Large Mosquito-like Insect Back in Arkansas – Can They Harm You?

They're Back! It's that time of the year when you start seeing mosquito-like insects in your yard or home. What are they? Can they harm you?

Crane Fly

I have been spotting them on my back door, and in my truck, and I even found one in my house the other day. At first glance, you think you are looking at a gigantic mosquito but after further observation, it's just a harmless Crane Fly.

Skeeter Eaters

One of the reasons they look like a mosquito is that they are related to the mosquito family but the only difference is they do not bite. Crane Flies also go by the name mosquito hawks or skeeter eaters even though they don't eat mosquitos. Crane Flies are normally seen this time of the year throughout Texas, Arkansas, and much of the South because of the warming temperatures. Many folks think that it looks like a daddy-long-leg spider with wings, that's a little creepy but I can see the resemblance.

Did you know there are more than 14,000 species in the world and 500 are found in North America?

Crane flies are known to be nectar feeders who feed off the sugar from plants and vegetation and may even help in pollination in some cases. Identifying one is pretty easy because of its very long legs and large narrow wings. Unfortunately, their lifespan is not long at all lasting two weeks at the most with adult crane flies dying after they mate. Now that seems cruel mate, and die!

The good news is that they can live longer if they bury themselves in the soil during the larvae stage sometimes up to three years longer.

So, if a Crane Flies gets into your home there is a way to get them out without killing them.