From Recordnet.com
April 7, 2022
Crane flies, we’ve all seen them awkwardly bumping into walls, ceilings and windows, gathered around porch lights or stuck to your window screens. In our area, they commonly known as mosquito hawks or mosquito eaters, but did you know, they don’t actually eat mosquitoes.
Adult crane flies spend their very short lives with only love on their tiny minds. The sole purpose of the adult crane fly is to mate and, for the females, to lay eggs for next spring’s crop of flies. The adults don’t really eat at all but, they are undoubtedly greatly appreciated by hungry birds at this time of year, as well as smaller mammals, fish, spiders and predatory insects. Crane flies are harmless to handle, so the next time one makes its way indoors, simply cup it gently to release outdoors.