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These Craneflies where observed by David Rentz (his picture also). They were attached to each other by their tarsi and blowing in the wind. Photography was very difficult under these condition. There were 20 flies in this chain, and other chains could be seen blowing in the wind. Has any one observed this behavior? The location was on the Marrdja Boardwalk, Cape Tribulation, North Queensland, Australia.

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Second try for the pic.

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Interesting. The picture reminded me of a common American fly that has white tarsi and drifts on the wind, but it belongs to a family not found in Australia.

According to Stephen Marshall's big book of flies, some Limoniinae hang on spider webs. So do many Cecidomyiidae.

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It's been suggested to me that the flies are all holding onto the same spider web thread. Hence forming a chain. Which I think is what John Carr is suggesting.

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Different midges, similar behaviour: http://www.dipter...ticle_id=1.

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Thanks Paul and John. Mystery solved.

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I have seen crane-flies(limonia)swarm over salt marsh grass and form very tight formations.(Usually just after they emerged from pupae).some could be caught by spider webs.There are many predators of Crane-flies when they emerge in Spring and late Summer.