Rare bug caught by Texas fifth-grader

A Kingsville, Texas, fifth-grader has captured an Amazon darner dragonfly -- an insect species rarely spotted north of Mexico.

Tom Langschied, a research scientist with the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute at Texas A&M University-Kingsville, said the specimen is now part of the university's insect collection, the Corpus Christi (Texas) Caller-Times reported Monday.

"We have many species of dragonflies that occur in South Texas," Langschied said. "This particular one has only been reported in the Rio Grande Valley about five or six times."

The dragonfly was captured by 10-year-old Miranda Salinas, a friend of Langschied's daughter, Heidi.

"I was just watching my dad mow the lawn, and I saw it there in the garage," Miranda said. "I held a box under it, and it climbed right in."

Miranda brought the bug with her to school, and the class then voted to preserve the dragonfly, which they had named Edward, and donate it to the university.

Copyright 2006 by United Press International