The screaming has started and it is not even Halloween! The cause of many peoples fears seems to be the incredible Crane Fly Tipulidae paludosa often referred to as Daddy Longlegs. They are what we call true flies, really big ones at that, and now it is the peak time to see them. They DO NOT sting, bite or have any venom. Infact not only are they totally harmless, they are also totally hopeless! I always feel sorry for them as they are weak fliers with great long, gangly legs and are soon to all die anyway. Their larvae do not fare any better as they are known as leatherjackets and have a taste for lawns, feeding on the grass roots. The adults have amazing balancing aids called halteres which are just behind their wings. The females have a really clever pointed abdomen which is called an ovipositer and she uses this to push into the ground and lay her precious eggs in the soil. The adults emerge from August to October, but mostly in September, and are mainly nocturnal. They hardly feed at all and if they do it will only be a quick sip of nectar. They search out mates then lay their eggs into grassland. They prefer it damp and short. Then as their eggs begin their life, their parents ends. (Hope you are not so scared now but almost feeling a twinge of sadness?). Easy to catch, but handle with care as their legs can break off. Great seasonal indicators, right up there with blackberrying, ploughed fields and pumpkins!
Not the stuff of nightmares but a male Crane Fly attracted to our kitchen lights as evening falls.
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