Unidentified insect - long segmented abdomen

Bruce Williams · #1 (**permalink**) 20-09-2008, 12:28 PM

Stony Stratford, Bucks - on fence near large pond. Estimated length ~20mm.

I'm guessing that this must be a larva of some type. It was surprisingly (and frustratingly) fast moving for something that looks so ungainly. Help with identification appreciated.

Bruce

Hedge Witch · #2 (**permalink**) 20-09-2008, 02:05 PM

I think it's a beetle larva, I looked up rove beetle and it was similar (bit didn't quite fit).

Pudding4brains · #3 (**permalink**) 20-09-2008, 02:12 PM

The very 'peculiar' head & shoulders section would lead me to think it might be some Raphidioptera - I think you folks call them "Snakeflies" ???

Arp

Hedge Witch · #4 (**permalink**) 20-09-2008, 02:38 PM

Yes it looks like Arp has hit the nail on the head!

Bruce Williams · #5 (**permalink**) 20-09-2008, 04:45 PM

Thanks for your help Arp and Hedge Witch - much appreciated as always.

Wow! This is a new one on me, "Snake Flies" (Thanks Arp). -Lots to read up on and something to look out for in the future. Any info on Raphidioptera or pointers to good websites or reading material welcomed.

Hedge Witch - I can certainly see why you though maybe similar to rove beetle

.

Bruce

ps Found a couple of v. similar pics under Phaeostigma notata.

Pudding4brains · #6 (**permalink**) 20-09-2008, 05:54 PM

If Fauna Europae is anything to go by you guys have following species:

- Atlantoraphidia maculicollis (Stephens 1836)
- Phaeostigma notata (Fabricius 1781)
- Subilla confinis (Stephens 1836)
- Xanthostigma xanthostigma (Schummel 1832)

The Wikipedia article Snakefly has a broken link to the following publication:
Aspöck, H. (2002) The biology of Raphidioptera: A review of present knowledge. in Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae, Vol.48, Supl.2, pp.35–50. - the PDF is here (I'll fix the wikipedia link too)

Kayleigh · #7 (**permalink**) 20-09-2008, 07:07 PM

wow Bruce... I don't know how you do it..When I go out I never find anything interesting I coming with you next time.lol

Pudding4brains · #8 (**permalink**) 20-09-2008, 07:08 PM

Sorry, something's amiss with the link to Wikipedia above.

The article is here: Wikipedia, Snakefly

Bruce Williams · #9 (**permalink**) 20-09-2008, 09:58 PM

Thanks Kayleigh - Ahhh but you should see the ones that get away [__O__] . If you see a bearded guy with a camera peering intently at seemingly nothing, with a Vizsla dog (Maggy) somewhere around - do come over and say hello

.

Bruce

poschiavanus · #10 (**permalink**) 20-09-2008, 10:05 PM

Colin Plant's FSC Key to Lacewings and allies has this to say about snake-fly larvae:

Quote:

The larvae are predatory on beetle larvae and probably Diptera larvae, and live under loose bark where they are frequently mistaken for beetle larvae themselves; there is as yet no reliable means of separating them from each other apart from breeding them through.

Arp has listed the 4 British species, although there may be a fifth in the highlands of Scotland. From the distribution notes in Plant any of these might be present in Stony Stratford.

HTH,

poschiavanus