Cranefly
AJ Reardon sends in today’s picture, a cranefly that stopped briefly on the wall.
I like how the halteres stand out here, especially with the flash casting shadows of them on the wall. Nice! (Note: after publishing, I noticed that the image reducing tool I use blurred the small image a bit. You may need to check the larger image to see the halteres clearly.)
I have to confess that I have an irrational fear of craneflies. Not like running screaming from the room or anything, but with being able to handle them barehanded. When I was a kid my mom told me they were giant mosquitoes, and I was sure that if one bit me it would extract bone marrow rather than blood. So now I’m a grownup and I research bugs as a hobby and I know they’re safe.
And I still have to get a cup to catch them in so I don’t have to touch them.
Hey, just because I know my fear is irrational does not mean my fear is not a fear. 
Thanks, AJ!
Slowly getting the site back onto an even keel. It's nice to get back into the old posting rhythm.
Aaron said,
April 3, 2008 @ 1:15 pm
You mean that’s not a giant mosquito? So now I have to feel bad about squashing them since they’re not out to stick a proboscis in me and suck my brains out? Shoot…
AJ said,
April 3, 2008 @ 2:29 pm
Thanks for posting the picture
My husband and I thought it was a giant mosquito, too, until I was editing the photo and saw the halteres and remembered seeing them before and looked it up here!
Also, “stopped briefly” means “spent two days at various spots on my wall, sometimes in the same spot for hours at a time.” Somewhere along the way it lost a leg, but at that point it was way high up on the wall, so I couldn’t get a battle damage shot.
Earl said,
April 3, 2008 @ 6:02 pm
Why DO they do that, just hang out in a spot for hours? It’s very…Unfly-like, if you get my meaning. Do they live longer than their hyperactive cousins?
I admit I also suffer from the “giant mosquito” fear syndrome as well but I’ve quashed it to the point that I can poke one but the nagging fear that it will turn and put its needle-sharp beak through my fingernail remains.
Scott said,
April 3, 2008 @ 8:44 pm
I’ve always called these mosquito hawks.
Anonymous Cowherd said,
April 3, 2008 @ 11:18 pm
I’ve always called them skeeter-eaters, and they’re regarded as both beneficient, and extremely amusing to watch interact with felis domesticus.
The question remains, however - what is a haltere? Assumption and my ignorant layman’s grasp of insect anatomy indicates that the haltere is the tiny pseudo-limb just aft of the wings, purpose unknown.
That same basic, ignorant grasp also indicated that I should shoo that skeeter eater off of my monitor, so draw what conclusions you will.
AJ said,
April 4, 2008 @ 11:22 am
According to Wikipedia, they don’t live very long. Maybe they figure life is short, they should kick back and enjoy it? Or that if they hold still, the cat won’t notice them and eat more of their legs?