Large crane flies

Overview

Tipulidae, called large crane flies, is one of the largest families of flies. There are more than 15,000 species worldwide, almost 1,500 species in North America north of Mexico, and at least 116 species in Minnesota.

Tipulidae are very common and very widespread, having been found on every continent including Greenland and Antarctica.

Larvae feed on decaying organic material either in water or in moist soil. Adults feed on flower nectar. They are found around abundant vegetation often near water.

Description

Large crane flies have very long legs and look like giant mosquitoes, but they do not bite. They are sometimes inaccurately called “mosquito hawks,” but they are anatomically unable to eat other insects.

Adults are ⅜″ to 1⅜″ (10 to 35 mm) in length.

There are two compound eyes but no simple eyes (ocelli). The paired, antennae-like, sensory appendages attached to the mouth (maxillary palps) have four segments. The last segment is very long, longer than the other three segments combined.

There is a distinct V-shaped groove on the plate on the upper side of the second thoracic segment (scutum).

On the wing the radius vein (R) has 4 or fewer branches, and 2 anal veins extend to the wing margin. The basal cells are very long, extending beyond the middle of the wing. On most species the discal cell is present.