GREENSBORO, N.C. — Now that spring is here, all the pesky bugs are out, invading your home. Sneaking through cracks uninvited, moving in without paying rent.
It can be pretty annoying!
Yet, some of us still confuse a crane fly with a mosquito. Some people might even call them "skeeter eaters", but experts say they don't eat mosquitoes.
WHAT ARE CRANE FLIES?
Crane flies make up a large family – Tipulidae – in the order Diptera, or true flies, like mosquitoes and robber flies, according to the University of Arizona. Experts say they actually don't bite!
Researchers say crane flies spend 95% of their lives in water, so that would explain why you see an influx of them around rivers or lakes, around your home after it rains, or around damp leaves or soil.
WHAT DO CRANE FLIES EAT?
Experts say they don't eat much if they even eat at all. They actually remain motionless to conserve energy. They'll drink water or nectar every now and again, but they don't eat real food. Again, they won't bite anyone.
Researchers say their sole purpose is pretty much just to mate, to produce new larvae and continue the cycle of life with another generation of crane flies.
PESKY MOSQUITOES
While mosquitoes remain one of the most frustrating insects, when you see a crane fly, a mosquito is sure to be nearby. Orkin says Greensboro was ranked as one of the worst cities in the nation for mosquitoes.
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services says while mosquito season is in full effect, they're most active from June to September.
Yet, these guys (mosquitoes) DO bite. Three main arboviruses are transmitted to both people and animals by various types of mosquitoes in North Carolina:
However, every insect serves a purpose even if it means repeating a cycle.
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