bub
Junior Member
Orange County, California
Posts: 21
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Post by bub on Mar 22, 2022 19:21:05 GMT -8
This little guy was bumping against my window. He's about 5mm from head to tail. He has a funny yellow mouth part. Any idea what he is? I'm in Orange County California. Thanks   |
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Post by kevinkk on Mar 22, 2022 19:47:36 GMT -8
nice picture, kind of looks like a crane fly.
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bub
Junior Member
Orange County, California
Posts: 21
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Post by bub on Mar 22, 2022 20:03:18 GMT -8
Do crane flies come that small?
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Post by livingplanet3 on Mar 22, 2022 20:39:12 GMT -8
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bub
Junior Member
Orange County, California
Posts: 21
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Post by bub on Mar 23, 2022 8:19:23 GMT -8
Thanks for the feedback. The weird yellow mouth makes me wonder what it eats, or if it even eats at all.
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Post by Adam Cotton on Mar 23, 2022 8:47:05 GMT -8
Adult Diptera feed on liquid.
Some feed directly on available liquid, such as female mosquitos with mouthparts like a syringe to pierce skin and suck blood. Male mosquitos have a less well developed mouth, and they feed on liquid from fruit.
Other species exude 'saliva' which dissolves solid food such as sugar. They then suck up the saliva containing the dissolved food. The yellow mouthparts of this insect are probably used to suck up liquid in this manner.
Adam.
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bub
Junior Member
Orange County, California
Posts: 21
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Post by bub on Mar 23, 2022 9:28:07 GMT -8
Thanks, Adam. I think I'm going to start my own taxonomy and just call him Fred the fly.
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