What's this then? (1 Viewer)

bristolbirder

Well-known member

• Jul 10, 2003

• #1

I took this photo yesterday in my back garden. I assume it's a Cranefly but it's larger size and mottled wings confuse me.

Any ideas?

 

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Forcreeks

If you want to see something new in nature!

• Jul 10, 2003

• #2

Yes, I definitely think you're right Bristol: Crane fly, Order: Diptera, Family: Tipulidae. There are some 15,000 species in the world ! Wow! Looks much like Holorusia (genus name I think) which has wingspans up to four inches! Some have smokey wing patches too.

 

Last edited: Aug 1, 2003

W

wynne

Member

• Jul 31, 2003

• #3

Not so sure about Craneflies (Alan Stubbs is your man) but I would hazard a guess at Tipula maxima

Ian Wynne

 

Forcreeks

If you want to see something new in nature!

• Aug 1, 2003

• #4

By the way, first time around I forgot to mention to those unacquainted with the Family, notice the vestigial (did I say it right?) hind wings, appearing like a small club or antenna shape behind each forewing.

 

Charles Harper

Régisseur

• Aug 1, 2003

• #5

Looks like a crane fly. Did it taste like a crane fly?

 

Michael Frankis

conehead

• Aug 1, 2003

• #6

Nah.

It's a rather sickly Lawson's Cypress Chamaecyparis lawsoniana of the semi-juvenile foliage cultivar 'Ellwoodii'. It has some sort of fungal disease, not sure what.

Michael

 

bristolbirder

Well-known member

• Aug 1, 2003

• #7

No fungus Michael. It's just been cut back rather hard exposing some of the brown foliage underneath. Wish I had cut the thing down years ago but it would be too much like hard work now. All I can do is cut it back once a year to keep it under control.

 

Michael Frankis

conehead

• Aug 1, 2003

• #8

Hi Bristonbirder,

So it is suffering from an acute attack of garden shears

There is some fungus on those dead shoots, but it could be saprophytic

Michael