RD, the mosquito hawk in your picture looks very much like a benign insect that we call the crane fly. At a certain time of the year, they invade our houses, coming in as we open the door.

When we were kids, we called all dragonflies "mosquito hawks".
janeboatler | 05.20.05 - 9:06 am | #

JaneB-- When I was attempting to identify the mosquito hawk, at least to come up with its latin name, I found that it was called crane fly in some parts of the country and mosquito hawk in others.
Their wings are really beautiful, but the dragonfly's wings were the quintessential depiction of "gossamer."
Rexroths Daughter | Homepage | 05.20.05 - 10:12 am | #

When I first saw a mosquito hawk upon moving here, I thought it was a mosquito, and I feared for my life.
Phil | Homepage | 05.20.05 - 12:16 pm | #

I feared for my life.

Phila, when I first saw what I call a crane fly, I thought it was a huge mosquito also. There were several in my house, and I was scared to death until I found out what they were.
janeboatler | 05.20.05 - 12:35 pm | #

I also was terrified of crane flies when I first saw them, thinking that one slurp from a creaure like that would result in irreversible anemia for me. But they are harmless. European starlings like eating their larvea from your lawn, as a matter of fact.
GrrlScientist | Homepage | 05.20.05 - 1:09 pm | #

very cool pictures!
alphabitch | Homepage | 05.20.05 - 1:44 pm | #

Crane flies and similar critters are colloquially called "Jenny longlegs" in Scotland. So I discovered, as my tough-as-nails Glaswegian traveling companion turned into a panicked, cowering mess when one flew in the (typical for Scotland) unscreened window. I removed it for her.

Great photos! I've yet to get a successful spider photo, so I commend you on your very clear, sharp pic.
C. Corax | 05.20.05 - 5:18 pm | #

Nice pictures - I've been trying to take spider pictures, but they don't turn out very good. Maybe, I'm trying to get too close.
oldwhitelady | Homepage | 05.21.05 - 5:34 am | #

OWLl-- we have a feature on our Nikon Coolpix 775 that allows us to take extreme close ups. The camera is not very good for distance shots like of the eagles we see soaring fairly often, but it does let us get very close. In fact, the only restriction is just how close we want to get to the bug!
Rexroths Daughter | Homepage | 05.21.05 - 9:17 am | #

Eeek! Spider!

But now I know what the giant mosquitos actually are so it was worth it.
Sunidesus | Homepage | 05.21.05 - 5:48 pm | #