Crane Flies - Family Tipulidae

This page contains pictures and information about Crane Flies that we found in the Brisbane area, Queensland, Australia.



Flies in this family look like giant mosquitoes (mosquitoes will not be that large). They are long-legged and long-winged with slender body. However, not like mosquitoes, they do not feed on blood. Crane flies only drink water but do not feed at adult stage.

Crane Fly also called 'Daddy-long-legs', with long and thin legs. Their legs are not for walking but to hang from plants. Also notice the hind wings are reduce to the club-shaped halteres, which is the characteristic of flies.

Crane Fly larvae of most species live in fresh water, damp soil or rotting plants. They feed on decaying vegetable matters.

In this subfamily the Crane Flies have long maxillary palpi and their wing veins Sc usually ending in R, m-cu meeting M3+4 close to its fork.

Tiger Crane Fly

Nephrotoma australasiae, body length 15mm
This large Crane Fly is common in Brisbane forest. They have yellow body with black bands on abdomen, slender body and very long legs. Notice the 'V' shape pattern on its thorax. More pictures and information please click on here.


Orange Crane Fly

Tipula sp., body length 15mm
The Orange Crane Fly is bright orange in colour with black stripe along the abdomen. We usually found them in group resting on leaves or grasses. They are common in Brisbane bushes. Please check this page for more pictures and information.


Black Crane Fly

Tipula sp., body length 15mm
Pictures taken near Alexandra Hill during early winter. This Crane Fly has patterned wings and very long antenna.


Yellow Crane Fly

Leptotarsus sp., body length 20mm
This Crane Fly is quite large, yellow body with black patterns. Its wings are tinted in dark colour with yellow spots. Its legs are black and very long, relatively strong compare with other crane flies. Please click on here for more information.


Common Crane Fly

? sp., body Length 15mm
We saw a lot of this fly flying on grasses in late summer. This crane fly is medium in size.


Black Crane Fly

? sp., body Length 20mm

This is a vast subfamily. Their wing veins r-m joining R4+5 or R5 beyond the fork of Rs.

Crane Fly

Gynoplistia sp., body length 16mm
Picture was taken near Yugarapul Park in mid summer.
Reference:
1. A field guide to insects in Australia - By Paul Zborowski and Ross Storey, Reed New Holland, 1996, p137.


Spider Web Crane Fly

? sp., body length 25mm
Sometimes we see a group of Crane Flies resting on the tangled web of Comb-footed Spider. Obviously, they are not captured by the spider web for they can fly away freely. They seem just rest on there to gain protection from the spider web. For more information and pictures please visit this page.

Two Crane fly

? sp., body length 10mm
We took this picture on early summer in our backyard.


Unknown Crane Fly

? sp., body length 15mm


Reference:
1. Insects of Australia - CSIRO, Division of Entomology, Melbourne University Press, 2nd Edition 1991, p740.
2. Insects of Australia and New Zealand - R. J. Tillyard, Angus & Robertson, Ltd, Sydney, 1926, p348.
3. The Crane Flies (Diptera: Tipulidae) of Pennsylvania - Chen W. Young, Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA, 2008