[341] Tipula Species, Crane Flies

[341] Tipula oleracea, Tipula paludosa

Tipula maxima, Tipula vittata

Introduction

Tipula oleracea, the Marsh Crane Fly; Tipula paludosa, the European Crane Fly; Tipula maxima and Tipula vittata are four common and widespread species of crane fly found in Britain.

There are over a thousand species of Tipula, of which nearly twenty may be seen in Britain. Most of species of Tipula are just called crane flies without a more precise common name. This is also true of about 15 000 species within the wider family Tipulidae.

In the UK crane flies are informally called ‘daddy-longlegs,’ a name used elsewhere for [258] the Cellar Spider and for Opiliones, Harvestmen. The larvae of crane flies are generally called leatherjackets.

Taxonomy

Kingdom – Animals

Phylum – Arthropods

Class – Insects

Order – Diptera

Suborder – Nematocera

Infraorder – Tipulomorpha

Superfamily – Tipuloidea

Family – Tipulidae (Crane Flies)

Subfamily – Tipulinae

Tribe – Tipulini

Genus – Tipula

Subgenera – Tipula and Acutipula

Scientific Names – See text

Name

Crane flies in general are named from their long legs after [166] the Crane.

The Latin tipula was a water spider. Oleracea means related to vegetables or herbs; paludosa means swampy; maxima means largest; and vittata means banded.

Tipula

See [235] Nephrotoma for Crane Flies in general. Tipula species are similar in size, with bodies about two to three centimetres in length. Their bodies are more or less plain, drab grey or brown. There are about 2 500 species within the genus, divided into 40 subgenera, and I won’t attempt to describe the differences.

I am hoping that the next three pictures are Tipula oleracea, Tipula paludosa and Tipula vittata.

Here are two close-ups from Tipula oleracea. The first one shows a haltere, one of the modified wings that define Diptera. The next one shows the pointed ovipositor that distinguishes females from males.

Tipula oleracea adults appear in early summer and a second generation appears around September. The short-lived adults can only eat liquid food such as nectar from flowers. They lay eggs in open grassland and each female can lay about a thousand eggs. Mostly living underground, the larvae eat decaying vegetable matter and delicate roots and can be agricultural pests. They pupate underground. The second generation hibernates until spring. Other species are similar.

Habitat

All four species are common all over Europe and wider areas. All are common and widespread over the UK.

Other Notes

My very early memories are of craneflies coming into our house but I don’t see this as much now as sixty years ago. I see them mostly now in open grassland, generally just crawling around on low vegetation at ground level. I’m afraid I can’t always identify the species.

See also

The family of Crane Flies also includes the genus Nephrotoma, which we have seen. Apart from these two genera most species seen in the UK are much smaller.

[235] Nephrotoma appendiculata, Spotted Crane Fly

[235] Nephrotoma appendiculata, Spotted Crane Fly

Introduction

Nephrotoma appendiculata, the Spotted Crane Fly (or Crane-fly or Cranefly), is a common type of crane fly with a yellow body marked in black.

The similar species Nephrotoma flavescens, Nephrotoma flavipalpis and Nephrotoma quadrifaria may also be seen in Britain, together with a few other species such as Nephrotoma crocata.

There are over two hundred species of Nephrotoma and about 15 000 species within the wider family Tipulidae also called crane flies. Most of these species do not have a more precise common name.

In the UK the large common crane flies are informally called ‘daddy-longlegs,’ a name used elsewhere for [258] the Cellar Spider and for Opiliones, Harvestmen. The larvae of crane flies are generally called leatherjackets (but definitely not as leather jackets!)

Taxonomy

Kingdom – Animals

Phylum – Arthropods

Class – Insects

Order – Diptera

Suborder – Nematocera

Infraorder – Tipulomorpha

Superfamily – Tipuloidea

Family – Tipulidae (Crane Flies)

Subfamily – Tipulinae

Genus – Nephrotoma

Scientific Name – Nephrotoma appendiculata

Name

Crane flies in general are named from their long legs after [166] the Crane.

As for bee flies, entomologists prefer ‘crane fly’ to ‘crane-fly’ or ‘cranefly,’ because they are actually flies – whereas, for example butterflies, dragonflies, alderflies, caddisflies, sawflies and scorpionflies are not flies. There are exceptions to this rule, for example [333] Hoverflies and Horseflies.

Nephro-toma, from Ancient Greek means kidney-cut. As for many scientific names, I have no idea why this name was given to a crane fly. It is probably no more entitled to be described as having an appendix than any other species of Nephrotoma. (Flavescens means yellowish and quadrifaria means fourfold.)

Crane Flies

Crane Flies, Tipulidae, are included in the order Diptera of true flies. See [053] Bee Fly . They are a large group with 15 000 species in five hundred genera, of which we will only consider two – Nephrotoma and Tipula. They are characterized by long, slender bodies, long wings and long legs.

The insects spend most of their lives as larvae, known as leatherjackets, which are elongated and cylindrical in shape. Larvae live underground and are considered as agricultural and horticultural pests.

The adult female emerges from the pupal stage containing mature eggs and generally mates with a male almost immediately. Adults only live for two to three weeks. Many species do not eat as adults.

Most of the three hundred species found in the UK are only the size of mosquitos.

Nephrotoma

Nephrotoma species all have yellow bodies with black markings, about two centimetres in length. I will not attempt to differentiate between the species. The wings are transparent enough for the markings to remain visible through them.

Habitat

Nephrotoma appendiculata is found in most of Europe, North Africa and the Middle East

Nephrotoma flavescens is found over Eurasia and North Africa, and Nephrotoma quadrifaria is found in most of Europe.

Other Notes

Crane flies are best observed by looking at ground level in open grassland or uncut lawns.

See also

The family of Crane Flies also includes the genus [341] Tipula.