male eastern dobsonfly

6063    Please identify.  Emma in Tweed, Ontario

This is a male eastern dobsonfly, Corydalus cornutus (Megaloptera: Corydalidae). Their impressive-looking jaws actually are quite harmless; at most, they can deliver a mild pinch. The much shorter and stouter jaws of the female, on the other hand, can draw blood with their bite. The larvae of dobsonflies are aquatic; known as hellgrammites, they also have very strong jaws and should be handled carefully. See https://tinyurl.com/256o98e for more detailed information. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.