Stats

Lifespan

A few weeks

Size

Small

Diet

Herbivore

Activity

Crepuscular

Social

Solitary

Biome

Freshwater wetland

Range

Worldwide

Movement

Flight

Breeding

Egg-laying

Defense

Camouflage

Status

Common

About

A diverse family of slender, mosquito-like flies known for their disproportionately long, fragile legs that often detach when handled. Despite the alarmist nickname 'mosquito hawk,' most adult crane flies eat little or not at all during their brief flying lifespan.

Life cycle

1. 1.
   egg

   A small egg is laid on or near the larval food source and hatches within days or weeks.
2. 2.
   juvenile

   An immature insect feeds and molts, growing through successive instars.
3. 3.
   subadult

   A near-adult insect has wing buds or near-mature form, one molt away from full size.
4. 4.
   adult

   Fully grown, with full wings and adult coloration.

Learn more

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Taxonomy

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Diptera

Family

Limoniidae