- Author: Kathy Keatley Garvey
They're out there, and you don't have to crane your neck to see them.
Some folks mistakenly call them "mosquito hawks" or "mosquito eaters," but they are neither. They are crane flies, members of the family Tipulidae of the order Diptera (flies).
They're everywhere.
We've been seeing the slender, gangly, goofy-looking insects, Tipula oleracea, bump into walls and flower pots. This one (below) glided into the tower of jewels, Echium wildpretii, and just remained there for several minutes.
Lynn Kimsey, director of the Bohart Museum of Entomology and UC Davis distinguished professor of entomology, emphasizes that they don't eat mosquitoes. "In fact, adult crane flies generally don't eat at all," she points out. "Their entire brief adult lives are spent searching for mates and laying eggs." Crane flies are attracted to lights at night and you may find them around your porch light.
"Adult crane flies emerge from the soil beneath turfgrass, pastures and other grassy areas in late summer and fall," according to the UC Statewide Integrated Pest Management Program, part of the UC Agriculture and Natural Resources.. "The adults have very long legs and resemble large mosquitoes. Females mate and lay eggs in grass within 24 hours of emerging. Eggs hatch into small, brown, wormlike larvae that have very tough skin and are commonly referred to as leatherjackets. The leatherjackets feed on the roots and crowns of clover and grass plants during the fall. They spend the winter as larvae in the soil; when the weather warms in spring, they resume feeding. During the day larvae mostly stay underground, but on damp, warm nights they come to the surface to feed on the aboveground parts of many plants. When mature, the larvae are about about 1 to 1½ inch long. Around mid-May they enter a nonfeeding pupal stage and remain just below the soil surface. In late summer, pupae wriggle to the surface and the adults emerge. There is one generation a year."
This one (below) didn't find a mate on the tower of jewels but it did find a towering view. The plant can reach 10 feet in height.
![A common crane fly, Tipula oleracea, on a tower of jewels, Echium wildpretii. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey) A common crane fly, Tipula oleracea, on a tower of jewels, Echium wildpretii. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)](/blogs/blogcore/blogfiles/79539.jpg)
- Author: Stephanie Larson
- Editor: Karen Giovannini
Producers experiencing this damage may be eligible for assistance.
Crane flies, Tipula oleracea, are once again present on Sonoma and Marin County's range, pasture and cultivated lands this season. I have seen their presence only 3 times during my career, but when in large numbers, the done significant damage. The seasonably warm, average 68 degrees, November, followed by a December that lack proper chilling days, resulting in the survival of excessive Crane fly larvae. Weather conditions have led to current infestations on range, pasture and cultivated lands. Larvae are usually killed when a hard frost occurs during the winter season. During this season, we did not experience an adequate frost to kill the larvae; resulting in a large larvae survival.
Larvae winter in the soil, and when the weather warms, they resume feeding (and damaging fields).
Larvae are consuming forage at an alarming rate. During the day larvae mostly stay underground but on damp, warm nights they come to the surface to feed above ground parts of many plants. The larvae vary in size, but at maturity are 1 to 1 ½ inches long. Producers are reporting many areas, completely denuded of forage. In areas affect, there 100% loss. Around mid-May, larvae wriggle to the surface and the adults emerge; there is one generation a year. The larvae are the damaging stage of this pest (Figure 2).
"This is why we need Cooperative Extension; they came out to assess the damage to our silage field and quickly determined the cause of the problem. They provided assistance and support to reduce the impact of our forage losses." Jennifer Beretta, Beretta Family Organic Dairy.
Identify
To determine if these patches are from larvae infestations, dig at the edge of bare ground and grass, 1-2 inches below the surface, larvae will usually be found at the base of the vegetative layer (thatch) or in the soil just beneath the plants. They will be anywhere from ½ to 1 inches in length.
Control
Control options are limited, especially if the land is under organic production. Beneficial nematodes can be spread on the land to reduce the larvae infestations. Unfortunately, this method results in only 50% control. Organic sprays can also be used, but their efficacy has not be researched in California. Discing bare ground might expose larvae to predators such as birds and predaceous ground beetles and other natural causes. The use of chickens might also be effective if they are able to scratch the ground to get the larvae.
Bare patches of ground can be seeded, if done early. Given it is so late in the growing season, reseeding with annual species, to prevent weed infestations or soil erosion, will be the best option. You can graze the silage crop in order to recoup forage losses.
Assistance
All affected producers should contact the Farm Service Agency, Cecilia Medina, ana.medina@usda.gov, 707-644-8593, on programs for forage losses. The Emergency Livestock Assistance Program (ELAP), is available to producers when forage losses can be attributed to weather up to 180 days per year. Weather is the cause for the infestation of Tipula oleracea infestation (see table below). Contact Cecilia as soon as possible; she can assist in filing a notice of loss. Their office is located at 1301 Redwood Way, Petaluma.
January 2020 |
Avg. Temps 58/37| Rainfall total of 1.94 (Santa Rosa, CA) |
December 2019 |
Avg. Temps 57/42 | Rainfall total of 7.01 (Santa Rosa, CA) |
November 2019 |
Avg. Temps 68/36 | Rainfall total of 1.47 (Santa Rosa, CA) Another Frost Warning was issued on Thanksgiving night: https://www.pressdemocrat.com/news/local/10387442-181/freeze-warning-issued-for-north?sba=AAS |
October 2019 |
On October 30, 2019 a Frost Advisory was issued in Sonoma County; https://www.pressdemocrat.com/news/10240107-181/frost-advisory-issued-as-parts?sba=AAS |
If you are under organic certification, contact your local certifier. They need to know that you are experiencing a forage loss emergency.
If you need additional assistance, field visit or support letter of loss from UCCE, please contact me, at slarson@ucanr.edu or Randi Black, rablack@ucanr.edu
Additional Information
UC IPM Crane Fly Fact Sheet
/h3>/table>/h3>/h3>/h3>![Crane fly larvae. Photo by Stephanie Larson. Crane fly larvae. Photo by Stephanie Larson.](/blogs/blogcore/blogfiles/66101.jpg)
![Crane Fly Adult I-DP-TIPU-AD Crane Fly Adult I-DP-TIPU-AD](/blogs/blogcore/blogfiles/66105.jpg)
- Author: Stephanie Larson
- Editor: Karen Giovannini
Producers experiencing this damage may be eligible for assistance.
Crane flies, Tipula oleracea, are once again present on Sonoma and Marin County's range, pasture and cultivated lands this season. Crane flies, sometimes referred to mosquito hawks, lay their eggs in grass; these eggs hatch into small, brown, wormlike larvae that have very tough skin. Larvae feed on the roots and crowns of clover and grass plant during the fall.
Larvae winter in the soil, and when the weather warms, they resume feeding (and damaging fields).
Larvae are usually killed when a hard frost occurs during the winter season. During this season, we did not experience an adequate frost to kill the larvae; resulting in a large larvae survival. Larvae are now consuming forage at an alarming rate. During the day larvae mostly stay underground but on damp, warm nights they come to the surface to feed above ground parts of many plants. The larvae vary in size, but at maturity are 1 to 1 ½ inches long. Around mid-May, larvae wriggle to the surface and the adults emerge; there is one generation a year. The larvae are the damaging stage of this pest (Figure 1).
As larvae continues to feed on roots, crowns, and above ground portions of plants, damage becomes more noticeable in March and April. The damage appears as large dying patches of grass (Figure 2).
"This is why we need Cooperative Extension; they came out to assess the damage to our silage field and quickly determined the cause of the problem. They provided assistance and support to reduce the impact of our forage losses." Jennifer Beretta, Beretta Family Organic Dairy.
Identify
To determine if these patches are from larvae infestations, dig at the edge of bare ground and grass, 1-2 inches below the surface, to see if larvae are found.
Control
Control options are limited, especially if the land is under organic production. Beneficial nematodes can be spread on the land to reduce the larvae infestations. Unfortunately, this control method results in only 50% control. Organic sprays can also be used, but their efficacy has not be research in our area. Discing bare ground might expose larvae to predators such as birds and predaceous ground beetles and other natural causes.
Bare patches should be reseeded with an annual species, to prevent weed infestations or soil erosion. Producers might consider grazing impacted silage crops, in order to recoup forage losses.
Assistance
Contact the Farm Service Agency, Cecilia Medina, ana.medina@usda.gov, 707-644-8593, on programs for forage losses. The Emergency Livestock Assistance Program (ELAP), is available to producers when forage losses can be attributed to weather up to 180 days per year. Weather is the cause for the infestation of Tipula oleracea infestation. Contact Cecilia as soon as possible; she can assist in filing a notice of loss.
If you need additional assistance, field visit or support letter of loss, please contact me, at 707-565-3442 or slarson@ucanr.edu.
Additional Information
UC IPM Crane Fly Fact Sheet
/h3>/h3>/h3>/h3>
- Author: Ben Faber
Avocado is a neotropic tree which has been commercialized world-wide, yet it's native pollinators have been little studied. The most frequently studied pollinator has been the old-world insect, Apis mellifera. In commercial orchards it is common practice to introduce honey bee colonies, although it is not clear exactly what the extent of their effect is in California orchards in the presents of native bees and other pollinators. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the range of avocado flower visitors and to assess whether those numbers can be affected by the introduction of gardens that might promote their numbers in the orchards during the avocado bloom period.
Measuring pollinator performance is difficult because of weather impacts, alternate bearing habit and the high level of fruit shedding in avocado. In this study, pollination gardens have been established in three avocado orchards in coastal California near Santa Barbara, just north of Los Angeles. These gardens have been established since 2014 with a variety of perennials that can supply nectar and pollen over the year and especially during the prolonged flower season. The three orchards where the gardens are established each exceed 40 ha. Gardens have been established in just one portion of the orchards, so that flower visitation can be assessed near and far from the gardens. The individual visitation activity of flower visitors was evaluated per unit time and their abundance on avocado flowers near the gardens and away from the gardens. Visitation was also similarly assessed on the pollinator gardens. Pan traps were also used to assess the presence of native bees in the orchards.
The most abundant visitors in all years have been Syrphid spp. along with a variety of other flies and wasps. The most abundant native bee species have included Ceratina, Halictus, Agapostemon and several andrenid species. The highest diversity and abundance of visitors has occurred after the high rainfall year of 2016/17 after previous drought years.
Read more at:
http://ceventura.ucanr.edu/newsletters/Topics_in_Subtropics76791.pdf
![honeybee at hive honeybee at hive](/blogs/blogcore/blogfiles/55463.jpg)
- Author: Kathy Keatley Garvey
Some folks call them "mosquito hawks" or "skeeter eaters" or "blood suckers."
They're not. None of the above. Crane flies, in the family Tipulidae, don't prey on mosquitoes and they don't suck blood.
These slender, long-legged insects remind us of runway models. Thin. Demure. Fragile.
Any similarity, though, ends when you see them fly. They fly rather clumsily, wobbly even.
You've probably seen them around your home, garden or business office. If you do, they're easy to photograph!
![Crane fly resting on a stucco wall. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey) Crane fly resting on a stucco wall. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)](/blogs/blogcore/blogfiles/15033.jpg)
![From above, the crane fly looks like all legs. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey) From above, the crane fly looks like all legs. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)](/blogs/blogcore/blogfiles/15034.jpg)