Kingdom: Animalia|
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Diptera
Suborder: Nematocera
Infraorder: Tipulomorpha
Superfamily: Tipuloidea
Family: Tipulidae
Genus:   Leptotarsus
Species: L. virescens
Binominal name: Leptotarsus virescens
Common name: Green Cranefly, matua waeroa

Leptotarsus virescens is a native crane fly and is a member of the large crane fly family Tipulidae.
In their adult form, crane flies only live for a couple of days and they do not usually feed.

1-Leptotarsus virescens.JPG


Green cranefly-8.JPG


Green Crane Fly Family Tipulidae.JPG

Halteres are small knobbed structures modified from the hind wings in some two-winged insects. They are flapped rapidly and function as gyroscopes, informing the insect about the rotation of the body during flight. The halteres evolved from wings. The ancestral insect species had two pairs of wings (like dragonflies and most other flying insect species have). Click photo to enlarge. Once enlarged click this photo. Green cranfly Family Tipulidae.JPG

Leptotarsus virescens-002.JPG

Green Crane Fly Family Tipulidae.JPG

Thanks to Wikipedia for text and information:https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/