A gangly, unidentified fly makes its way over some leaves.

This fly moved very awkwardly and slowly over the leaves. These lanky, stick-figure insects and spiders are hard to shoot because something is going to be grossly out of focus. I might not have bothered at all with this bug for that very reason, but the fuzzy antennae — generally a sign of males who, in various kinds of insects, use such structures to catch pheromones emitted from females — but those fuzzy antennae grabbed my attention. Unique, delicate, and honestly a bit shabby, like old garland that’s adorned one too many Christmas trees. So I managed a few shots before checking my camera’s LCD to see if I was managing to get anything in focus. Naturally, in that brief time it had moved off; maybe even flown away. But I got this shot with the whole body, the antennae and even most of a whole leg in focus: a solid if not exciting or artistic shot. Still, I haven’t been able to figure this one out. I thought: midge? No, then I was sure for a moment, while writing this post, it was — a crane fly! Some futile searching of Bugguide.net has left me in doubt. I think it’s a fly though. You have to start somewhere.