Eastern Bluebird Snags Mid-Transforming Crane Fly

My friend Mia and I have been having a front-row seat to the wonders of nature unfolding in my Arkansas backyard. We’ve been photographing the Eastern bluebird family, documenting their tireless efforts to feed their chicks with a variety of insects. But one particular delivery left us completely bewildered.

The male bluebird arrived at the nest box with something unlike anything we’d seen before. It resembled a giant mosquito with an elongated, awkward body. Having never witnessed a crane fly emerging from its larval stage, we were both utterly confused.

The photo on our cameras became the key to unlocking the mystery. A quick online search, fueled by our curiosity, led us to the surprising answer – a crane fly caught in the act of transforming from larva to adult!

Crane Flies: From Larva to Lunch

Crane flies, sometimes called “mosquitoes on steroids,” are those large, clumsy flies you might see hovering around in the summer. But before they take flight, they spend their lives as larvae living in damp places like leaf litter or stream margins. These larvae are an important food source for many creatures, including fish like trout.

As the crane fly larva matures, it pupates near the water’s edge. During this pupal stage, it transforms into the adult crane fly we’re familiar with. Unfortunately for this particular crane fly, the bluebird decided it looked like a tasty snack before the transformation was complete! The unusual appearance we noticed was because we’d never seen a crane fly at this vulnerable in-between stage.

A Lesson in the Backyard

This unexpected encounter was a fascinating reminder of the constant drama unfolding in our own backyards. The bluebird family, simply trying to raise their young, became unwitting participants in the life cycle of another creature. It’s a complex web of life, and even a seemingly insignificant event like a bird catching a bug can be a story of survival and adaptation.

So next time you see a crane fly hovering clumsily in the air, remember the journey it took to get there. And who knows, you might just witness a similar drama unfold in your own backyard!