Winter day, but relatively warm and sunny? Sounds great for this little winter fly! When the weather cools, predators become sparse, making it the perfect time for this defenseless mosquito-look-a-like to come out and play…
While this skinny bug may look a bit like a mosquito, it’s actually a friendly fly and not at all interested in your blood. The adults really don’t feed at all (which is good since there’s not much to eat this time of year), and the larvae (baby flies) feed on decomposing organic matter. This gangly and ecologically helpful fly is the Winter Crane Fly (family: Trichoceridae). Also known as a Winter Midge or Winter Gnat, since it’s technically not a true Crane Fly (that’s a different fly family all together called Tipulidae).
There aren’t many insects that like to hang out during the colder winter months, but the Winter Crane Fly, as its name implies, is one of them. At least in more northern states. Those of you lucky ducks living in the south may not know what it’s like to spend several months every year waiting longingly for warm days and the return of your entertaining buggy friends to return… That could just be me though, lol. Then again, most of the 28 species of Winter Crane Fly found in North America only live in cooler climates, so if I were in a warmer state, I probably wouldn’t have found this guy. Or gal. Probably a gal, but I can’t tell since its wings are covering the distinguishing features.
Besides living in cooler climates, Winter Crane Flies generally likes moist habitats where there is plenty of rotting or fungus laden materials for their babies to eat. They can often be found around compost piles and sometimes in caves or sheltered areas where bats or rodents live. The babies are not above eating feces (aka poop), or even human corpses, if that’s where the eggs were laid. To try and convince the females to produce said babies and deposit the eggs in such gross (to us anyway) materials, the males will often form small clusters (or swarms if they are being annoying) to perform aerial dances. They have to impress the females quickly too, since many of the adult flies live less than a week.
The group dancing thing must do the trick though, since the flies are still around and still dancing. Maybe it’s the equivalent of a fly strip club? Some species of Winter Crane Fly females will be so impressed by the male’s dances, they’ll actually mate and lay their eggs in or under snow cover. I don’t know about you, but I don’t think any amount of dancing would convince me of a snow rendezvous. I know these flies like the cold, but brrr!
To learn more about Winter Crane Flies, check out:
- BugGuide
- Wikipedia
- DiscoverWildLife - By a fly expert! (Dr. McAlister also gives excellent talks if you ever have the opportunity to hear her speak)
Questions? Comments? Corrections?
Email it to me at erika@bug.news and get it added to the blog. I love interacting with my readers and I’ll do everything I can to answer your questions, address your comments, and keep the stories updated :)
We’re also on Facebook so you can leave a comment or start a discussion there too if you prefer that medium…
Join the email list
Want Bug News stories & announcements sent to your inbox? Never miss a story: Join the Bug News email list here or email me at Erika@bug.news with “Join email list” in the subject line.
Support the blog!
Like my blog? Want to help keep the new content coming and the pages ad free? Consider becoming one of my Patreon Patrons! Any amount, big or small, helps me spend more time creating and less time trying to keep the lights on. Patreon Patrons can also get exclusive access to monthly newsletters, story sneak peeks, story requests, and more! Please consider supporting the blog and check out my Patreon Patron support page.
Ok, you say, but what is this Patreon thing you are talking about? Patreon is a service that helps connect content creators with folks who want to help support creative endeavors. Patreon is setup to be able to safely handle the financial side of transactions so both the patron and the creator can be confident their information is secure. You can read more about what Patreon is HERE.
Thank you!!
Not interested in a Patreon monthly subscription? Prefer to make a one-time contribution? We have that option too! Help support the blog with a one-time donation through PayPal instead! Thank you!!
Printed Calendar and Newsletters
Want Bug News in print? We’ve got you covered :) Check out the Bug News 2022 wall calendar:
Or the Bug News Newsletters in print:
There will be a cumulative 2021 newsletter compilation published soon as well. Stay tuned!
Gifts & Swag Galore
Now you can get prints of some of our favorite critters on Red Bubble! Everything from tote bags and pillows, to greeting cards and note books, to t-shirts and mugs!
Check out it out HERE. The store is organized by design, so pick a critter picture to see all the gift options :)
Here are just a few examples:
And so much more! Check out all the bug patterns HERE.