A usually greyish species, but abdomen occasionally ferruginous and often with a blackish median and/or lateral longitudinal stripe.The wing length is 18–28 mm. The minimum space between eyes below is at most subequal to the maximum width of antenna! scape ; the antennae are 13-segmented. The male tergite 9 has a short median projection (its breadth at base exceeding its length), and roundly bifurcated at apex, the bifurcations blackish ; sternite 8 simple, 9 almost fused with tergite 9 female wings as long as abdomen; sternal valves usually extending to about two-thirds length of cerci, cerci only slightly clubbed at tips. T. oleracea flies in early summer from April to June, (peak May–June) and there is a second generation in the late summer from August to October. Small swarms, which probably serve as pairing formations are formed in the evening hours when they fly close to the ground over meadows and fields.
Crane fly is a common name referring to any member of the insect family Tipulidae, of the order Diptera, true flies in the superfamily Tipuloidea. Cylindrotominae, Limoniinae, and Pediciinae have been ranked as subfamilies of Tipulidae by most authors, though occasionally elevated to family rank. In the most recent classifications, only Pediciidae is now ranked as a separate family, due to considerations of paraphyly. In colloquial speech, crane flies are sometimes known as mosquito hawks or daddy longlegs, a term also used to describe opiliones or the family Pholcidae, both of which are arachnids. The larvae of crane flies are known commonly as leatherjackets.
Crane flies are found worldwide, though individual species usually have limited ranges. They are most diverse in the tropics, and are also common in northern latitudes and high elevations.
The Tipulidae is one of the largest groups of flies, including over 15,000 species and subspecies in 525 genera and subgenera. Most crane flies were described by the entomologist Charles Paul Alexander, a fly specialist, in over 1000 research publications
Tipula is a very large insect genus in the fly family Tipulidae. They are commonly known as crane flies or daddy longlegs. Worldwide there are well over a thousand species.
All species have very long, fragile legs. The male has a swollen tip to his abdomen, and the female has a pointed ovipositor which is used to push eggs into soil. The larvae of some species are root-feeding and may be called "leatherjackets".
(latin: Tipula oleracea)
