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TranslateNephrotoma flavescens
Nephrotoma flavescens, (Linnaeus, 1758) Tiger Crane Fly
Family: Tipulidae
Body length: Approx. up to 18mm
Season…April to September
The larvae, called 'leatherjackets' develop in soil, feeding on roots of plants.
Adults feed on umbellifers, such as Cow Parsley.
Habitat…. A wide variety of habitats including fields, rough grasslands, gardens, farmland and woodland edges, woods, roadside verges, parks, allotments, hedgerows.
They have one pair of wings which they use for lift and a pair of halters (balancers) which look like a pair of tiny baseball bats, just behind the wings. They work like gyroscopes, helping the fly to keep its balance in the air.
Below are images of the female, the female abdomen ends in a pointed ovipositor which looks a bit like a stinger and females also have larger abdomens in comparison to the males. The legs are very fragile and break off easily, this maybe a natures strategy to evade capture from birds. Crane flies are quite harmless and the pointed tip is purely used for egg-laying. In September you will see the females flying in a bobbing motion low over grasslands, to lay their eggs.
Read MoreFamily: Tipulidae
Body length: Approx. up to 18mm
Season…April to September
The larvae, called 'leatherjackets' develop in soil, feeding on roots of plants.
Adults feed on umbellifers, such as Cow Parsley.
Habitat…. A wide variety of habitats including fields, rough grasslands, gardens, farmland and woodland edges, woods, roadside verges, parks, allotments, hedgerows.
They have one pair of wings which they use for lift and a pair of halters (balancers) which look like a pair of tiny baseball bats, just behind the wings. They work like gyroscopes, helping the fly to keep its balance in the air.
Below are images of the female, the female abdomen ends in a pointed ovipositor which looks a bit like a stinger and females also have larger abdomens in comparison to the males. The legs are very fragile and break off easily, this maybe a natures strategy to evade capture from birds. Crane flies are quite harmless and the pointed tip is purely used for egg-laying. In September you will see the females flying in a bobbing motion low over grasslands, to lay their eggs.
