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I found this insect in Fish Haven, Idaho (right next to Bear Lake) in June and think it’s absolutely fascinating: enter image description here **enter image description here**

If you can’t tell from the picture, it’s a few centimeters in length—very thin with a pair of transparent wings that extend straight backwards past the end of the abdomen. The thorax is brown, and past the point where the wings connect it is long and neck-like, leading to a black head with two long antennae. Can anyone identify this insect?

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That appears to be a species of snakefly and the lack of a long needle-like ovipositor indicates that this specimen is a male.

The "kite" rather than rectangular head shape suggests it is in the Raphidiidae.

From the location I think it could be in the genus Agulla and might be the Idaho Snakefly (Agulla adnixa), but I don't know if that is the only species from this group in that area.

Reference image (Copyright © 2007 by Hartmut Wisch) from BugGuide.net: enter image description here

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To identify a snakefly: Texas has the prettiest cicada, green with dark shiny eyes. The first time I saw a snakefly it was like a horror movie. It's as of nature added a neck and head on a cicada's face! Eeeek! (Nature is amazing, sometimes downright astounding.)

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