Stats

Lifespan

1-3 yrs

Size

Large

Diet

Carnivore

Activity

Nocturnal

Social

Solitary

Biome

Freshwater stream

Range

Eastern North America

Movement

Flight

Breeding

Egg-laying

Defense

Armor

Status

Uncommon

About

The Eastern Dobsonfly is a large North American insect whose males brandish long, curved mandibles used in courtship duels but too unwieldy to bite with any force. Its aquatic larvae, called hellgrammites, can spend up to three years hunting in fast-flowing streams before emerging as short-lived, non-feeding adults.

Life cycle

1. 1.
   egg

   A small egg is laid on or near the larval food source and hatches within days or weeks.
2. 2.
   juvenile

   An immature insect feeds and molts, growing through successive instars.
3. 3.
   subadult

   A near-adult insect has wing buds or near-mature form, one molt away from full size.
4. 4.
   adult

   Fully grown, with full wings and adult coloration.

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Taxonomy

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Megaloptera

Family

Corydalidae

Genus

Corydalus

Species

Corydalus cornutus