True flies and their interesting flying adaptability

Cranefly or Tipulidae, are from the true flies order of Diptera, and not to be mistaken for their 8 legged arachnid friends as captured above (friend or foe?). Adults emerge from their lawn eating leather jacket larval stage in late August to mate and they can then lay up to 300 eggs! Interestingly, true flies are two winged flies, as their hind wings have evolved into modified halters. You can see the modified halters swinging back and forwards with the wings. They act as tiny gyroscopes, vibrating in synchronicity with the wings. The massive mesothorax is packed full of elasticated musculature which move the wings upwards and downwards in reverberated cyclical energy. This perhaps contributes to the order Diptera being among the best of insect fliers.

image: Jack Llewellyn (@growing__man) • Instagram photos and videos

#horticulture #plants #gardening #gardeningblog #gardener #garden #nature #science #plantscience #horticulture #botany #botanic #history #blogger #horticulturist #plant #insects #fungi #trees #gardeners #outdoors #understandingnature #truefly #cranefly #tipulidae #daddylonglegs #spider #fly #insecta