Mosquitoes and crane flies are often confused for one another because they look similar at first glance, and they live in ...

Crane fly larvae are part of the natural ecosystem, which means they’re food for some animals and insects like skunks, birds, ground beetles, and fungi. Crane flies can cause significant damage ...

Larvae. The larvae of the crane fly look like worms. They have a tough skin, leading to the nickname “leatherjackets.” As the larvae get bigger, they start to outgrow their skin, ...

Crane flies have four distinct life stages: egg, larva, pupa and adult. “Crane fly adults that you see flying around are at the final stage of their life cycle," Bogan said.

Many of the adult crane flies we’re seeing now, Ravenscraft explained, may have simply been larvae, patiently waiting years for the right conditions to come to light.

As larvae, crane flies are fairly protected from the elements and can live for upwards of three years in this stage. As adults, crane flies live for about a week or two.

Name: Tipula oleracea and Tipula paludosa. Alias: Common crane fly, European crane fly, mosquito hawk, or skeeter eater. Although crane flies have the title of “mosquito hawk” none of them ...

Spring is prime time for crane flies, also called mosquito hawks. Here's what attracts them to your yard, what they eat and whether they're harmful.

A crane fly lands on an Owl's Clover (Orthocarpus densiflorus), April 25, 2023 at Carrizo Plain National Monument during the "Superbloom" wildflower explosion, near Santa Margarita, California.

Crane flies are in their larvae/maggot state during the winter. Once they emerge as adults, crane flies are beneficial to the ecosystem, too.

Many of the adult crane flies we’re seeing now, Ravenscraft explained, may have simply been larvae, patiently waiting years for the right conditions to come to light.