ScientificName: Diptera: Tipulidae

Description: Crane flies are large tan-colored fragile flies with long legs.

Habitat/Food: They commonly occur in moist environments such as woodlands, streams and flood plains although some species inhabit open fields, dry rangeland and even desert environments. In compost piles, they often occur on the soil surface below the pile of decaying vegetation. Larvae are often encountered under layers of decomposing leaves in wet locations such as ditch banks in December and January. Adults emerge in February and March.

Life Cycle: Larvae are often encountered under layers of decomposing leaves in wet locations such as ditch banks in December and January. Adults emerge in February and March.

Organic Control: plant based insecticides

Interesting Fact: Sometimes, crane flies are referred to as "skeeter eaters." This is an interesting name, but crane flies are not predators and do not eat mosquitoes (not as adults, anyway: some larval crane flies are predatory, and may occasionally eat mosquito larvae).

Problems Caused:Crane flies are harmless to humans and are really just a nuisance indoors.