| So... What are Crane Flies? Adult European crane flies resemble mosquitoes. In fact, people often see a crane fly and think it is a very big mosquito. Although it doesn't sting humans, crane flies look scary enough with their large size to cause people to avoid it or even kill it. Our native crane flies rarely cause significant damage to lawns and greens, however, the European crane fly can cause a lot of problems. The larvae look like brown worms and cause the destruction to grass and turf. Eggs are long and round in shape and dark brown to black in color. The eggs may be deposited in clusters or groups. Reproduction Patterns of Crane Flies During mid to late summer, within a day of emerging from pupating, the adult female mates and deposits her eggs in the grass found in lawns, pastures, golf courses, and other grassy locations. When the eggs hatch, small brownish larvae appear that look like worms. These larvae are called leatherjackets due to their tough outerskin. The legless larvae, or leatherjackets, dine on grass and clover. They will overwinter and then in the spring, they continue to feed, causing visible damage to lawns and turf. The larvae will feed until the middle of May and then do not feed as they enter the soil to pupate during July and August. At the end of August, they will navigate to the top of the soil and emerge as adult European Crane flies. Although adult European crane flies live only briefly, the leathernecks may survive for over a year before becoming adults. Crane Flies' Habitat The European crane fly is not native to our country, but since it's unplanned introduction in the Pacific Northwest, it has become a significant lawn pest there.(In the eastern and southern United States, the larvae are involved in organic matter transformations.) These insect pests prefer to be near water or areas where soil is moist and contains organic materials. In addition, it has been recently noted that the larvae are also feeding on flowers, and certain fruits and vegetable plants. Adult European crane flies may be found around lights at night. New York has recently become infested by this insect pest. Safer®Brand brings you a variety of effective insect control products that are gentler on the environment! Most of them proudly display the OMRI Listed® organic seal and comply for use in organic gardening! 
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