band-winged crane fly

(Epiphragma fasciapenne)

Conservation Status
band-winged crane fly
Photo by Alfredo Colon
  IUCN Red List

not listed

 
  NatureServe

not listed

 
  Minnesota

not listed

 
           
           
           
 
Description
 
 

Band-winged crane fly is a common, easily identified, moderate-sized crane fly. It occurs in the eastern United States and adjacent Canadian provinces east of the Great Plains. It is common in the northeast and upper Midwest. It is uncommon in eastern Minnesota, where it is at the western extent of its range. It is found in floodplain woodlands and wooded areas adjacent to swamps.

Adults are to ½ in length.

The head is dark brown. The snout is short and has a beak-like point. The lower jaws (maxillae) have sensory structures (palpi) attached. The last (apical) segment of each palp is antenna-like and very long, much longer than the subapical segment. There are two large compound eyes and no simple eyes (ocelli). The antennae have 14 segments. They are light brown except for a dark base and pedicel, yellow first and second segments (flagellomeres), and yellow to light brown third and fourth flagellomeres.

The upper thoracic plate (mesonotum) is brown with a darker reddish-brown margin. There is a distinct, V-shaped groove (suture) on top near the wing bases.

The abdomen is long and slim. Each segment is yellowish-brown with darker brown markings including an upper (middorsal) longitudinal stripe, and one or more small spots on either side of the stripe.

The legs are brownish-yellow and stilt-like, very long and very slender. They are fragile, easily separated from the body. The third segment (femur) has a darker brown band at the tip (apex). There is sometimes another darker brown band in the middle of the femur.

The wings are very long and very narrow. They have four horizontal bands of brown spots separated by three clear bands. The spots are dark, well defined, and and outlined with even darker brown. Several spots have hollow centers. The clear band in the middle of the wing is nearly always complete. The other clear bands are often interrupted. There is also a row of smaller spots at the margin of the wing tip. The spots may be distinctly separated or merge with adjacent spots. Each wing has two anal veins that meet the inner margin.

 
     
 

Size

 
 

 

 
     
 

Similar Species

 
     
     
 
Habitat
 
 

Floodplain and bottomland woodlands, wooded areas adjacent to swamps

 
     
 
Biology
 
 

Season

 
 

Late April to late July

 
     
 

Behavior

 
 

Adults rest with wings held out at right angles.

 
     
 

Life Cycle

 
 

 

 
     
 

Larva Food

 
 

 

 
     
 

Adult Food

 
 

 

 
     
 
Distribution
 
 

Distribution Map

 

Sources

24, 27, 29, 30, 82.

 
  10/20/2022      
         
 

Occurrence

 
 

Common in the northeast and upper Midwest. Uncommon in eastern Minnesota, where it is at the western extent of its range.

 
         
 
Taxonomy
 
 

Order

Diptera (flies)  
 

Suborder

Nematocera (long-horned flies)  
 

Infraorder

Tipulomorpha (crane flies)  
 

Superfamily

Tipuloidea (typical crane flies)  
 

Family

Limoniidae (limoniid crane flies)  
 

Subfamily

Limnophilinae  
 

Tribe

Hexatomini  
 

Genus

Epiphragma  
 

Subgenus

Epiphragma  
       
 

The genus Epiphragma was formerly placed in the subfamily Limoniinae under the family Tipulidae.

 
       
 

Synonyms

 
 

Limnobia fasciapennis

Limnophila pavonina

 
       
 

Common Names

 
  band-winged crane fly  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Glossary

Femur

On insects and arachnids, the third, largest, most robust segment of the leg, coming immediately before the tibia. On humans, the thigh bone.

 

Flagellomere

A segment of the whip-like third section of an insect antenna (flagellum).

 

Mesonotum

The principal exoskeletal plate on the upper (dorsal) part of the middle segment of the thorax of an insect.

 

Ocellus

Simple eye; an eye with a single lens. Plural: ocelli.

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
Visitor Photos
 
           
 

Share your photo of this insect.

 
  This button not working for you?
Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com.
Attach one or more photos and, if you like, a caption.
 
 

Alfredo Colon

 
    band-winged crane fly   band-winged crane fly  
           
    band-winged crane fly   band-winged crane fly  
           
    band-winged crane fly   band-winged crane fly  
           
    band-winged crane fly   band-winged crane fly  
           
 
MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos
 
 

 

 
           

 

Camera

     
 
Slideshows
 
 
     
     

 

slideshow

       
 
Visitor Videos
 
       
 

Share your video of this insect.

 
  This button not working for you?
Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com.
Attach a video, a YouTube link, or a cloud storage link.
 
 

 

 
     
     
       
       
 
Other Videos
 
     
     
     

 

Camcorder

 
 
Visitor Sightings
 
           
 

Report a sighting of this insect.

 
  This button not working for you?
Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com.
Be sure to include a location.
 
  Alfredo Colon
6/2/2021

Location: Woodbury, Minnesota

band-winged crane fly  
  Alfredo Colon
5/30 to 6/1/2021

Location: Woodbury, Minnesota

band-winged crane fly  
  Alfredo Colon
7/27/2019

Location: Woodbury, Minnesota

band-winged crane fly  
  Alfredo Colon
6/14/2018

Location: Woodbury, Minnesota

band-winged crane fly  
           
 
MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings
 
 

 

 

 

 

Binoculars


Created 11/6/2018

Last Updated:

About Us | Privacy Policy | Contact Us | © MinnesotaSeasons.com. All rights reserved.