Crane Fly

Description:

There are hundreds of cranefly species and I'm not sure which one this is. Still they share some similar characteristics. They have long, gangly legs, and a single pair of wings. The second set is modified into halteres, knob-like structures mounted on the end of a stalk, which is visible in this shot. Crane flies are often mistaken for large mosquitoes.

Habitat:

I found this one in the edge of a forest in my backyard.

Notes:

The halteres help the insect judge its flight profile.