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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Flies (Diptera) » "Nematocera" (Non-Brachycera) » Tipulomorpha » Limoniid Crane Flies (Limoniidae) » Limonia » subgenus Geranomyia (Limonia subgenus Geranomyia) » Limonia communis
Photo#236610
small crane fly - Limonia communis
Copyright © 2008 Lynn Bergen

small crane fly - Limonia communis
Baiting Hollow, Suffolk County, New York, USA
October 16, 2008
Found on Montauk Daisey, late afternoon.

This small Crane Fly kept stabbing away at the flower like a jack-hammer the whole time I tried to photograph it, I took a load of pictures. Thank goodness for digital cameras!

Images of this individual: tag all
small crane fly - Limonia communis small crane fly - Limonia communis small crane fly? - Limonia communis small crane fly - Limonia communis small crane fly - Limonia communis
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Contributed by Lynn Bergen on 28 October, 2008 - 5:10am
Last updated 28 October, 2008 - 4:36pm

Male crane fly
of Limonia communis . Here are more images of this species. - Chen
… Chen Young, 28 October, 2008 - 8:28am login or register to post comments

 
Thank you, Dr. Chen!
The crane fly site is excellent, thanks for the link. It reminded me that I hadn't included the rapid bobbing motion of this species. It bobbed almost continuously the entire time I was photographing it.

I've added the best (not very good) abdominal view that I have with the thought that it might show enough to determine gender.
… Lynn Bergen, 28 October, 2008 - 4:47pm login or register to post comments

 
Probably answers my question too
I was going to post some poor pictures of a crane fly rapidly bobbing its head in a flower, but it's probably the same species as this so I won't bother. (Also New York in October, so not a data point.)
… John F. Carr, 28 October, 2008 - 6:11pm login or register to post comments

 
I thought the same as you did.
Your comment in your post of this one made me laugh. I also thought it was the meanest mosquito I'd ever seen until I decided it must be a crane fly. I was not aware of these small ones before now.
That bobbing is strange behavior, from a humans view point.
… Lynn Bergen, 28 October, 2008 - 7:10pm login or register to post comments

 
That one wasn't bobbing
The one I saw in Boston was very cooperative, not moving much at all. The one I saw in Ithaca (and didn't post) was bouncing in and out 2-3 times per second ruining my focus.
… John F. Carr, 28 October, 2008 - 7:15pm login or register to post comments

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