THE INSECTLIBRARY FIELD GUIDES
Crane FlyIdentification, facts & practical guidance
Crane flies are delicate, long-legged flies. They are often mistaken for giant mosquitoes, but their long legs do not mean they feed on people.
Compiled by the InsectLibrary Team · Updated · Editorial policy
Identification and lookalikes
Look for one pair of wings, a slender body and very long legs. Do not identify a mosquito merely by silhouette; mouthparts, wing details and body proportions matter.
Larvae and habitat
Crane-fly larvae use a range of moist terrestrial and aquatic habitats. Some species are associated with turf, while many others are not lawn pests. Tipulidae is only one family in the broader crane-fly group.
What to do next
Allow an adult that entered through a window to leave. Investigate an actual larval population and damage before treating turf; the presence of adults is not enough to diagnose lawn damage.
Crane Fly: species profiles
Explore 316 species profiles covered by this guide, with recorded names and available photos.
Common European Crane Fly
Tipula paludosa
(c) Barry Cottam, some rights reserved (CC BY)Marsh Crane Fly
Tipula oleracea
Nephrotoma ferruginea
Nephrotoma ferruginea
Giant Crane Fly
Tipula abdominalis
Crane Fly -Tipula furca
Tipula furca
Nephrotoma appendiculata
Nephrotoma appendiculata
black-striped cranefly
Tipula vernalis
Limonia nubeculosa
Limonia nubeculosa
Epiphragma solatrix
Epiphragma solatrix
Band-winged Crane Fly
Epiphragma fasciapenne
Nephrotoma suturalis
Nephrotoma suturalis
Nephrotoma crocata
Nephrotoma crocata
Sources and further reading
- apps.extension.umn.edu - craneflieshttps://apps.extension.umn.edu/garden/diagnose/insect/general-curiosity-insects/flies/small/craneflies.html
References support the subject discussed here; they do not certify every imported directory record. Regional sources describe their own locations. Read our source and correction policy.