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On the way in, he spotted a large, unusual insect on the side of the building. So he snagged it,

giant lacewing is the first of its kind recorded in eastern North America in over 50 years -- and the first record of the species ever in the state,"

That lacewing was probably passed by 100 shoppers that day, with nobody paying attention. They're probably more common than what these experts claim, it's just that this one was seen and caught by someone who was interested in bugs.

I probably would have picked it up and taken it home, just figuring it was just a dragonfly.

As a side note, on one of my vacations to Honduras, I took a photo of a big moth I had see on a tree. Over the course of about two years and several emails to the head of a butterfly museum in La Ceiba, Honduras, asking for identification of the moth, the curator finally responded.

I then contacted a butterfly guy in Arizona who collects them and mounts them for schools and universities and asked him if he had one of these moths that he could mount and frame for me. I have it hanging the wall.