My daughter found this thing!

[Ashby 0]

I have only seen one other Mosquito eater this big. These pictures do it no justice at all, I put a quarter next to the thing for size comparison. My daughter was so excited to show it to me. Anyway, is this in fact a mosquito eater? Thanks for any input.

 

Ashby

 

[fly time 0]

I dont know what it is, but I feel a realistic comin, thanks for the great pic.!!!

 

 

Dustin

[Joe Hard 0]

Man, that thing is huge, looks like a cranefly.

[Ashby 0]

Yeah, I was thinking the same thing Dustin :yahoo: :headbang:

 

Ashby

[Taxon 0]

... Anyway, is this in fact a mosquito eater?

 

Ashby-

 

Family Tipulidae (Crane Flies) of order Diptera (True Flies) are sometimes called Mosquito Eaters, but that is really a misnomer, as the larval stage scavenges on decaying plant matter, and the adult (winged) stage does not eat at all.

 

Those are really excellent photos of a Holorusia rubiginosa (Giant Western Crane Fly).

[sulfernut 0]

My grandparents used to call them mosquito "hawks",and yes,it is a rather large specimen!! It always amazes me how many people actually think these to be mosquito's,and panic when they see them!!!

[conehead 0]

I remember fishing Penn's Creek in North Central PA in late May. By the time evening came, we were covered with hundreds of craneflys. This was my first experience with a cranefly hatch; I turned on my flashlight and saw them all over the water and me, I freaked.

 

My fishing partner told me they wern't Mosquitos and I was relieved. He gave me a few cranefly patterns and we cleaned up that evening and even the next morning the trout were eating craneflys. They are now one of my favorite patterns.

 

That is a big one.

 

Conehead

[Ashby 0]

Taxon half of that I could not even say :hyst: my wife was laughing at me for even trying. I figured it was a crane fly, but the thing is just huge. I didn't know they did't eat once they reached that stage of their life. Some awesome info guys, thanks.

 

Ashby