BRANDON MILLER WRITES: I'm new to northern Texas and have had 2 of these in my home in the last 2 days. Been trying to ID it with no luck. Hopefully you can help. Flying bug, all black. About 1 1/4 inches long. I don't know much about insects but it's got the shape of a large ant. I didn't realise it even had wings until I tried to scoop it out the door.
Saturday, November 20, 2010
IDENTIFY THIS INSECT
BRANDON MILLER WRITES: I'm new to northern Texas and have had 2 of these in my home in the last 2 days. Been trying to ID it with no luck. Hopefully you can help. Flying bug, all black. About 1 1/4 inches long. I don't know much about insects but it's got the shape of a large ant. I didn't realise it even had wings until I tried to scoop it out the door.
Those appear to be the blue mud dauber, Chalybion californicum (Saussure), which is in the family Sphecidae. They are known to roost at night sometimes at homes for no apparent reason. Those that accumulate are mostly (probably all) males that can not sting.
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