Minnesota Seasons - Crane Flies (Infraorder Tipulomorpha)

Overview • Description • Distribution • Taxonomy

Overview

Photo by Bill Reynolds

Tipulomorpha is a very large infraorder known as crane flies. There are 15,733 recognized Tipulomorpha crane fly species in 5 families worldwide, more than 1,600 species in 5 families in the Nearctic Region, which includes North America and Greenland, and at least 90 species in 38 genera in 5 families in Minnesota.

Not all crane flies are in the infraorder Tipulomorpha. Primitive crane flies (family Tanyderidae) are in the infraorder Psychodomorpha. There are only four primitive crane fly species in North America. None of them are common and none occur in Minnesota.

Crane fly adults are short-lived, lasting only a few days to a week. In that short period they mate, lay eggs, and die.

The larvae are aquatic or semi-aquatic. Most live in water, moist soil, or decaying plant material.

Description

Crane flies are mosquito-like with very long legs.

Most crane flies lack simple eyes (ocelli), but winter crane flies (family Trichoceridae) have ocelli. They have non-biting mouthparts. Most do not feed at all. Some consume water and nectar.

The second segment of the thorax (mesothorax) has a prominent, V-shaped groove. It is called the transverse mesonotal suture, and it helps distinguish crane flies from all other insects.

The basal part of each wing has two complete veins (anal veins).

The legs are long and slender, and they easily detach from their bodies at a specific suture between the second and third leg segments (trochanter and femur respectively).

Distribution

Distribution Map

Sources

7, 24, 27, 30, 82.

9/8/2025

Taxonomy
Order	Diptera (flies)
Suborder	Nematocera

Subordinate Taxa
cylindrotomid crane flies (family Cylindrotomidae) hairy-eyed crane flies (family Pediciidae) large crane flies (family Tipulidae) limoniid crane flies (family Limoniidae) winter crane flies (family Trichoceridae)

Synonyms


Common Names
crane flies