Crane Flies

The other morning while enjoying my coffee on the deck I noticed a number of Crane Flies on the cover of the fire pit.

Although by the time I got the camera the population had thinned. 

At first I thought they must be eating for drinking something. 

My first thought was that it was pollen, as the cover was dry. But in my researches I learned that like many insects, the adults are only around long enough to breed. Some references claimed the adults don't eat at all. Others stated they eat nectar and pollen. 

I was surprised to learn that folklore claims these critters eat mosquitos. So much so that they are referred to Mosquito Hawks. Spoiler alert: they don't.

And unlike some, most Crane Flies are not easy to identify. And I do not know what species these are.

Never the less it was fascinating to watch these insects as the wandered about and interacted. A much better way to spend a morning than in traffic.