European Crane Fly

Also known as Leatherjacket, Marsh Crane Fly, Common Crane Fly

European crane flies resemble oversized mosquitoes but are entirely harmless nectar-feeders with slender bodies and delicate, spindly legs. Female crane flies deposit hundreds of eggs into moist turf where the tough-skinned larvae, known as leatherjackets, overwinter while chewing on grass roots. Adults emerge en masse during late summer and early autumn, living just a few days to mate while providing a rich seasonal feast for insect-eating birds and bats.