If you’ve noticed a swarm of daddy long legs in your home in recent weeks, you’re not alone. These bizarre-looking winged creatures are famous for clumsily bumping around our walls and ceilings, especially during this time of year. This is because daddy long legs, also known as crane flies, are on a frantic hunt for a mate before they die. However, scientists assure us that daddy long legs are harmless and do not bite, debunking the myth that they have powerful venom. They often get mistaken for spiders, which will bounce and vibrate rapidly in their webs to scare away threats.
Daddy long legs only have a few days to breed before they die, so they accidentally enter our homes during this time while searching for mates. The most common species in the UK is called Tipula paludosa. According to Professor Jim Hardie at the Royal Entomological Society, there are 327 species of daddy long legs in the UK. The majority of crane flies emerge in late summer and can enter homes in large numbers, but their main focus is finding mates.
After mating, females lay up to 300 eggs in moist soil near plants. These eggs hatch after two weeks, and the larvae, known as “leatherjackets,” feed throughout autumn, hibernate in winter, feed again in spring and summer, and then become adults in autumn, restarting the lifecycle. Adults rarely feed because their main objective is mating and laying eggs. The insect’s dangly legs may look odd, but they add stability during flight, confuse predators, and act as “whiskers” to sense hazards.
While it’s best to shut doors and windows to keep daddy long legs out, if they do get inside, there’s no need to worry. Dr. Duncan Sivell, a fly expert at the National History Museum in London, reassures us that daddy long legs are completely harmless. To remove them from your home, you can use a jam jar and a piece of card to catch and release them outside.
Proud gardeners may be concerned about daddy long legs, as the larvae feed on grass roots, damaging lawns. Killing the larvae can be done using nematodes, little roundworms that can be sprayed onto the soil. However, Natalie Bungay from the British Pest Control Association advises leaving them alone if possible, as they play a crucial role in recycling and decomposition.
The abundance of crane flies in Britain is difficult to track, so there’s limited data on whether populations are increasing or decreasing. According to Dr. Sivell, experts in the field have noted a general decrease in crane flies over the years. The name “daddy long legs” is applied to various creatures, including harvestmen, cellar spiders, and crane flies. The origin of the name is not known for certain, but it could be linked to a novel called “Daddy Long-Legs” or dates back to 1805-15. In some parts of the US, crane flies are even known as “mosquito hawks”.
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