Growing up (in northeast Texas) I've always called these bugs "mosquito hawk" while the wife (from south Texas) refers to them as a "may fly". We both had never heard of the other name for the bug....and then both claimed to be right. I guess it could be possible that we both are correct...but I'd really prefer to be right.

Which do you call it? Also, they are really swarming right now up here.

Poll Results (so far)
Mosquito Hawk: 16
May Fly: 3


[This message has been edited by easttexasaggie04 (edited 3/19/2012 10:33a).]

Since I was little, the fam and I have always referred to em' as mosquito hawks.

(BCS area)

[This message has been edited by lglidewell (edited 3/19/2012 9:33a).]

Mosquito hawk

I grew up in Houston if that helps.

Mayflies, DFW area.

Actually, brain fart. I call them Crane Flies. Not sure why I was thinking Mayflies.

[This message has been edited by Log (edited 3/19/2012 10:13a).]

Wife here... :-)

Please post what region you grew up in as well...

May Fly. (DFW)....whatever the hell the are, they are out in force this spring. There are 30-40 on my garage walls each night and if you leave a door open for more than 2 mins you'll have 5 -10 inside your house!

i don't think that is a may fly

Mayfly.... and they're driving me nuts. They have a brain smaller in size than a pinhead, but clearly they're smart enough to camp out by the doors. So that the second you open it, they come rushing in.

Hate 'em...

Hmmm...we've always used Crane Fly. And they are pissing me off to no end

Mosquito Hawk...

Northeast Texans and DFW folks are the only ones i've ever heard refer to them as May Flies.


In DFW now grew up in Houston.

I would call it a crane fly (grew up in Longview/Henderson area).

Mosquito Hawk

DFW

I am from South Texas and we have always called them mosquito hawks. May fly is a completely different insect. I have no clue how to post pics but a may fly has wings that are shaped like sails and vertical when it lands. They also have two long "tails." Sorry for the scientific explanation.

My favorite time of the year growing up on the lake was when the may flies came out. Fishing under the lights was out of control.

Mosquito Hawk

grew up on the coast

quote:

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I am from South Texas and we have always called them mosquito hawks. May fly is a completely different insect

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same here. there would be billions of may flies out under the pier light at our place on lake mathis...and all billion of them would be dead on the pier the next morning. different creature than the hawk.

fishag is right, this is what I grew up calling a May Fly

If you were the bug would you rather be a May Fly or Mosquito Hawk. If you said May Fly you may be ghey.

Mosquito Hawk

EOT

Mosquito hawk

Bastrop County

i will say we also commonly referred to them as "mosquito eaters" or "skeeter eaters".

Definitely not a May Fly.

May Fly: http://insects.tamu.edu/fieldguide/aimg3.html


Crane Fly:
http://insects.tamu.edu/fieldguide/bimg215.html


Many people call a crane fly a mosquito hawk. I don't think anyone calls a may fly a mosquito hawk ...

Always called them Crane Flies. Grew up in South Texas. Mayfly is a totally different insect.

That is not a May Fly.

We called them mosquito hawks growing up in NC. We also had May flys.

Ark beat me to it.

Skeeter eater!

Mosquito Hawk - Houston

Updated my original post.

May fly

Mosquito Hawk - Houston

Mosquito Hawk -- Austin area

Mosquito Hawk--Carthage

[This message has been edited by nealan (edited 3/19/2012 10:23a).]

Mosquito Hawk -- Houston

Called them Crane Flys- corpus Christi.

Called 'em mosquito hawks growin up (north of Dallas). Got older, realized they weren't mosquito hawks (dragonflies) but were indeed an insect known as the CRANE FLY.

The mayfly is completely different.

Mosquito Hawk. Austin.

I just want to know which deity gave these things wings but no flying lessons. They can't seem to fly with any control, relying on skidding across walls instead.