Crane Fly Myth Dispelled

You're looking at a close up of a crane fly, though you may know it as a mosquito eater or a mosquito hawk. The fear center of my brain knows them as flying spiders.

I'm here to dispel a myth, a myth that I have believed up until about five minutes ago (I'm an office monkey, not a biologist, so cut me some slack). These insects do not eat mosquitoes. Think about it, have you ever seen one eat a mosquito? Have you ever seen one eat anything? You haven't, because once they've assumed their crane fly adult form, they don't eat. They exist only to mate and die. As grubs they feed on decaying plant matter, but as adults, they are utterly harmless. They have no venom and no mandibles that'll cause you any distress. They'll just fly in your face and trigger a mad flap of your hands

But what are those orange globes on the crane fly's back?
Those are mites. Lovely parasites. It's probably hard to find a good mate when you've got all those third wheels along for the ride.

Thanks for the amazing photo, Steve.