Crane Fly
Austin, Texas, USA.
Portrait of a crane fly. Austin, Texas, USA.
Tipulidae
The hind wings of true flies are reduced to knob-like structures called halteres, easily visible in this crane fly. Halteres are used in flight as little gyroscopes to help flies balance and orient themselves. Austin, Texas, USA.
Nephrotoma sp.
A pair of Nephrotoma crane flies (Tipulidae) mating in a midwestern meadow. The female is above. Urbana, Illinois, USA
A small crane fly rests on a leaf in an Ecuadorian cloud forest. Mindo, Pichincha, Ecuador.
Scientists have only recently started to study the reflective coloration on insect wings. The oil-like patterns turn out to be species-specific and of unknown function. Mindo, Pichincha, Ecuador
Crane fly pupa. Austin, Texas, USA.
In a coastal rainforest, a tropical crane fly (Tipulidae) rests on a leaf. Morretes, Paraná, Brazil
Clogmia albipunctata
Although they resemble small moths, drain and moth flies of the family Psychodidae are true flies. Several species commonly appear in houses where they breed in infrequently cleaned drains. Austin, Texas, USA.
An Aedes triseriatus eastern treehole mosquito takes a blood meal. Illinois. filename: triseriatus14
Aedes triseriatus eastern treehole mosquito (larvae). Illinois. filename: triseriatus3
Aedes albopictus Asian Tiger Mosquito. Florida. filename: albopictus1
Close-up photograph of a mosquito. Urbana, Illinois, USA
Anopheles punctipennis female taking a blood meal. Urbana, Illinois, USA
Cave-dwelling larvae of the fly family Keroplatidae (predaceous fungus gnats) spin sticky silk draglines to entrap insect prey. The larva itself is visible at left, just below the rock face. Armenia, Belize
Lines of sticky silk hang from the roof of a Belizean cave, helping a predaceous fungus gnat (Keroplatidae) capture flying insects. Armenia, Belize
Several hundred meters into a wet cave, in complete darkness save the illumination of headlamps, predaceous fungus gnat larvae (Keroplatidae) drape sticky draglines to entrap insects that emerge from the running water beneath. Armenia, Belize
Sciaridae
A pair of fungus gnats (Sciaridae) mate in mid-winter on a eucalpyt leaf. Yandoit, Victoria, Australia.
