This massive bug was found in Rhinebeck, New York and people are trying to figure out what the heck it is. Do you know what we're looking at here?

Have you ever seen the movie Starship Troopers? When I first saw it in 1997 I thought that the idea of massive alien bugs hell-bent on destroying the human race was something that could only be on the big screen. I saw a picture of this large insect and I thought maybe the aliens have finally landed. Of course they would choose Upstate New York as their entry point.

As much as  would like to call Mulder and Scully and say this thing came from another galaxy I understand that it is not in fact an alien species.

What is this thing?

Shawn Graybill
Shawn Graybill
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The photo was shared on Facebook and quickly gained a ton of attention and comments.

Leave it to the experts on Facebook. The huge bug was finally identified as a giant water bug or a Lethocerus. Have you ever seen one of these before? If you see

Why should you avoid a giant water bug?

According to the National Parks and Services website, the Lethocerus delivers an extremely painful but non toxic bite. The insect inhabits freshwater in North America and is nicknamed 'toe biter' because it often bites the toes of humans on the lake floor.

How bad is the bite? Here's a video of a man getting bit one by one on purpose. He learned how excruciating the bit was instantly.

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