Bugging You Again
Hi Daniel. I’ve been seeing the oddest little creatures hatching on my little treks to the Sacramento river to photograph bugs. At first I believed it was a midge. Then, looking closer at its intricate wing veining, I mistook it for a newly hatched stonefly. I ought to know better! Some claim it must be a water strider, but what I’ve read indicates those should have four long legs with an additional two short front legs, where this creature instead has six very long legs. It seems barely able to hold up its head and mostly just drags it alongside! It can fly, though scarcely seems to realize it – perhaps because of its newly hatched state. I did not witness any actually hatching or emerging but suspect they just did because of the rather helpless way they washed about in the current until they could fasten onto a rock to drag themselves up onto. Can you shed any light onto this charming creature’s identity for me? You asked about caddis, damselflies, and dragonfly nymph images when last you wrote and I’m happy to say I’ve gotten off my duff and organized my macroinvertebrates into tidy categories easy to look through. If you need any of them, I would be honored to contribute to the cause. The reorganized galleries are at: http://www.pbase.com/michellemahood/real_bugs
Thanks as always for your help and your advice! Best regards,
Michelle Mahood
Shingletown, California

Hi Again Michelle,
We always love being bugged by you since you have such great stories and photos. We wanted to turn to a more qualified expert with your new critter, so we wrote to Eric Eaton. Here is his response:
“Well, the critter looks like it may be some kind of crane fly, but there are a number of aquatic fly families that could fit the bill. She needs to consult an aquatic entomologist, I think. I’d be hesitant to go out on a limb here. Sorry.”
P. S. Eric speaks very highly of you.

Dear Daniel,
Thanks for replying! If you don’t know and Eric Eaton doesn’t know, I can’t imagine anyone knows! However, maybe some especially learned aquatic entomologist fan of yours who reads your site will pipe up with a species name for my critter. He’s certainly not rare, as there’s a hatch of them regularly where I visit the river to turn over rocks. Thanks so much for trying and for posting my pictures. I love looking at your site and seeing what others have discovered! I’m loving spring and hope you are too!
Best regards,
Michelle
PS If you need ANY insects off my site for yours, please have at ‘em!

not a dragonfly…. not a daddy long leg
Hello, My name is Anthony. I am from Long Island, New York. Today, November 7th, I took a picture of the strangest bug on my front porch. I estimate the it to be 4 inches across. It has two wings and six legs. Could you tell me what bug that is? Take your time, I know you are very busy.
I JUST sent you an email. Someone suggested a Crane Fly. I think
that may be it. Thank you anyway, and is my friend right??

Hi Anthony,
Your friend is right, it is a Giant Crane Fly.

I have recently been told I have Crane Fly Larvae. There are thousands all over Thankfully they are not eating my grass however they are all over my interlocking patio. I have three small children and aside from sweeping them up daily, what can I do to get rid of this problem? Are they harmful to my children. I know the adult crane fly does not bite but do the larvae?
With kind regards,
KJE

Dear KJE,
Crane Flies are not harmful at any stage of development. The larvae, known as Leatherbacks, eat the roots of herbaceous plants. Especially in the spring, they can get very numerous. Sorry we have no erradication advice.

Lately I have been seeing some of the large mosquito-like creatures and am wondering: Do they really eat mosquitos? I’m talking about the ones that look just like mosquitos but are much lagers and fly with their legs dangling in an almost comical way. They never bother us excpt for an occasional tickle as they brush over an arm, and we are careful to not kill them, ushering them outside if the cat hasn’t already gotten them… Thanks. I just occasioned upon your web page thanks to google…
LOU

Dear Lou,
I’m so happy that search engine is doing what it is supposed to do, direct the curious to our site. You are talking about crane flies which though they are known locally in some areas as mosquito hawks, do not really feed on mosquitos. They have soft mouthparts incapable of biting. The Giant Crane Fly, Holorusia hespera, is one of the world’s largest flies with a 3 inch wing span. I’m also happy to hear we have a reader who knows how to cope with insect visitors in a kind and logical manner instead of just bombarding the entire environment with pesticides to no avail.

Thanks! I found a corroborative answer in further searching, Crane Flies! Never heard the name but known the interesting creatures all my life. And Mosquito Hawks are also names for dragonflies and Damsel flies. Fascinating photo article on Damsel flies in National Geographic recently, too.
Thanks, Bugman!
Lou