http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVBJCq3uztM
I dont think I would disturb them while dining.

Read the post again. I said I'd never seen one like it. ALL of the ones I'd seen before were blue. In fact, I think this was the first one period that I've seen in the Bay Area.

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Likewise. Wikipedia says they're not dangerous unless mistreated. Also says they are solitary. Good thing. I was lit up by a swarm of yellowjackets about a year ago - my only encounter with a swarm of stinging insects. Suckers are not big but THAT was an experience I'll not forget. I was swatting them on my head, neck and arms for all I was worth as I walked, rapidy, away from the scene. I've read that swatting them just makes it worse but it's hard to imagine not trying to kill them as the land with stinger deployed.

Seems a swarm of these hummingbird size thingies could kill you if sufficiently motivated.

**

Let me add that, yes, I saw some large flying insects in Texas as a boy. Had never seen a June bug til we went to San Antonio. Might not have actually been 'June Bugs' but that name probably covers number of large flying beetles. I've heard of people tying a thread to one of their legs to make a flying toy thingie. Never saw it done.

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After the first summer rain when the humidity goes up the June Beetles, which are a beautiful jeweled blue-green color start hatching out in my pasture. We have them by the hundreds. They mostly buzz around in the trees doing whatever it is June Beetles do but can sometimes be a nuisance in the garden. I've caught them sampling the tomatoes. As a kid I'd walk around out there hunting them. Doesn't take long before you'll see a brand new one digging up out of the ground. That's when you catch them, before they've figured out they can fly. Their larvae are thumb-sized fat juicy things much prized by skunks, raccoons and chickens.

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That's because you had only seen them in their pre-mating stage. If YOU had to hang around for three years waiting to mate you'd probably have blue parts also.

"The lifespan of a dragonfly is found to consist of two-stages. After breeding the female dragonfly will lay her eggs on or near water or in a place that will fill with water. Once the eggs have hatched the first stage in their lifestyle can begin. At this stage, it is an aquatic larvae, also called 'nymph'. This stage will generally last between one and three years, - See more at: http://www.dragonfly-site.com/how-long-dragonflies-live.html"

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You talking about these, El?

Fig-Eater Beetle in the Sonoran Desert



We refer to them as "disco-bugs".

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“Whatever story you're telling, it will be more interesting if, at the end you add, "and then everything burst into flames.”
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The nymphs are helgamites, or that might be the nymphs for damsel flies. They make excellent smallmouth bait in streams and rivers.
There is a Japanese hornet that is as big. They are deadly. They are spreading to China and even Europe. So, think of a 3 inch or larger yellow jacket. I did get stung by a yellow jacket last year. Just one so not so bad. Another guy at work got stung by 7 of them. I think he had to get medical attention.
Also, there is a hawk or raptor that specializes in eating dragon flies. I think its from England and called the Merlin. A guy I know carves birds and is considered and expert of raptors. He carved the dragon fly and the Merlin. Very impressive work.

I've always suspected I was blessed with good accommodation to bee and/or wasp stings. Whenever I got one it was mild and gone in a hurry. I mentioned already, I see, getting lit up by a swarm of yellow jackets about a year ago. Holy crap, I was bushwhacking down a steep slope when I must have stepped on a nest. They were coming at me. I had to first get down to the street before I could swat and flee in earnest. I must have been stung 50 times. My scalp and neck were aching/burning. Damn sure woke me up, I'll tell you what.

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1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K

Bees and wasps use different poisons in their stings.

I was extremely sensitive to bee stings when I was younger and would swell up like a balloon when stung by a bee. Wasps, meh, bit of pain and swelling, gone in an hour.

My sisters? A wasp would put a welt on them which would last for days.

Compound Interest - The Chemical Compositions of Insect Venoms

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“Whatever story you're telling, it will be more interesting if, at the end you add, "and then everything burst into flames.”
― Brian P. Cleary, You Oughta Know By Now

we use to have them bad here.Until I started feeding my pole cats. They dig into the nest at night and eat them.My skunks are never around in daylight so no problems.

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Mike, grew up with these in San Diego County. Once the fig tree was poisoned by a careless neighbor, didn't see them. Then been out here about five years last summer and heard that familiar sound. Didn't know had fig beetles out here and was a good article you shared, thank you. In late August, will be six years out here and only seen that one. If see one again, will know a good insect. B.T.W., flies and mosquitos are the only insects I kill as harmful.

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1971 Volkswagen Sunroof Squareback with F.I. - in need of full restoration.

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