Crane Flies Are Not Mosquitoes in Montgomery, Alabama!

Podcast Transcript:

Michael Wienecke 0:03

Hey. So here today on the Peskies Pest Control Podcast, we’re going to talk about crane flies or Skeeter eaters. What are some other names, mosquito Hawk, tarantula flyer. I’ve heard all kinds of names, Daddy Long daddy, long legs, all that kind of stuff.

Travis McGowin 0:23

So I feel like in Alabama, it’s getting harder to differentiate between real mosquitoes and crane flies, because I feel like the real mosquitoes are getting bigger. But that’s a conversation for another day.

Michael Wienecke 0:35

Well, let’s see, may it rained, I think, every other day.

Travis McGowin 0:39

It’s still raining every other day.

Michael Wienecke 0:40

Yes, it is still raining every other day. So I think the biggest takeaway from here with mosquito hawks or crane flies are that they are not mosquitoes. They do not bite, they do not cause any issues. Like mosquitoes, they just kind of buzz around and are extremely annoying.

Travis McGowin 0:58

Yes, but unlike mosquitoes, they like you said, they don’t bite, they don’t consume, you know, human or animal blood as their primary source of food. And even after, you know, the larva emerge into adults. The adults really don’t even they hardly consume anything before they, you know, do their reproductive cycle and then basically just die.

Michael Wienecke 1:22

Yeah, what 10 to 15 days, and they’re, they’re goners, and really, they’re just kind of bouncing around, you know, like we get calls from customers, they’ll say, Hey, I’ve got a very large mosquito I’ve never seen before, or very large mosquito buzz around the house. And that’s typically what it turns into is a crane fly issue, which there’s no treating an adult crane fly. It’s just they fly around, they die, and then they start back over spring to fall,

Travis McGowin 1:48

Right, and I mean, honestly, their primary focus, or primary, I guess, benefit to the environment, is that they’re basically one decomposers, so, and I’m going to assume that’s probably more on the larval side, where they’ve, you know, laid whatever eggs are going to lay, the larva hatch and probably feed on organic matter around the soil, decomposing things, probably very much like a termite does, just returning those items into the soil and enriching the soil. Other than the other thing is like just being a food source for other animals, for things such as, you know, fish, other insects, birds, bats and just other animals. I’m sure, probably, you know, lizards and things like that too. So when they emerge in large numbers, and like you said, customer calls, they’re flying around inside your house, because inevitably, once you open the door, they’re going to come flying in. You know, in those times when they’re kind of ballooning in their population, that’s when other animals get to feed on them and use them as one of their food sources. Ecosystem, yep. And it works out. It works out really well for everybody involved. Well, I guess, except for the crane fly.

Michael Wienecke 3:01

Except for the crane. Well, let’s talk about the damage that they do cause. So one thing that they can cause damage to the grass, the larva. The larval stage, you know, which, that’s where they spend 90% of their life, is underground. They can destroy root systems and cause a little bit of damage to your grass.

Travis McGowin 3:19

Right, and the larva actually look like, I guess you could say little, you know, little worms or or really, really small, thin grubs. Maybe some people would describe them as that, but a lot of people refer to them. I guess because of their they’ve got, like, a darkish brown color. But a lot of them refer to the larva as leather jackets. And like you said, the adults really don’t damage anything, but leather jackets can certainly hurt lawns and gardens. They’ll feed on plant roots. And you know, I’m sure it could either kill kill your grass, or kill your plants, or definitely make your yard, you know, off colored, or something like that too. So certainly could become a nuisance to someone who really likes a very manicured, well watered and lush lawn, or or lush, you know, group of plants in a garden.

Michael Wienecke 4:11

Yeah, definitely. I was just lost with my train of thought. So we’re talking about the larval stage. Oh, where they like to breed. So biggest thing is going to be always a water source, major water source, marshes, ponds, they’re always going to lay eggs kind of near that area. That’s going to help those eggs thrive. And of course, you’re going to have a a lot of crane flies during the the spring and fall.

Travis McGowin 4:36

Right, and it just depends on what breed of crane fly. There are, you know, here in Alabama, most of the time, like you said, spring into summer, you’re going to get your biggest group of population. But there’s even a European crane fly that will actually start to hatch and grow, you know, from the August to September, sliding over from. Late summer into early fall as well. So, you know, there’s really a large time block when you’re, you as a customer, may actually see them. Just know that they could be different species, but they’re, they’re about the same in terms of what they do, how they act, how they reproduce and that sort of thing. So really, not, you know, not one species to be alarmed about more than any other. I mean, it’s, it’s about the same across the board.

Michael Wienecke 5:25

Right, and they all kind of look similar, like you said. But there are, they are size comparison. So I’ve seen some that are almost half the size of what, you know, I guess our standard crane fly, you know, I would say probably, what, two inches long, roundabout.

Travis McGowin 5:25

Right, probably on the high end. And I know that, you know, makes people, makes people a little nervous to see that sitting on their wall, or, you know, to come essentially swooping down while you’re trying to walk through a doorway or walk outside. And kind of their erratic flight behavior, you know, may especially scare your kids or something and then they’re walking by em, but certainly harmless, certainly can’t do anything to you, and other than just really being more of a nuisance than than anything.

Michael Wienecke 6:10

Well, so I think the takeaway is, is if you see a bunch of crane flies buzz around your house, just watch the ping pong effect, and they’ll go away in about 10 to 15 days.

Travis McGowin 6:19

And they are not mosquitoes.

Michael Wienecke 6:23

Not mosquitoes, yes!

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