Can anyone id this insect ?

[innocent bystander]

Got a visit from our neighbours cat this morning. He came bearing gifts, the grateful fellow that he is. 3 mice at first, which was nice. Followed by a huge insect, which i can seem to identify. Probably because i know nothing about insects. Apologies for the crap photograph, and for the condition of the insect. it got fairly chewed by the cat, and a foot. I have a couple of other pic's if needed.. :

 

[Jeff Wagner]

Cicada...?

 

[innocent bystander]

Cicada's a sort of beetle or grasshoppery type thing isn't it? And i dont think we get those in blighty, to the best of my rather scant knowledge. Must admit this morning i thought it might be a sort of hornet or something, but on reflection it wouldn't appear to be that.

 

[Jeff Wagner]

http://encarta.msn.com/media_461541257/European_Cicada.html

 

[Tekeeler]

I think it may be a clearwing lunar hornet moth. Its a type of sun loving moth with no sting. Seen them in woodland in Kent before so I see no reason why you couldn't have them there. Just a thought.

http://www.habitas.org.uk/moths/photo.asp?item=5686

 

[innocent bystander]

I think the wings are different on this one. Also the size is about 4.5 cm long - which is pretty big for an insect over here, and marginally bigger than the stated max size for the cicada.And the "face " is slightly different.
I might be wrong, but my gut feeling is that it is something else.

 

[innocent bystander]

I think it may be a clearwing lunar hornet moth. Its a type of sun loving moth with no sting. Seen them in woodland in Kent before so I see no reason why you couldn't have them there. Just a thought.

http://www.habitas.org.uk/moths/photo.asp?item=5686

Quite similar, but my corpse doesn't appear to have the "wing fringe", and it does have large staing eyes .
A view from another angle :

 

[Tekeeler]

From that angle I agree its not a lunar hornet, but it still does shout moth at me. What were the colours on the thorax? Its a bit hard to discern from the blue.

 

[Gail]

I've just consulted my book and looks very much like Tabanus Bromius - a 14mm long species of horse-fly -says in the book it can inflict a painful bite on humans.

 

[bloodline]

Its a ive moth ive seen one like it before but my poor old brain cant remember where

 

[innocent bystander]

I've just consulted my book and looks very much like Tabanus Bromius - a 14mm long species of horse-fly -says in the book it can inflict a painful bite on humans.

Hi gail, i can see where your coming from, but alas, at 14mm it would be a tiddler compared to this. It's about 45mm long !! A bite from a 45mm horse fly would probably take your leg off !!

 

[innocent bystander]

From that angle I agree its not a lunar hornet, but it still does shout moth at me. What were the colours on the thorax? Its a bit hard to discern from the blue.

It was a yellowy brown colour - more yellow i would say. This pic is **** poor, but it does show the colour. ( damn camera)...:

 

[Wavey Davey]

Has it got 1 or 2 pairs of wings?

 

[innocent bystander]

I can only make out the one pair, but it is pretty squished, so i could be wrong...

 

[Wavey Davey]

It's certainly a bit of a tricky one. If it's only got one set of prominent wings it's going to belong to the Flies and Wasps etc I think. 2 pairs and it can be a Moth which as someone else has said is what my gut feeling is as well. Wings look clear because all the scales have been rubbed (chewed) off. Antenna look right for a female moth. Size would possibly indicate a type of Hawkmoth. But the eyes don't seem right for anything! Sorry probably not being much help........
Wavey.

 

[VIRULENT SALAMANDER]

From the picture it look to me that the wings have a transparency to them! does this not rule out Hawkmoths??? but I don't much about this...just a thought.

 

[karen]

Hi, have just been having a look to see if i could id it and it seems unlikely that it is a hawkmoth.
Try here http://ukmoths.org.uk/
they are pretty good.

Cheers
Karen

 

[Toddy]

Have look for giant wood wasp. They can be enormous
or the giant horsefly Tadanus sudeticus
http://www.nature-diary.co.uk/2004-07-21.htm

http://www.imagesfromtheedge.com/ma...PHOTO_ID=2035&currentPage=1&searchString=35MM

Cheers,
Toddy

 

[VIRULENT SALAMANDER]

My guess is its not the horsefly because the horsefly abdomen is shorter & rounder than the one in the picture.. what do you think??

Have look for giant wood wasp. They can be enormous
or the giant horsefly Tadanus sudeticus
http://www.nature-diary.co.uk/2004-07-21.htm
Cheers,
Toddy

 

[innocent bystander]

Hi Toddy, i can see where your going with the Ginormous horse fly - overall size is about the same - wish i had better pics of the beastie. Also have to concede to VS on the shape of the abdomen though...