The first of my pictures is of an undefined and unrecognisable little fly which could be a Black Fly which is found throughout New Zealand (of which Sand Flies are one sort which appear in the greatest numbers in Fiordland and Westland, South Island, where, on a humid, sunny day up to 70 can be squashed with one clap of the hands). I think that these are the little buggers that inflict considerable unpleasantness upon my person.
We also have mosquitoes or mozzies of which I think this may be one ( although I cannot be sure) of the 16 types found in NewZealand of which, apparently, few normally bite people. I'm not convinced about this one either. It looks to have considerably evil intentions to my mind.
And yesterday I discovered a Crane Fly (Giant) (Austrotipula hudsoni) on the ranch slider:
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You make me appreciate winter more and more... ;-)
ReplyDeleteMonica if I were blogging from Australia where there are lots of seriously unpleasant and poisonous creatures and big flies by the billion (hence the hats with the corks) then I suspect you might be out of your comfort zone. Here in NZ I think we have fewer bitey stingy creatures than in the UK.
DeleteAliens!!!
ReplyDeleteI love your wit Meike. They do look like it when magnified don't they?
DeleteWhat a wonderful insect...the last one...must have emigrated from Texas.
ReplyDeleteCertainly a biggie Adrian although, in reality, it's an NZ native.
DeleteI'm continually amazed by God's imagination.
ReplyDeleteI live in a world of constant amazement Lisa.
DeleteLovely pictures, Graham. Have a lovely Christmas.
ReplyDeleteThanks Agnieszka: you too.
DeleteYes and yes to the top two. The third is indeed a crane fly. I have loved crane flies since they (in their fat, immature form) provide food for Godwits in Alaskan tundra. But they will never feast on you unlike the first two.
ReplyDeleteNo Katherine I understand that no crane flies bite although as a youngster I wasn't too keen on them for some reason.
DeletePS your image is so wondrously clear you can see the cranefliy's 'drumsticks' that keep it oriented in flight. They are modified second wings.
ReplyDeleteThanks Katherine. I didn't realise that the drumsticks or halteres were modified second wings.
DeleteWow, those are fantastic critter photos that I'm glad are there with you and not here with me.
ReplyDeleteThe last one has Sci-Fi written all over it.
Gosh, Virginia, do you not have little bitey flies or mozzies? The crane fly is a bit out-of-this-world I have to agree.
DeleteWe have both mozzies (PITA mosquitoes) and some tiny black bugs (not sand flies) that land on you and sting the living daylights out of you. I call them ning nings, but I'm sure there is a scientific name for them....I should check that out.
DeleteIf you listen carefeully you can actually hear some of them going 'Attack, attack, attack' like a football crowd only in a high-pitched whine. (But they only do it when they are alive.)
ReplyDeleteYes, CJ. I caught the little fly in a clap of the hands and the mozzie was dead on my pillow when I went to make the bed some time after I'd got up. Wendy had a mozzie in the bedroom last night but I've never had one zzzzzzing around here in the night. I did in Italy though - my idea of hell is sharing a bedroom with a mozzie (I got about eight bites).
DeleteWhat super pictures and what horrid creatures! They are unpleasantly fascinating, aren't they?
ReplyDeleteI'm ok with them if I'm awake and can see them. It's when they bite you whilst you are not looking that bugs me (no pun intended). The Crane Fly only looks horrid magnified. They are ok otherwise.
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