Crane Fly

Swarms of crane flies (order Diptera, family Tipulidae) are bellowing up from lawns in Ohio. These large mosquito-like dipterans are also buzzing porch lights and may occasionally find their way into homes to terrorize the occupants.

Check out the first edition of the Turfgrass Times in 2021. A special shout out to the following OSU Turfgrass Team members that made this week's video possible: Dr. David Gardner; Dr. Ed Nangle; Joe Rimelspach; and Dr. Dave Shetlar (aka the Bug Doc); Dr. Pamela Sherratt; and Michael O'Keeffe.

Swarms of crane flies (order Diptera, family Tipulidae) are cruising lawns during the day and buzzing porch lights at night throughout much of Ohio. Although they look like giant, mutant mosquitoes, crane flies do not possess mosquito-like piercing-sucking mouthparts, so they do not bite. In fact, the adults are relatively short-lived and they don't feed.