Large Crane Flies

Tipulidae

Large crane flies are long-legged insects that look a bit like giant mosquitoes. They are harmless and often found near water, where they lay their eggs.

Lebensraum: Wetlands

Aussehen

The Large Crane Fly has a slender body and incredibly long, delicate legs, often twice its body length. They usually appear in shades of brown, grey, or yellow, lacking the scales of a mosquito. A distinctive V-shaped groove is visible on their back.

ReichAnimaliaStammArthropodaKlasseInsectaOrdnungDipteraFamilieTipulidae

Large Crane Flies

Kategorie

Insekten

Seltenheit

Common

Gefahr

1/5 · Sehr gering

Snaps

Mach den ersten Snap!

Interessante Fakten

Adult crane flies live only a few days, spending their time finding a mate.

If caught, they can shed a leg to escape, a trick called autotomy!

Many crane fly larvae live underground eating dead plants, helping soil stay healthy.

They look like giant mosquitoes but are totally harmless and cannot bite!

Besondere Fähigkeiten

Large Crane Flies can shed a leg if caught by a predator, a trick called autotomy, helping them escape to safety.

Large Crane Flies larvae (leatherjackets) have strong mouthparts that help them munch on plant roots or decaying matter.

Large Crane Flies have a mosquito-like appearance that helps them avoid some predators, despite being completely harmless.

Maße und Details

Flügelspannweite: 25-65 mm
Größe: 15-40 mm
Lebenserwartung: 5-15 Tage
Fluggeschwindigkeit: 5 km/h
Anzahl der Beine: 6

Ernährung und Fütterung

Adults sip nectar or don't eat, but larvae munch on decaying plants or plant roots.

Altersunterschiede: Larvae (leatherjackets) primarily feed on decaying organic matter or plant roots. Adults generally feed on nectar or not at all during their short lifespan.

Hauptnahrung

decaying leaves
plant roots
algae
nectar
sap

Nahrungssuche

Foraging

Ökologische Zusammenhänge

eaten by

Little brown bat

Myotis lucifugus

Hunts flying insects like crane flies at night.

eaten by

Garden orb-weaver

Aranea diademata

Catches adults in its sticky web.

eats

Kentucky bluegrass

Poa pratensis

Larvae (leatherjackets) sometimes consume the roots.

pollinates

Common dandelion

Taraxacum officinale

Adults visit flowers for nectar, aiding pollination.

Merkmale

Einzelgänger

Einzelgänger leben den größten Teil ihres Lebens allein und interagieren mit Artgenossen nur zur Paarung oder zur Aufzucht der Jungen.

Pflanzenfressend

Dieses Merkmal kennzeichnet Lebewesen, deren Ernährung vollständig oder hauptsächlich aus pflanzlichem Material besteht.

Feuchtgebiet

Dieses Lebensraummerkmal kennzeichnet Arten, die in Feuchtgebieten vorkommen. Dies sind Landflächen, die dauerhaft oder saisonal mit Wasser gesättigt sind, darunter Marschland, Sümpfe und Moore.