Sporting bold yellow-and-black tiger stripes, the tiger crane fly (Nephrotoma scurra) looks like a giant mosquito at first glance. Measuring 15 to 20 millimeters long with extraordinarily slender, stilt-like legs, this eye-catching fly is entirely harmless. Females feature a pointed, needle-like tip at the end of their abdomen—not a stinger, but a gentle egg-laying tool designed to deposit eggs directly into damp soil. Widespread across European grasslands and hedgerows, these delicate insects are often misunderstood. Despite urban legends calling them “mosquito hawks,” they don’t bite humans, carry venom, or hunt mosquitoes! In fact, adults feed lightly on flower nectar, while their soil-dwelling larvae do the important ecological work of breaking down decaying plant matter. If a predator tries to grab them, they can effortlessly drop a leg to break free and fly away. I met this medium-sized female in a humid forest near Barkarby, Sweden. She graciously landed below a tree branch and hung suspended by just two legs for several minutes, giving me the perfect opportunity to capture a few photos of this acrobatic pose.
