This was sitting on my Dahlia imperialis.
It is a water strider insect of some sort, the Gerris seems to be a common one but I haven't been able to find this.
It's quite a large insect, the legs go on forever. It has wings, and flew off when I put the camera above it.
Does anyone have any clues?
Not a water strider... looks like a crane-fly.
Patrick Alexander
Thanks paalexan, that's probably why I couldn't find it! It does have those very long floater leg ends.
The crane-fly I'm familiar with is like the ones shown in these images, now to find which one it is!
http://aolsearch.aol.co.uk/image?query=%27crane+fly%27
I found one very similar that some-one has been told is a crane-fly also, but the body looks a different colour.
http://kpreid.livejournal.com/
All you ever needed to know about the Tipula genus. The 'sting' apparently is an egg-laying organ of the female.
http://www.fcps.k12.va.us/StratfordLandingES/Ecology/mpages/crane_fly.htm
These looks similar, but I see no sting. Mine looks to have a sting. (possibly egg-laying organ)
http://www.cirrusimage.com/flies_crane.htm
To have legs that could do that!
http://hbs.bishopmuseum.org/good-bad/crane-fly.html
This gets more interesting, there are 15,000 species! It does say though that the larger species have bodies around 1" long, and legs 1.5" long.
My insect had a body at least an inch long but I would say more like 1.25", the legs are also much longer. The last joint was close on the stated 1.5".
http://www.everythingabout.net/articles/biology/animals/arthropods/insects/flies/crane_fly/index.shtml
This statement on the last link gives a few variations:
"Scientific classification: Crane flies constitute the family Tipulidae. Winter crane flies constitute the family Trichoceridae. Primitive crane flies constitute the family Tanyderidae. Phantom crane flies constitute the family Ptychopteridae. All crane fly families belong to the order Diptera. "
At this point I am thinking it is another similar insect, but by the legs is one which 'strides' on water.
I found a 'Giant Crane Fly' which is 1 to 1,3/8" long. (Holorusia rubiginosa)
There is also a pic of a 'Crane Fly' (Tipula species)
below it which looks to have longer legs, and a body colour similar.
Mine looks to have a black and white thorax, I can't see it's head but they are mostly small.
http://www.enature.com/fieldguides/view_default.asp?curGroupID=4&curFamilyID=427
The pics can be clicked on for more info, the pics then enlarged.
Nephrotoma alterna, (Tiger Crane Fly) looks very close, it's legs look very long, but there are no sizes given here.
http://bugguide.net/node/view/60072/bgpage
A 'specimen', probably male, sizes of others but not this one given,
http://iz.carnegiemnh.org/cranefly/images/Photos/Nephrotoma_alterna_male.jpg
from this site
http://iz.carnegiemnh.org/cranefly/tipulinae.htm
Bump.
Could anyone please confirm this ID one way or another? My findings of Nephrotoma alterna was the closest I have come. The thorax has the black and white striping, body looks to have tiger striping, very long legs.
As I stated above, the body around 1.25" long. The last joint of leg must have been 1.5" or so.
Thanks.
