What is it? Is it a bee or something no one have seen? What kind of flying bug is it?

Question

I read the answers and looked at the pictures, but this is not what I am seeing flying in the back yard and hovering over my front yard steps. When I go outside I run to my vehicle. It is brown and one whole body, not built like a bee or wasp, the stripes white stripes are only on the bottom, the wings are smaller than the body. The whole body is like a rust color brown and the white stripes are on the bottom part of the body, It is plumpy liek if you smoosh it guts and all will pop out (YUK), it will hover in one place like a humming bird. I looked at the pictures sent and this is not what I see. I hope someone can figure out what this thing is. All I know it is big and scary and I never see it around any flowers.

Answer 1

Learn to ID it, here -

http://bugguide.net/node/view/15740

http://greennature.com/article1899.html

http://www.einsteins-emporium.com/life/a...

http://www.whatsthatbug.com/

http://www.insectimages.org/

Answer 2

Your observations are not adequate to identify.  That's why you get so many guesses.  Having strips on the bottom only is not any insect I know of.  But stripes with a fat body indicate a fly or wasp/bee.  There are many of these of all shapes and sizes.  The suggestion of a hummingbird moth.

http://bugguide.net/node/view/24517

was not accompanied with pictures.

http://www.cirrusimage.com/moths_humming...

best fits your descriptions.  But not exactly.  Colors vary with species.  If this is not your insect, try to get a picture, or more descriptions What are the antenna like, Watch it for awhile (from inside if you must) to observe its behavior and lets us know what you observe.  Tell us where on the planet you live.  We don't need your address but your state and country would help.  There are large carpenter bees that have surfaces that reflect light in different ways.  It may appear that it is striped on the bottom when it is not.  If it is not like the carpenter bees or the moths, tell us how it differs.  The carpenter bees make their nest in wood.  The male then patrols the area around the nest to keep predators away(and other males if she hasn't mated yet).  They stick around up to 1 month at my house but they have already left.  The nest hole is hard to find, but the bee constantly hanging around without feeding is a sure clue.

We are all guessing here, would be glad to help.  No it is not likely you have a freak of nature there.  It is also unlikely you have a dangerous insect.  The worse likely is a sting.

Answer 3

Without a photo it's impossible to say what your insect is and you didn't tell us where you live so that makes it even harder.

Based on your description it sounds like a dragonfly. They're harmless to humans.

Take a look at some photos in the (first) link below and see what you think.

ADDED: Your question has been on my mind. I thought of another insect which might be your mystery bug. Take a look at the second link which includes descriptions and images of sphynx moths.