Crane Fly

A giant mosquito?  The Crane Fly is often mistaken for one but it is not!  It has long antennae and long, thin legs but it is much bigger than a mosquito, growing 1-2 inches long.  It has lots of nicknames:  skeeter eater, mosquito hawk, gollywhopper and gallinipper.

The Crane Fly lives near water and it has many predators like fish and turtles.  It is not a good flyer – a bit on the wobbly side.  It is attracted to light and is often seen around outdoor fixtures.  But it doesn’t bite, sting or do anything nasty – it doesn’t even eat!  Its only purpose is to mate and lay eggs.  There is something special about Crane Fly.  It will only exist where the water is not badly polluted and is an indicator of water quality that environmentalists measure.