Creating a Lake
- Thread starter EddieWalker
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patrick_g
Elite Member
Eddie, The Texas state extension info says the Dobsonfly is quite common in Texas. The Dobsonfly is what a Hellgramite becomes long enough to mate.
Dobsonfly
If what you netted isn't a larvae of a Dobsonfly, you probably still do have them about as they are so common, just not as pretty, nifty fliers (natures helicopters) or as long lived as the dragonfly.
If you net another copy of the same looking thing, check the head end carefullyu for mandibles. The hellgramites can bite you.
Pat
Dobsonfly
If what you netted isn't a larvae of a Dobsonfly, you probably still do have them about as they are so common, just not as pretty, nifty fliers (natures helicopters) or as long lived as the dragonfly.
If you net another copy of the same looking thing, check the head end carefullyu for mandibles. The hellgramites can bite you.
Pat
OP
EddieWalker
Epic Contributor
Pat,
That link is better then the ones I found, but it also says "Hellgrammites are aggressive predators that attack other aquatic insects and other organisms in the water. They are found in flowing rivers and streams hidden among rocks."
The spelling is different for it on that site, but the main thing is they seem to be in moving water of allot better quality then my muddy colored pond. I've never seen anything like what is described, and I have allot of weird bugs that come to my lights at night!!!
I searched that site for dragonfly nymphs. Damselfly and the picture they have is very close to what we cought. Same number of legs in the same area. Same looking front end and body. The heads are differnet with thier eyes not being the same and the ends of there tails do not match. The tail think could be that the one we cought was out of water and it was just held together. I don't know.
It's very, very similar and we think it could either be more mature then the one in the picture, or just a differnty type of dragonfly. We have three types that we know of, but the link I just provided doesn't show two of them. It just has the most common one.
Thank you,
Eddie
That link is better then the ones I found, but it also says "Hellgrammites are aggressive predators that attack other aquatic insects and other organisms in the water. They are found in flowing rivers and streams hidden among rocks."
The spelling is different for it on that site, but the main thing is they seem to be in moving water of allot better quality then my muddy colored pond. I've never seen anything like what is described, and I have allot of weird bugs that come to my lights at night!!!
I searched that site for dragonfly nymphs. Damselfly and the picture they have is very close to what we cought. Same number of legs in the same area. Same looking front end and body. The heads are differnet with thier eyes not being the same and the ends of there tails do not match. The tail think could be that the one we cought was out of water and it was just held together. I don't know.
It's very, very similar and we think it could either be more mature then the one in the picture, or just a differnty type of dragonfly. We have three types that we know of, but the link I just provided doesn't show two of them. It just has the most common one.
Thank you,
Eddie
wushaw
Elite Member
Eddie, you do not have a Hellgramite there, they live/grow in clear rock bottom rivers like Guadalupe river, Medina river, frio...etc. I have used them for bait, they are mean tough little bugs, great for bait, hard on fingers
There is one thing I can't explain though....I have seen two Dobson flys at my place in the five years I have lived on my place and there are no Helgrimites within 150 miles of me
There is one thing I can't explain though....I have seen two Dobson flys at my place in the five years I have lived on my place and there are no Helgrimites within 150 miles of me
patrick_g
Elite Member
Would those flys have been the "B" model with extended range tanks?
Pat
Pat
wushaw
Elite Member
I would think so or the fly version doesn't need clean water...only a good tail wind
have_blue
Veteran Member
EddieWalker said:
Eddie,
There are many species in the dragonfly-damselfly family. There are also many species of flies in the lacewing family, such as the Dobson fly, may fly, stone fly, caddis fly, etc. that produce aquatic nymphs. All of the above nymphs can look roughly similar, but differ according to the exact species. They will always have some common features according to their family, but other body parts can be a lot different. The field guide may have shown 1 type of dragonfly nymph, and you caught another.
GaryBDavis
Gold Member
Congrats on your post going over 100,000 hits. Pretty cool.
OP
EddieWalker
Epic Contributor
Gary,
Thanks.
It's hard to believe that this thread has been viewed so many times. I guess it's taken on a life of it's own and I'm just the guy who started it. There has been so much information shared and ideas discussed in it that it's become thread about all of us, and not just my lake project.
Eddie
Thanks.
It's hard to believe that this thread has been viewed so many times. I guess it's taken on a life of it's own and I'm just the guy who started it. There has been so much information shared and ideas discussed in it that it's become thread about all of us, and not just my lake project.
Eddie
Renze
Super Member
This thread has covered land clearing, earthmoving, heavy machinery overhaul, landscaping, site development, and botanical and biological items. some of them (like heavy machinery overhaul) were topics that came uninvited when Eddies dozer broke down, though we all loved to follow the progress and setbacks of the project...
Why didnt they broadcast this on TV, this would be a soooo much better "real life soap" than most of the "americas next top model" garbage that my mother and sister want to watch, when i want to watch discovery channel
Why didnt they broadcast this on TV, this would be a soooo much better "real life soap" than most of the "americas next top model" garbage that my mother and sister want to watch, when i want to watch discovery channel
