View allAll Photos Tagged mosquitohawk
My cats are thrilled that every time I open a door, snacks fly in.
Female Common Crane Flies (Tipula sp.)
Garland, Texas
My photos can also be found at kapturedbykala.com
This is for Mark (DoodlesNPoodles) I want you to know that you are in my thoughts in this difficult journey through life. I will be looking forward to meeting up with you again when you are back on flickr.
My condolences, RiRi
~ Wayne Dyer ~
I can not stand crane flies, I'm almost phobic ; ) But they are okay when they pose like this for me.
Click on the image to zoom.
When you see me posting this many yard, bug, and flower shots, it usually means I need to get out more...{=/
Have a good Monday!
...and best viewed large.
Good morning and Happy Hug a Bug Day to everyone. Today's featured insect because of its disproportionate long legs is called a crane fly. Numerous other common names include mosquito hawk, mosquito eater (or skeeter eater), gallinipper, gollywhopper, jimmy spinner, and daddy long-legs in some countries. Although the later shouldn't be confused with an unrelated spider by the same name in the United States and Canada.
This past early fall I saw numerous crane flies when afield in search of butterflies. Much more so than in past years. I apologize for these not being the best of photos, but these were extremely hard insects to photograph due to their very slender bodies and far reaching legs, which didn't make for good subjects to capture entirely in focus. With that said, I still hope you enjoy this short series on these leggy creatures and find the text in the comment section informative.
BTW...it's almost comical watching a crane fly land on something. The best way to describe it is a controlled crash landing. For the life of me I can't understand why Mother Nature gave these flies such long gangling legs. Supposedly the long legs are an adaptation that allows the fly to alight in grassy places, which does make some sense although it might be pure conjecture on someone's part.
Thank you for stopping by...and I hope you have a truly great day.
Lacey
ISO400, aperture f/11, exposure .003 seconds (1/350) focal length 300mm
The Green Darner or Common Green Darner (Anax junius) is a dragonfly of the family Aeshnidae, which is native to North America.
It is one of the largest and fastest-flying of living dragonflies, able to reach speeds of 53 mph (85 km/h). Evidence of prehistoric dragonflies of much greater size exists among fossils that date to the era of the dinosaurs.
This species has several nicknames, including "Darning Needle" for its speed, "Mosquito Hawk" for its predatory habits that help to eliminate a common insect pest, and "Lord of June" for its abundance during the summer season. It also is the official insect for the state of Washington.
Discovered a pair of coupled mosquito hawks under the tent's awning. One of the guests was about to swat at them until I threatened to tell his kids to hose him down next time he and his wife were in such a position. I think he understood the implication when I put it in those terms...
Seen in 111 pictures in 2011 as my selection for "blue".
3. dessert (as in food)
5. spicy
6. boat
8. web
9. puddles
10. favourite season
12. sad
15. Holiday/vacation
17. new
18. street
22. black and white
25. bridge
26. happiness is :
27. fruit
28. vegetable
31. down
32. steps/stairs
35. bokeh
37. small
38. big
39. earth
40. wind
41. fire
42. glass
43. numbers
44. sand
45. hand(s)
48. spooky
49. lock/key(s)
50. rustic
51. candle
52. sugar & spice
56. distance
57. wood
58. metal
60. relaxation
61. body
62. books
64. vintage
66. hobby
68. motion
70. blue
72. orange
74. black
75. jewelry
76. clothing
77. childrens toy
78. vehicle
79. bicycle
81. household appliance
84. straight line
89. food
90. drink
91. portrait
92. celebration
93. flag
94. seat/bench
98. stranger
99. family
100. friend
103. in the workplace
104. household task
105. hot
106. favourite photographic topic/style
107. in the water
108. reminder of old times
109. unusual angle
110. on the road
This colorful fellow didn't care how close I got to him.......which really surprised me. Normally they are gone in a flash. But lucky enough for me he hung around .......the closer i got to him the more he looked like a cartoon character.
Common green darners are called "mosquito hawks" because they eat mosquitoes, providing an important service to humans. As an animal that lives in both freshwater and terrestrial (land) habitats, having healthy green darner populations indicates a balanced and healthy ecosystem.
Arthropod Coitus
I don't know what these are, but they were making babies right outside my front door. Not even the decency to take it inside!
I adopted him two days back, just for a photo session. Finally ive let him go after this wonderful pose of him in a glass tube. ;)
My wife spotted these two insects mating on a screen outside our house here in Maine. I think they are called "Crane Flies" - they are those bugs that look like giant mosquitos as they bump off walls and things flying around when they get inside.
Some web research says, no, they are NOT mosquitos and are completely harmless and they don't bite people. They're also called "mosquito hawks" or "mosquito eaters" but they don't eat mosquitos. Apparently they don't eat much at all in this adult stage of their lives, concentrating on mating instead.
[C7 4959] Canon Rebel T7i EOS 800D
Per wikipedia:
Despite their common names, crane flies do not prey on mosquitoes as adults, nor do they bite humans. Some larval crane flies may on occasion feed on mosquito larvae.[1] Adult crane flies feed on nectar or they do not feed at all; most crane fly species live only to mate and die once they become adults. Their larvae, called "leatherjackets" or "leatherjacket slugs" because of the way they move, consume roots (such as those of turf grass in backyard lawns) and other vegetation, in some cases causing damage to plants. Therefore the crane fly is occasionally considered a mild turf pest in some areas.
The juvenile biology of many crane fly species is little known. The larvae of less than 2% of the species have been described. Of those that have been described, many prefer moist environments, and some leatherjackets are aquatic.
The long legs are an adaptation to allow the fly to alight in grassy places.
Crane flies serve as a food source for many birds.
With a wingspan of 152 mm (6 inches), this endemic dragonfly is one of the largest in the world. It is common along trails in the mountains of Hawaii. .
Here's a fine little example of one of those funny-looking flies, the Mosquito Hawk. Growing up, I was always told to never harm them as they were beneficial bugs that hunted and ate mosquitoes. This, in fact, is not true, they couldn't eat a mosquito if their lives depended on it.
Rather, they are just bumbling, poor fliers who never really stand a chance of escape. Their lack of navigational skill leads them to bump into things and their tiny wings on a large body makes them somewhat less than graceful. They cause no harm, they pose no benefit against pests.
I still wouldn't kill one if I could help it.
Crane fly (Tipulidae). Megistocera sp.; female (not described). (ID by Pjotr Oosterbroek. See commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Megistocera_at_Kadavoor.jpg for identification efforts.)
This species belongs to the commonly known family of Crane Flies. In some countries they are known as Daddy Long-Legs. Their sizes vary between 2mm and 100mm, this one at around 10mm in length.
At least 4256 species of crane flies have been described, most of them (75%) by the specialist Charles Paul Alexander. This makes the Tipulidae the largest family of Diptera (True Flies).
Unlike most flies, crane flies are weak and poor fliers with a tendency to "wobble" in unpredictable patterns during flight, and they can be caught without much effort. Also, it is very easy to accidentally break off their delicate legs when catching them, even without direct contact.
The female abdomen also ends in a pointed ovipositor that may look somewhat like a stinger but is in fact completely harmless.
Despite their common names, crane flies do not prey on mosquitoes as adults, nor do they bite humans. Adult crane flies feed on nectar or they do not feed at all; once they become adults, most crane fly species exist as adults only to mate and die.
Crane flies are a food source for many birds. They are also susceptible to fungal infections and are a food source for many other insects.
_____________________________
Harkrankar kallas långbenskrankar i norra Sverige (Kåggamoy i Piteåtrakten), sjängelmy i Jämtland, hästmyggor i mellersta Sverige och harskrank eller långben i Skåne.
Reference = mostly Wikipedia
Everyone around me seems to hate mosquito hawks. I don't. I like the fact that they eat mosquitos. That means that I get bitten less. So please, don't kill these insect superheros.
Year 3, Day 116