A very large pest...any ideas??

[Digger-07]

Is there a Timber merchant near you? Was the bug dead when you found it?

I used to use a lot of imported timber (sustainable forest I promise) and occasionally we would get big, and I mean BIG BUGS in with the timber. They were always dead and a bit dehydrated but could be blown around especially with the gales weve had recently.

[Nicos]

Cripes

[MadamJoJo]

Thank you everyone for your ideas: I have e-mailed the local wildlife trust & I will google the Anax Imperater. A neighbour has a pond, but it was found in a normal residential area with no industry etc around. The theory about the antenna is interesting. Would the Natural History museum (or similar) be able to help do you think (or am I getting a bit too obsessed....yes I may well have nightmares tonight....argghhh)?

[Flummery]

Dragonfly bodies can be 4/5" long.

(Be very afraid!)

[kernowyon]

looks like a stick insect to me, used to keep some as a kid, could be an escapee that has succumbed to the cold/wind. i prepare to be shot down in flames, and riddiculed for my suggestion

[Birdie Wife]

Doesn't look right for a dragonfly nymph at all really, legs are too far apart. No idea what it could be.

[Paul Wagland]

Wow - what a find!

It looks unlike any dragonfly nymph I've seen. Does it show any signs that it has split across the back (and flown away) or would you say it's a whole body, with tissue still inside the case?

10cm long would be huge for a dragonfly nymph - the adults can be that big but they are 'compressed' inside the nymph case, shorter and fatter. The legs also look wrong, as does the head. I'm no expert though.

Here's a pick of a female emperor DF emerging from her nymph case in our garden last spring.

[Paul Wagland]

And an empty case (we found about six spread around this Equisetum - they must like it!)

[Cutecumber]

Whilst it should be something sensible and native like a dragonfly nymph, I'm going for a stick insect...

I found this giant stick insect Eurycantha Calcarata which looks similar. What do you think?

eurycantha_calcarata

Don't ask me how it got there though!!

[Jardiniere]

i think you've found it ...looks very like.
I have had the occasional praying mantis type thing and we get dragonflies all the time (being on the river) and they never looked like that scary thing.....(sorry scary)

[marialittlebzz]

You definitely got it !
I read that it was one of the most common stick insect kept as a pet... yeah I am not joking, you can even find them on ebay !!
look at that, isn't that sweet ?:


i think it just escaped the poor thing

[whigger]

I was going to suggest a "domestic" species that had escaped but was afraid that i'd get shot down as insects don't tend to get too big up our way and ii know that you guys "Dahn sarf" get bigger creepie crawlies than us.

[Cutecumber]

Coool!

Do I get a prize for identifying Norman???

[MadamJoJo]

Ohhhhh no - this means I have a very strange neighbour in very close proximity that keeps freaky insects.....I hope they don't keep moths too!!! I will definately have nightmares tonight!!! Thank you everyone for your ideas.....and the first prize for identification is..................yes a bottled and very smelly Norman - or perhaps we should rename him STEVE ?? P.S Postage & Packaging free. MJoJo.