Diptera.info

Posted by tittch on 17-11-2006 14:49

I'm very curious about what stung me on Wednesday 15th November. I apologise for the infantile way of describing the insect, but I have no real knowledge of insects....

The insect dropped down on my dining table so I picked it up with my fore-finger and thumb to put it out, when it curved it's back over and jabbed me. It was like being pricked with a needle, but didn't draw blood. It looked very much like an extremely stocky crane-fly, but was dark brown and not at all ditzy. It was 25-30mm long and very strong looking. Is that enough for you to go on?

Many thanks
Rita

ETA: I'm on the south coast of England where the weather has been unusually mild this autumn.

Edited by tittch on 17-11-2006 15:21

Posted by tittch on 17-11-2006 15:22

crex wrote:
Where was it? Europe? USA? Australia? Nepal?

D'oh me. South coast of England. Have editted my original post. Thanks.

Posted by Xespok on 17-11-2006 15:40

A Reduviid (assasin) bug perhaps? They can give nasy bites. I do not think it is a diptera, because I do not think you would miss a Tabanid fly for anything else, Tabanids (or other dipterans) would not use a bite as a defense, beside, it is too late for Tabanids anyways. Also the way you discribe the scene (it turned around and than came the bite) does not seem to indicate a Diptera.

Posted by tittch on 17-11-2006 17:36

Xespok wrote:
A Reduviid (assasin) bug perhaps? They can give nasy bites. I do not think it is a diptera, because I do not think you would miss a Tabanid fly for anything else, Tabanids (or other dipterans) would not use a bite as a defense, beside, it is too late for Tabanids anyways. Also the way you discribe the scene (it turned around and than came the bite) does not seem to indicate a Diptera.

No it wasn't a Reduviid bug. It was much more Tabanid in shape, but not a Tabanid either - as you say too late in the year, but the shape was very much like one. It also definitely a sting not a bite.

Posted by Paul Beuk on 17-11-2006 20:18

tittch wrote:
when it curved it's back over and jabbed me

Does that mean the 'bite' came from its rear end? in that case it sounds more like wasp-like insect to me. I have heared some of the sawflies can use their ovipsitor to 'jibe' at you...

Posted by tittch on 17-11-2006 20:48

Paul Beuk wrote:

tittch wrote:
when it curved it's back over and jabbed me

Does that mean the 'bite' came from its rear end? in that case it sounds more like wasp-like insect to me. I have heared some of the sawflies can use their ovipsitor to 'jibe' at you...

As I said, it was definitely a sting. I saw it bend it's rear end round and jab me. It didn't look at all like a wasp. My husband agrees that it was like a unspindly brown crane fly crossed with a giant flying ant! Not very friendly looking at all.

Posted by kitenet on 17-11-2006 22:25

This is beginning to sound like an ichneumon wasp to me, perhaps an Ophion species? These seem to fit the bill for "cranefly crossed with ant"

, and several species are active at this time of the year in the UK.

See images at:
http://www.warren.../02480.htm

and some info at:
http://www.plantp...luteus.php

The species within this genus are very difficult to sort out.

Martin

Posted by tittch on 18-11-2006 11:36

haematocephalus wrote:
This is beginning to sound like an ichneumon wasp to me, perhaps an Ophion species? These seem to fit the bill for "cranefly crossed with ant"

I think we're getting closer, but the wasp seems too 'pretty' and a little too orange. The culprit was opaque brown and the head didn't have the big eyes.

This is fun isn't it?