Nature on our doorsteps: Dancing Craneflies

THE long-legged Cranefly appears in high numbers generally from the first week of September.

We perhaps notice them mostly at dusk, when they drift into the house through open windows and doors.

They are attracted by the lights, and so they usually end up dancing around lighted ceilings and lampshades.

The adult Cranefly is often referred to as the Daddy Longlegs.

Its long, stick-like body, narrow wings, and very long dangly legs make it look a bit awkward, particularly when it is flying.

Craneflies are harmless.

This Cranefly species is known as the Phantom Cranefly.

They do not sting or bite, and in fact the adult form does not have mouthparts suitable for feeding.

It is thought that adults may only occasionally sip water.

Most of this insect’s life is spent in the juvenile form, as a larva or maggot-like grub living underground where it feeds on grass roots.

They spend up to a year in this form before they emerge as the winged adult in early autumn.

Some Cranefly species will only live for a few days as an adult insect, while others live for up to a few weeks.

Their main aim as adults is to mate and lay eggs to ensure the next generation.

The underground larvae are often referred to as ‘leatherjackets’ due their very tough skins.

These are the creatures that Starlings are hunting for when they prod our lawns with their pointed beaks.

Because of their weak and clumsy flight, adult Craneflies are easily caught.

For this reason they can form an important part of the diet for birds and bats in autumn.

Craneflies tend to live in damp habitats around riverbanks, ponds, and wet grasslands.

Their spindly legs and wings are adapted to these wet conditions by being covered in tiny microscopic hairs that help shed water off the insect.

This prevents the insect becoming stuck and trapped on damp surfaces.

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