A Very Large, Possibly Giant, Crane Fly Came By

This crane fly was resting on the ceiling of our porch (dangerously close to the wasp nest) this morning. It looked not only perfect--maybe just emerged--but unusually large. It was a little hard to get an accurate measurement using a plastic school ruler on a critter that might fly away that is directly overhead, but I'd say it was 3.7 cm give or take a smidge from head to ovipositor.

My visitor looks very much like this "giant crane fly" tipula species posted at Arthropods of Orange County.


Someday I want to see one of these eclose, and witness the unlikely unfurling of those long legs from their pupal confines.