Crane Fly

What: Crane Fly

Where: Eatontown, New Jersey

When: 2014

How: Macro Equipment

Crane flies are usually mistaken with mosquitoes, rather much larger mosquitoes and get attacked, squished, and killed. These are found everywhere in the country and belong to various genera and insect families. Even though these look just like giant mosquitoes, these are nothing like it. Firstly, this will make you feel better, crane flies don't bite, neither do they sting (according to entomologytoday.org. The part of their body that looks like a mosquito's stinger is actually used by the crane fly to lay eggs. 

The larva of crane flies also is beneficial for the microbial balance of the soil. In addition, the larva, as well as adult flies, serve as prey to many other insects, fish, birds, and mammals. So even though you feel like killing one next time to see it flying in your house or sitting on a wall, don't. Simply let it fly out of a window and door, as it is no threat to you.

Some people call these flies mosquito eaters, but that's not true either. These flies don't hunt and are not predators. As a matter of fact they live a very short lifespan. An adult crane fly lives for only up to 15 days, which means as soon as they reach adulthood, they start laying eggs to keep the generations coming. They lay eggs in wet areas, mostly, but are also known to lay eggs while flying. Their eggs are black in color.