lovebugs gone, but now...

[philnpat]

What are the 1 1/2 - 2 inch long flying insects that look like attack helicopters? They come our mid-afternoon and swarm till evening. Not as annoying as lovebugs but they're BIGGER!

[duffysmom]

I believe that they are dragonflies. They are here today and gone tomorrow.

[Figmo Bohica]

Oh My, the crazy hairy ants are moving in.

[wendyquat]

What are the 1 1/2 - 2 inch long flying insects that look like attack helicopters? They come our mid-afternoon and swarm till evening. Not as annoying as lovebugs but they're BIGGER!

They won't hurt you philnpat. Down south we call them "snake doctors".

From Wikipedia: " Dragonflies are valuable predators that eat mosquitoes, and other small insects like flies, bees, ants, wasps, and very rarely butterflies. They are usually found around marshes, lakes, ponds, streams, and wetlands because their larvae, known as "nymphs", are aquatic beings"

861

[gongoozler]

I'll take all those bugs over the roof rats (aka, fruit rats, citrus rats, gray rats) that are taking over the Villages . . . they love to live in Orlander plants and the Palm trees that are not trimmed up (the beards)

[Uptown Girl]

There are two other critters here I've been curious about.... one is a large black flying insect with white polka dots (honest!)

The other is a bird rather like a blue jay... grey with white bands on it's wings. It perches on the tops of trees and has a lovely, enthusiastic song.
Anyone know what they are?

[Bosoxfan]

The bird is a mockingbird the Florida state bird! As far as the insect does it only come out after happy hour? LOL!

[angiefox10]

The bird is a mockingbird the Florida state bird! As far as the insect does it only come out after happy hour? LOL!


:1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl:

[villages07]

The insect is probably the oleander or polka dot wasp (actually is a moth). Oleander bushes get orange and black caterpillers (that can defoliate the bush quickly) and they pupate into these moths. At least, that's my recollection of the lifecycle. They don't bite or sting but keep the lifecycle going and are very difficult to get rid of on the oleander.

There are two other critters here I've been curious about.... one is a large black flying insect with white polka dots (honest!)

The other is a bird rather like a blue jay... grey with white bands on it's wings. It perches on the tops of trees and has a lovely, enthusiastic song.
Anyone know what they are?

[pooh]

In the 5 years I've been here, these are the most dragonflies I've seen.....they are everywhere and really are quite beautiful!

Very short life cycle for the insects as adults, about 2 months. Their entire life cycle is about a year, but most of that is in various stages of growth.

Enjoy them, they're wonderful!

[skyguy79]

What are the 1 1/2 - 2 inch long flying insects that look like attack helicopters?The Villages Miniature Air Force on scramble?
http://www.currentmilitaria.com/images/e/370430591589_0.jpg
:D Heading down in a few weeks. Hope to see you guys sometime afterward!

[philnpat]

Glad to hear the dragonflies are harmless...there's a LOT of them!
The mockingbirds are amazing. What a melody! I love sitting out in the morning having my coffee being entertained by them.
The wasps with the white dots on their black wings also have red on the tip of their body. They seem to hang around the lantanas. Glad to hear they're harmless. See...all is good!

[manaboutown]

This evening I saw birds (swallows?) gobbling up some dragonflies on the fly. Pretty amazing! I am happy to hear the airborne insects are dragonflies and not grasshoppers, ugh!

[asianthree]

When i run very early in the morning something dive bombs me. I can hear the wings very close to my head are there bats here or is it some bird that doesn't sleep

[wendyquat]

THAT would probably be a horsefly!! They love sweat, hair spray and all our good smelling stuff! They are particularly fond of horses a_ _ es! :0000000000luvmyhors

Unlike dragonflies, they do bite and it is painful!:cryin2:

[Uptown Girl]

Thanks for the info! This is fun!

[aln]

The way I see it, the love bugs turn into snow birds.

No further comment!

[jgbama]

Glad to hear the dragonflies are harmless...there's a LOT of them!
The mockingbirds are amazing. What a melody! I love sitting out in the morning having my coffee being entertained by them.
The wasps with the white dots on their black wings also have red on the tip of their body. They seem to hang around the lantanas. Glad to hear they're harmless. See...all is good!

The wasps with white dots are actually the adult oleander caterpillar and are moths. Here is a link on them - http://www.floridakeyslandscapeadvisor.com/2009/06/oleander-caterpillar.html

We had them on an oleander bush in Panama City Beach. They are a mess for sure.

[villagegolfer]

The way I see it, the love bugs turn into snow birds.

No further comment!:1rotfl::1rotfl:

[EdV]

They may look like attack helicopters but they are no match for the birds that came swooping down from the sky to pick them off and providing me with quite an impressive air show in my back yard last night.

[ajbrown]

There are two other critters here I've been curious about.... one is a large black flying insect with white polka dots (honest!)

The other is a bird rather like a blue jay... grey with white bands on it's wings. It perches on the tops of trees and has a lovely, enthusiastic song.
Anyone know what they are?

Here are some pictures from my lanai last year. These bugger's colors are striking, but they can turn you oleander into a stick bush :)

https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/showpost.php?p=301254&postcount=1

[ceejay]

Here are some pictures from my lanai last year. These bugger's colors are striking, but they can turn you oleander into a stick bush :)

https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/showpost.php?p=301254&postcount=1

Wow...these are great pictures! What a beautiful bug!

[angiefox10]

Here are some pictures from my lanai last year. These bugger's colors are striking, but they can turn you oleander into a stick bush :)

https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/showpost.php?p=301254&postcount=1

WOW!!! I've NEVER seen anything like it!!! Almost patriotic in color!

[graciegirl]

We live in a new house
With nary a mouse
or a snake or anole or a bug

We have three lovely kitties
who are sitting real pretty
and waiting for something to mug

I suppose they will come later
the bugs, snakes and gators
and geckkos on our welcome rug.



I know...but mat doesn't rhyme........

[skyguy79]

We live in a new house
With nary a mouse
or a snake or anole or a bug

We have three lovely kitties
who are sitting real pretty
and waiting for something to mug

I suppose they will come later
the bugs, snakes and gators
and geckkos on our welcome rug.

So who cares I say
Stop over my way
I'm here ready to give you a hug!
Gracie, you forgot to finish it, so I took the liberty and did it for you!
http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTtFGv6Hl9ktv7seD6kr1JJ4_IF3Wg3g oLQA3z5vaD8Vrx_NENl

[ronsroni]

Perhaps they are night hawks? I was swooped on a week ago and one touched my shoulder with it's wing on a swoop. YIKES. They actually CAAAWWWWW after-swoop.
ohhhh three weeks ago, when i was a NY resident, I said goodbye to Scout; the resident mockingbird on the ISLAND!! We had our first mockey some five years ago in my development. As the years pass, so too does the small mockey family.... THEY now have seven little ones... and they are learning to copy and sing. DOWNSIDE: They begin at 2:30A.M.! it goes till 2:30, 3:00 PM then HE sleeps. Incredible. I do not miss that.
I would also like to MISS the moths that infested my kitchen cabinet and elsewhere in the bedroom but not here long enuff to track accurately. That will chase folks away, I tell ya.Anyone else w/ similar stuff? THX.... G'NIGHT

[asianthree]

Perhaps they are night hawks? I was swooped on a week ago and one touched my shoulder with it's wing on a swoop. YIKES. They actually CAAAWWWWW after-swoop.
ohhhh three weeks ago, when i was a NY resident, I said goodbye to Scout; the resident mockingbird on the ISLAND!! We had our first mockey some five years ago in my development. As the years pass, so too does the small mockey family.... THEY now have seven little ones... and they are learning to copy and sing. DOWNSIDE: They begin at 2:30A.M.! it goes till 2:30, 3:00 PM then HE sleeps. Incredible. I do not miss that.
I would also like to MISS the moths that infested my kitchen cabinet and elsewhere in the bedroom but not here long enuff to track accurately. That will chase folks away, I tell ya.Anyone else w/ similar stuff? THX.... G'NIGHT

I wonder if thats what comes after me when i run a 3am

[Deerfly]

In the northern US where there are a lot of insects that bite, dragonflies are very welcome because they eat mosquitos, deerflies, and many other biters. When you see swarms of dragonflies you seldom find biting insects.