THE CRANE ELIES 



(Family TipulidcB.) 



The big slender long-necked flies, commonly known as 

 "crane flies" in this country and as "daddy-long-legs" in 

 England,* form a distinct and characteristic group of flies. They 



have long antennae 

 and very long slen- 

 der legs which are 

 so slightly attached 

 that it is difficult to 

 capture a Tipulid 

 without breaking 

 one or more of them. 

 The thorax has a 

 V-shaped suture on 

 the back and the 

 wings contain nu- 

 merous veins and 

 usually a perfect dis- 

 cal cell. 



Crane flies are 

 frequently taken for 

 big mosquitoes, but 

 they differ entirely in 

 habits and do not 

 bite, although those 

 of the genus Ele- 

 phantomyia have a 

 long proboscis, even 

 longer than that of a mosquito. The larvae of most species live 

 in the earth but some live in water, in decomposing wood and 



* The term " daddy-long-legs " in this country is applied exclusively to the 

 so-called harvest spiders of the family Phalangiidae. 



94 



Fig. 51. — Pachyrhina sp. (After Webster.) 



