Don't let the oversized body parts fool you--this bug is harmless.
Crane flies are those giant mosquitoes that appear to inhabit the lawn during the late summer and into the fall. They also go by the names mosquito hawk and Montana mosquito, according to the Oregon State University Extension. While the crane fly is recognized as a lawn pest, damage in lawns is rarely severe enough to warrant chemical control--it's the golf courses and athletic fields that are more likely to need such a treatment. Does this Spark an idea?
Identification
The body of the crane fly, not including the legs, can be up to an inch long. They're unmistakable, especially when they gather en masse on the side of a house or other surface. Crane flies do not feed--neither on people nor on plants--and they don't sting. It's the larvae that cause problems in turfgrass. The larvae can be quite long themselves, up to 1 1/2 inches, and they're known as leatherjackets because of their tough outer skin.
Life Cycle
Adult crane flies emerge in the late summer and into the fall. They lay eggs in the lawn, and the eggs hatch into leatherjackets. The leatherjackets feed on the crowns of the grass blades. They usually stay underground but are known to come above ground on warm, damp nights to feed on other plants.
Damage
Significant populations of leatherjackets can cause large patches of dead grass, but a healthy lawn can withstand the feeding and bounce back. Grass mosquito populations are rarely high enough to warrant chemical control; chemicals should not be applied to the lawn unless leatherjacket numbers exceed 25 per square foot, according to The Journal of Pesticide Reform and the Washington State University Extension.
Control
Prevent severe damage by fertilizing and watering your lawn properly. If you must get rid of the crane flies, apply beneficial nematodes to a moist lawn on an early fall morning and let them do their best. Starlings, though invasive and no one's favorite bird, also consume large amounts of larvae, according to "The Journal of Pesticide Reform." The same source recommends dethatching and aeration to kill larvae and rejuvenate the lawn at the same time, since leatherjackets are fond of thatch.
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