zzzzzzzzz a maybe crane fly - 9.6.2011

One of the Ctenophora species of Crane fly - or a close relative . They are wasp mimics.
The pointy tail is an ovipositor - it's a female.
Many of this group are nationally scarce - a lovely find.
This tells you a bit about them: www.eakringbirds.com/eakringbirds4/insectscraneflies.htm
This information was given by a visitor to my Flickr insect set.