Hi Craig,
In the picture it does look similar to an earwig.
Looking closely it appears to have been damaged and
that the tail end is missing. It seems to be a beetle
with curved forcep like appendages in the front which
look like the pincers at the back end of a male
earwig. Refer to
http://www.ivyhall.district96.k12.il.us/4th/kkhp/1insects/earwig.html

for more earwig details. What piques my curiousity is
your mention that you were reading some mail. Did some
one send this to you maliciously? If not, I would
suspect a local insect that is common enough for you
to have picked up by passing near it either indoors or
out. It is good that you were able to get a picture of
it. I hope you find out what it was. You may want to
check the information at the following website about
stings and identifying the insect.
http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2076.html
One piece of advice that they give is the (reasonable)
attempt to preserve the biting insect. Clear wide tape
is what I use, (I have to save specimen insects for
our pest control contractors at work). Try not to
crush them since it is far easier to identify them if
intact. It could save your life and at the least
should be enough to satisfy your curiousity if you can
find someone to identify it. Entomologists don't hang
around where you can find them.
Well, I guess Debbie is looking forward to the cold
weather, and the completion of the shots. I wish her
luck.
I'm in Philadelphia this weekend and the bees here are
still very active.
Doug
--- cargojfk@... wrote:
> nope not that, no frontal mandibles
>


__________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
The New Yahoo! Shopping - with improved product search
http://shopping.yahoo.com