What would you do if you spotted THIS creepy crawly creature clambering along the bottom of your local trout stream? This lovely, native critter is a Hellgrammite – the aquatic larval form of the Dobsonfly. Hellgrammites live in clean, clear, fast-flowing streams and rivers, and can be found under rocks, submerged sticks and wood, and leaf litter where they hunt and feed on other aquatic macroinvertebrates. Hellgrammites are good indicators of high water quality and great habitat because they ca

One for the ‘gramm! This #FloraandFaunaFriday, we're meeting an alien-looking critter, the Hellgrammite, otherwise known as the larval stage of the Dobsonfly. Hellgramites prey on other aquatic insects (such as larval caddisflies, mayflies, and stoneflies), and sometimes even small fish! Those hairy tufts you see moving along the sides of this individual are gills, which hellgrammites use to breathe in the oxygen-rich stream riffles where they live. While this tough customer might appear to have

The dobsonfly’s journey begins when the adult female lays her eggs in a fast-moving stream or river. After emerging from the eggs, larvae, like the one you see here, will hide under rocks and in crevices until they morph into their final adult form. In its aquatic larvae phase, the dobsonfly is a fierce predator, equipped with sharp pincers capable of piercing human skin. Video taken at The Oklahoma Nature Conservancy. #dobsonfly #easterndobsonfly #larvae #insect #underwater #wildlife #video #fo