Crane Fly

Pest Description

• adults: ~ 1 inch long; grayish brown to tan; very long legs; resemble large mosquitoes
• larvae: 1 – 1 1/2 inches long; cylindrical, tapering toward the head; gray brown in color; legless with a hidden head and finger-like projections on the rear end; have a tough, leathery look to their “skin”

Host Plants, Diet & Damage

• larvae feed on turfgrasses
• larval feeding appears as brown spots
• adult and larval emergence holes may be visible
• secondary damage can occur from birds and rodents digging up turf in search of larvae

Biology, Life Cycle & Damaging Life Stage

• overwinter as larvae in the soil
• adults emerge from soil in early spring and late summer
• deposit eggs in turf over a 3 to 4-day period
• larvae primarily feed on turf roots and crowns during the spring and fall months
• on damp, warm nights, larvae feed on turf above ground
• two generations per year
• larvae are the damaging stage

IPM Recommendations

• Monitor using a soapy-water flush and soil core sampling.
• Properly irrigate and fertilize.
• Provide adequate drainage and aeration to areas that are prone to standing water or heavy water saturation; chronically wet areas are predisposed to crane fly infestations.
• Apply a biopesticide containing entomopathogenic nematodes or Beauveria fungal spores to provide suppression.
• Apply an insecticide (pyrethroid) to provide suppression.