What kind of bug did I see today?
June 23, 2010 11:23 AM Subscribe
What kind of bug did I see today?
So I'm chilling on my porch around 10:30am this morning in Sterling, VA (a suburb of D.C.), when all of a sudden this huge, black buzzing bug flies by and scares the crap out of me. This thing was at least 5x the size of your normal housefly. I don't really have any other descriptions because the encounter was so brief. I'm thinking maybe horsefly? I live in San Francisco and am here on vacation so I don't really know the local fauna.
So I'm chilling on my porch around 10:30am this morning in Sterling, VA (a suburb of D.C.), when all of a sudden this huge, black buzzing bug flies by and scares the crap out of me. This thing was at least 5x the size of your normal housefly. I don't really have any other descriptions because the encounter was so brief. I'm thinking maybe horsefly? I live in San Francisco and am here on vacation so I don't really know the local fauna.
Was it a carpenter bee? I get buzzed all the time by them in AZ, they seem to like close encounters with my head.
posted by TungstenChef at 11:37 AM on June 23, 2010
posted by TungstenChef at 11:37 AM on June 23, 2010
Yup. Cicada. I live in Fairfax, not far from you, and I've begun noticing them buzzing in the trees. Their time has come. ;-)
posted by rhartong at 11:46 AM on June 23, 2010
posted by rhartong at 11:46 AM on June 23, 2010
I love cicadas. They're big and scary the first time you see one, but really they're harmless and goofy.
posted by JoanArkham at 12:28 PM on June 23, 2010
posted by JoanArkham at 12:28 PM on June 23, 2010
I'm also guessing a (totally harmless and incredibly wonderful) carpenter bee. I've got one in my yard and he loves to divebomb my roommate and the dogs. His name is Leif.
posted by elsietheeel at 12:35 PM on June 23, 2010
posted by elsietheeel at 12:35 PM on June 23, 2010
Response by poster: Hmm, I'm thinking carpenter bee because it sounded more like a bumblebee. Unless cicadas also make a similar buzzing noise in flight.
posted by MattMangels at 12:42 PM on June 23, 2010
posted by MattMangels at 12:42 PM on June 23, 2010
Boy, you really CAN find anything on the internet! Here's some video with cicada wing-flapping noise.
posted by ErikaB at 3:17 PM on June 23, 2010
posted by ErikaB at 3:17 PM on June 23, 2010
Yes, cicadas are big and buzz like all getout. Some of them also have freaky red eyes. And a friend of mine who lives close to you posted on fb today that there was a mass eruption of cicada noises - the first he's heard of the summer - today at precisely 12:51 p.m.
posted by jocelmeow at 3:31 PM on June 23, 2010
posted by jocelmeow at 3:31 PM on June 23, 2010
Response by poster: Actually perusing some YouTube videos I see there are pure black-colored cicadas, so now I'm leaning towards that. Does anyone happen to know what species lives around here?
posted by MattMangels at 6:46 PM on June 23, 2010
posted by MattMangels at 6:46 PM on June 23, 2010
I wouldn't rule out horse flies, there are some in Sterling. Horse flies tend to act more fly-like (hanging around people/horses/pets, trying to land and bite), seeing one flying past is not as common, but it does happen. The noise horse flies make is like a house fly, but louder. If you see a horse fly, please kill it.
As far as cicadas, it could be a Brood XIX magicicada emerging a year early. They look black when they fly past.
posted by anaelith at 1:57 AM on June 24, 2010
As far as cicadas, it could be a Brood XIX magicicada emerging a year early. They look black when they fly past.
posted by anaelith at 1:57 AM on June 24, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by grizzled at 11:26 AM on June 23, 2010 [1 favorite]