Mosquitos v. Mosquito Hawks

Yesterday, I learned that the large, 2+inch in diameter mosquito-looking insects all over out front window are Mosquito Hawks.




When you see the pictures of our infamous state bird, it is, typically, a mosquito hawk. They look very similiar to the other pesky creatures that devour us each summer, but they are MUCH larger. Now, don't get me wrong, the acutal mosquitos are still ginormous compared to the lower 48. It is nice to know that aside from the spiders and cardinal-sized dragonflies (I kid you not-- the first time I spotted one, I was on the phone with mama, whose ears are still ringing from my exclamation), these hawks are helping me control the mosquito population so close to our pond.