What Are Crane Flies?

Crane flies are common summer pests found in California. You’ve probably seen jumbo-sized mosquitoes with very long legs that clumsily fly around, sometimes even bumping right into you. But these aren’t dangerous disease-spreading mosquitoes at all. Crane flies are harmless, non-biting pests that do not live in homes or infest and destroy humanmade structure. If you find a crane fly in your home, it’s because they wandered in accidentally through an open door or window, and will die unless they make it back outside. Because crane flies breed in soil, your home isn’t an idea environment for living.

What are crane flies?

If you haven’t heard of crane flies, it might be because you have heard of “mosquito hawks.” The most frequent issue with crane flies is separating their visual features from common mosquitoes. Their size and erratic activity can ensue panic, but in reality crane flies pose no imminent threat to humans. Some can be millimeters in length whereas some have up to a 10 inch leg span. They are brown with thin, gangly long legs and wings that protrude from its body. If you see supersized mosquitoes, it’s probably a harmless crane fly.

What attracts crane flies to my house?

Crane flies are attracted to light, like many other flies. They are most frequently seen perching on things such as soffits and around your porch or front door where lights are turned on. They also live on the ground around the soil and foliage.

The sole purpose of an adult crane fly is to reproduce. As larvae, young crane flies live in the ground and are so small, that they are invisible to the naked eye. During the winter months, they eat on plant roots, which is their only destructive behavior. Even with root consumption, crane flies still do not cause extensive issues to foliage or grass.

Are crane flies dangerous?

Crane flies do not bite like mosquitoes do. Adult crane flies cannot bite, nor do they eat at all or have mouth parts. They do not eat wood, live indoors, or cause damage to your home. Crane flies are more of a nuisance than anything else. They are clumsy flyers and may bump into you if you are standing in their flight path, but that’s all you will experience. They will accidentally fly into you and move on. If you see crane flies outdoors on inside, there is no need to panic. AAI Pest Control does not provide services for crane fly activity.