Insect

I never would have known that this tiny insect had designs on his back but the camera never lies.
Thankful for:
Watching cricket all day - or one of us was!

[bruni]

Is this a mosquito. hate these pasty things. if not, my apology.

[KWind]

Cool shot!

[Maggiemae]

@bruni I'd hate to see a mosquito with long legs like this, Bruni! I'm not sure what it is really!

[katy]

What a beautiful delicate design you have captured on this bug! Excellent photo!

[Mallory]

It might be a crane fly?? Nice capture even though I cannot look at it for very long. :)

[Maggiemae]

@sunnygirl I didn't see if it had wings Mallory but it must have as it wasn't there a moment later!

[Mags]

Some mighty long legs on that creature. Cool capture!

[Myrna O'Hara]

Nicely done

[Dawn]

A cool close up showing the patterns

[Mark Prince]

It is a mosquito of some kind.
The pretty patterns on its back are actually on its folded wings.
Look closely, on both sides, between mid and back legs. The little sticks, with dots on, like miniature clubs, are called halteres, and act like counterbalances to the wings.
Typical mosquito structure.

[Maggiemae]

@markp Thanks for that, Mark. On research, I think it is a type of crane fly.

[Valerie Chesney]

Super capture...

[Diana]

Great shot of this amazing insect, hope there was only one ;-)

[Issi Bannerman]

Nicely captured and highlighted!

[haskar]

Great shot. Lovely fly.

[Dianne]

It's a cranefly I think.

[Dianne]

Oops - I just read that someone else has already identified it. We have heaps around here and have to shut the windows when the lights are on.

[Lou Ann]

So funny, over here we call them May Flies. Even though they always appear late March, early April.