Editing Dobsonfly (section)

==Diet and behavior==
The larvae of dobsonflies live along the rocky bottoms of streams. Chiefly [[nocturnal|active during the night]], they ambush prey in the middle of [[riffles]] which supply plenty of oxygen and stir up prey.<ref name=hf1989>Hayashi, Fumio (1989). Radio Tracking and Activity Monitoring of the Dobsonfly Larva, ''Protohermes grandis'' (Megaloptera: Corydalidae). Oecologia 78 468-472.</ref> They are generalist predators; dissections have revealed that they primarily eat aquatic immatures of [[mayflies]], [[caddisflies]], [[stoneflies]], and [[chironomid]] midges.<ref name=hf1988>Hayashi, Fumio (1988). Prey selection by the dobsonfly larva, ''Protohermes grandis'' (Megaloptera: Corydalidae). Freshwater Biology 20 19-29.</ref> Although the larvae spend most of their lives under rocks below water, locals along Virginia and Pennsylvania rivers have reported emergences, known as "hellgrammite crawlings," during thunderstorms.<ref name=hd>Hall, Donald. Eastern Dobsonfly. Featured Creatures. University of Florida. April 2013.</ref>

The adults are also nocturnal, and are seldom seen as they hide under leaves in the [[canopy (biology)|canopy]] during the daytime. However, they do sometimes form aggregations under bridges or other structures along streams.<ref name=cr1997/> Since the adults live only about a week, they are not known to eat anything, although they have been reported to drink sweet solution in captivity.<ref name=cr1997/>

The dobsonfly may be attracted by [[mercaptan]], an indicator additive in natural gas and propane, and may behave as an [[animal sentinel]] in the presence of these gases.