Adult and larval pictures of Crane Flies.
Recently (this past year) we have seen castings in the spring on driveways in East Aurora / Elma, Glenwood, Springville, and Arcade. These worm castings are usually from Crane Flies.
Crane flies resemble very large mosquitoes. Adults are harmless but the larvae of the "European" Crane Fly can damage the roots of your lawn, and even kill patches of lawn. New lawns are especially susceptible because their root system is not well-developed. Crane fly larvae feed in the root zone during winter months.
This is why it is best to control crane fly larvae in the fall before significant root damage is done. Crane Fly larvae and Cutworm larvae are very similar in shape, color, and size. Both of these larvae do damage to your lawn. I would suggest a visit, to determine your threshold. The commonly-cited injury threshold is 15 larvae per square foot; however, this will vary depending on overall turf health.
Thank You for your comment...
ReplyDeleteWhile what you say is definitely true as pertains to diseases, the European Crane Fly is an insect. There are cultivars of grasses on the market that are endophytic, in that they allow those types of grasses to be resistant to certain insects. As of this writing however I know of no endophyte enhanced grasses specifically designed for the crane fly.
In retrospect, IF your grass is in a relatively healthy state, it can most likely survive a small infestation of the "ECF", so that you won't have to treat for it.
The populations of the insect are growing at such a rate however, that treating for it, along with the other harmful lawn insects has become part of most lawn care programs. The heavier infestations at present are in the northtowns as far south as Lancaster, and along the lakeshore down to Derby as well. There has not been a major occurrence to my knowledge in the southtowns as yet. I regularly monitor for this "bug", as I visit my clients both in the north, as well as in my hometown area.