Can anyone identify this insect? It was attacking one of our dogs! The body is about 2 1/2 inches long, I've never seen anything like it before.
http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2004-...Picture153.jpg

Isn't it a Dragonfly? Or am I missing something?

A dragonfly head has huge eyes, this thing has very small eyes. The head is the size of a fingernail and the body is thick unlike a dragonfly's thin body

Looks like a termite.

Or flying ant which is very similiar to a termite. The termite has 4 equal size wings, the flying ant has 4 wings also, but the front pair is larger than the rears.

[ 07-10-2007, 11:30 PM: Message edited by: Zebodog ]

But there are tons of species (and alot of families) of dragonfly aren't there? Also there is the Damsilfly, which I don't think it is but...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragonfly

I mean, I see what you mean, but some of the pics of different kinds have the eyes smaller and the antennae are large. Still, this one looks like a dragonfly/ant hyprid thingie. Try maybe one of those nature forums, I am kinda curious now.

I've never seen a Dragonfly with mandibles like that.

I dunno, termites look a bit different to me, man. Even the winged ones look more like roaches than dragonflies.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Termite

The flying ants are alot smaller and "ant" looking from what I have seen in my own area, unless there are ones that look like this.

Edit: Nor have I seen a dragonfly like that, but some of the pictures look similiar as you go through the species they become more ant-like. I still cannot find a match though.

New picture with a scale to give you an idea of the size.
http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2004-...Picture154.jpg
Wingspan is a bit over 5 inches

[ 07-10-2007, 11:47 PM: Message edited by: machinehead ]

Found it. It's a female Dobsonfly.
http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/iiin/node/192

Its an Alien species from Mars come to take your dogs soul?


Maybe Not, But that's one wicked insect. [img]graemlins/hehe.gif[/img]