sprawls its long legs on the damp walls

Size
Body: 1–3 cm
Lifespan
1–2 years
Diet
Larvae (leatherjackets) feed on roots, decaying vegetation and organic matter in soil. Adults may feed on nectar or do not feed at all.
Habitat
Damp grasslands, forests and gardens. Adults often seen hovering near lights or resting on walls with extremely long legs splayed out.
Range
Throughout North and South Islands in damp grasslands, forests, wetlands and gardens. Most common in lowland areas with moist soils.
Endemism
Endemic
Main Threats
Habitat loss from drainage of wetlands, intensive agriculture and urban development. Larvae sensitive to soil compaction and pesticide use.
Population
Abundant worldwide, with many native species in New Zealand. Harmless to humans, though larvae can occasionally damage pasture grass in high numbers.
Conservation Status
Not Threatened
Human Risk
harmless
Handling Note
native cranefly, harmless adult stage leave undisturbed
Conservation Note
Endemic insect; not assessed by NZTCS as invertebrates are generally outside the scope of current threat classifications.
Te Ao Māori
Craneflies were observed by Māori but held no specific mythological status. Their name Ngārara-Waewae-Roahau means long windy legs. A purely descriptive term. In the modern garden, they are often misunderstood as pests or giant mosquitoes. But they are actually harmless benefactors. Asking only for a damp corner to complete their brief, buzzing lives.
The gangly teenager of the insect world. With impossibly long legs that seem to detach at the slightest touch. A body that looks like a mosquito on stilts. The cranefly cuts a comical figure. Its legs are designed to break off. They have weak joints that snap under tension. This allows the fly to escape predators. The attacker is left holding a twitching limb. The fly can lose several legs and still fly. Mate. Lay eggs. Unlike the mosquito, the cranefly does not bite. It does not sting. It does not drink your blood. Most adults do not eat at all. They live for a few days solely to mate. Running on stored energy from their larval stage. They are essentially flying reproductive machines with a severe case of awkwardness. Their flight is erratic and clumsy. They bounce off walls. Bump into lamps. Crash into windows. It is not grace they are after. It is speed. The larvae are called leatherjackets. They are grey, legless grubs. They have a tough, leathery skin that protects them from drying out. They live in soil or rotting wood. Feeding on decaying plant matter and roots. They are vital recyclers. Breaking down organic material. Aerating the soil. But in large numbers, they can damage pasture grass, lawns and garden plants. Cranefly larvae are an important food source for birds. Starlings, blackbirds and thrushes probe the soil for them. Kiwi and weka eat them too. The larvae are also parasitised by nematodes and wasps. A natural control that keeps populations in balance. Adult craneflies emerge in summer and autumn. Males swarm at dusk. Dancing in clouds above lawns and fields. Females fly into the swarm. Mating happens in the air. After mating, the female lays her eggs in damp soil or moss. She pushes her sharp ovipositor deep into the ground. She may lay several hundred eggs before dying. Craneflies are found from sea level to the alpine zone. Some species have larvae that live in streams. Feeding on algae and detritus. Others are adapted to wetlands, coastal dunes and even seeps on cliff faces. They are diverse. Widespread. Often overlooked.