Insect Identification: ID a 3-4cm Long Insect

AI Thread Summary
A user encountered a large, unusual insect while walking in Brooklyn, measuring about 3-4 cm with two pairs of long, veined wings resembling those of a dragonfly. The insect appeared to have a bifurcated abdomen and was motionless, only moving its legs slightly in the wind. The user expressed caution due to its potential sting and sought identification, noting that searches for similar insects using terms like "winged insect bifurcated abdomen" yielded no results. The discussion highlights the challenges of insect identification and the desire for better image recognition tools.
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We were walking down a Brooklyn sidewalk the other day under several trees when we spotted this insect lying motionless (except when the wind blew, it moved its legs a little to rotate itself). We didn't get too close, as it looked like it could give a bad sting. It has two pairs of long veined wings, like a dragonfly's, and is about 3-4 cm long, so it is much larger than an ant, even though its' body appears similar. What is it?

http://img55.imageshack.us/i/oddinsect.png/
http://img269.imageshack.us/i/oddinsectfront.png/
 
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Curious looking bug...it looks like the abdomen is split. I Googled using winged insect bifurcated abdomen, and also winged insect lobed abdomen. Didn't see anything like it.

But I'm not an entomologist...surely someone here will know it, though.
 
Thanks for the effort. If only there was a Google for image matching! :D
 

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