Emerging Crane fly ?

[welsh.lensman]

Would I be right in assuming this is a freshly emerged Crane fly, or am I way off the mark on this one.



Thanks,

Wayne.

[Jason Green]

Hi Wayne!

I'm not too sure, but from the fluffy antenna I'd say it's a male. From the markings on the large thorax that it's a non-biting midge perhaps? As I said, I'm not too sure. So if I'm right, it'll most likely be from the Chironomidae family. That said, it's still from the Diptera sub-order Nematocera, the so-called thread-horned flies group, identified from their long legs and antennae.

Would I be right in thinking this was near water? Great picture by the way!

[JRsbugs]

Hi Wayne,

It's a non-biting midge, they rest with front legs up where mosquitoes rest with back legs up. I think it's in the family Chironomidae.

Chironomidae

Janet

[welsh.lensman]

Thank you Jason and Janet for your prompt replys, I was way off the mark then, its a good job there are people like you on here to keep me from digressing too much, again many thanks.

Your spot on about the location Jason, I took the shot at the side of a small pond.

[Jason Green]

You're not 'way-off' at all! I had to look a couple of times before saying or rather typing, and it's aesthetically similar to a cranefly hence the inclusion in that suborder.

I believe then it must have been emerging from the water. The larvae of these are those small red wormy-things you see at the bottom of ponds, or standing water in upturned bin-lids for example.