Crane Flies look like
giant mosquitoes, but they aren't. They are flies, same as
mosquitoes, but otherwise are very different.
Crane Flies grow up to 2
1/2 inches long, with a wingspan of three inches. They are
grayish-brown and slender. Their legs are super-thin and
long. They are usually about twice as long as their
bodies.
Females have a sharp
ovipositor
(egg-laying organ) on the tip of their abdomen.
There are many different
species of Crane Flies and they are almost impossible to
tell apart. They all live near water.
Some species of Crane Fly
live in the water for part of their lives.
Crane Fly
larvae
are worm-like and grayish, brownish, or cream-colored. They
can be anywhere from 1/2 inch to three inches in
length.
The larvae of the
aquatic
species (ones that live in water) have several
spiracles
on the end which look like tentacles. The larva will stick
this end out of the water to breathe air.
Crane Flies mate on plants near
water or in mid-air over the water, depending on the species.
Adult
Crane Flies do not eat. They have only one purpose, to mate and lay
eggs.
Female Crane Flies lay eggs in
water or in moist soil near the water. If a Crane Fly lays them in
water, she will stick the tip of her abodmen under the surface and
the eggs will sink to the bottom. If a Crane Fly lays her eggs in
soil, she uses her ovipositor to inject them below the soil
surface.
The larvae of aquatic species
(also called "water worms") will live most of their lives on the
bottom of the stream or lake under dead leaves or other
debris.
Larvae of terrestrial
(land) species, live in mud or wet moss
near the water.
All Crane Fly larvae eat
decaying
plants, dead leaves, fungi, or roots of
plants.
Copyright, Marlin E.
Rice
When larvae are full
grown, they will crawl from the water and burrow into mud or
soil. Terrestrial species are already there.
Next, they will become
pupae
(resting stage) where they will slowly change into adult
Crane Flies. Usually, they will spend the winter in the mud
before they hatch the following Spring.
Large amounts of Crane
Flies hatch at the same time, and swarms of males "dance"
above treetops looking for females.
Crane Flies have many
predators.
Larvae and pupae are dug up out of the mud by skunks and
moles. Aquatic larvae are also eaten by fish, turtles, and
other underwater predators.
Adult Crane Flies are
eaten by birds and bats.
Crane Flies lose their
legs easily, and are lucky if they escape a bird missing
only a leg or two.
Crane Flies are also
attracted to lights, and sometimes will even swarm around a
very bright light at night.
Crane Flies can be a nuisance when
they enter homes. They really do no harm. They only come inside
because they are attracted to lights. Crane Flies do not bite, since
they don't even eat! They are important because they help break down
dead plant material, especially dead leaves and stems on the bottoms
of streams. This keeps the water healthy for fish and other
wildlife.
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