C2>[ k2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^x?D64Ex56?E:7:42E:@?]@C8Qmx?D64Ex56?E:7:42E:@?]@C8k^2m 2?5 E96 &?:G6CD:EJ @7 u=@C:52]k^6>mk^Am

Hellgrammites & Dobsonflies

Digital Edition

Submit Your Lake Photo

Other Publications

Connect

Rate:
Begins:
Transaction ID:

Tags

Recommended for you

Digital Edition

Most Popular

Getaway at Whiskey Ridge Park

Boating 101 Lighted Lifelines

A storied tradition sails on

It's a big lake

Hellgrammites & Dobsonflies

Submit Your Lake Photo

Other Publications

Connect

Sign Up

You're all set!

Log In

Reset Password

Forgot Password

Email me a log in link

Promotional Offers

Purchase Gift Purchase Access

You're all set!

An error occurred