You may have noticed some large insects flying around or even inside your home in the past week or two. They're probably crane flies, which are more commonly known as mosquito hawks.
"They are often incorrectly called mosquito hawks or Texas mosquitoes," said entomologist Molly Keck with the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service. "While they are related to mosquitoes, they're nothing like a mosquito. They are their own type of fly. They don't suck blood and they don't eat mosquitoes."
The crane flies have large bodies and long legs. While they might look intimidating, they don't pose a threat to people.
"The adults have non-functioning mouth parts, so they're not able to bite even if they wanted to," Keck said.
The population surge is due to conditions last fall and this spring that were right for their eggs to hatch. Those include wet weather to create pools for the eggs and warm conditions in the past few weeks.
"More than the temperature is when you got rain, and if it was at the right time," Keck said. "So if you had a good rain pattern sometime in November then that would have allowed more of those pupa to make it into adulthood."
Like many insects, crane flies are attracted to light. That means they could cluster around your door or porch light.
"They are attracted to light buildings and lights on buildings, so if you cut your lights off at night, then that could help reduce them," Keck said.
They could also wind up inside your house.
"They're pretty dainty, fragile little bugs. So any little bit of wind is going to suck them into the house...and that's where people don't want them," Keck said.
What should you do if you do get one inside your house or apartment?
"Probably the best answer is: just leave them alone," Keck said. "They're not harming you, they're not stinging you."
Related
LISTEN on the Audacy App
Tell your Smart Speaker to "PLAY 1080 KRLD"
Sign Up to receive our KRLD Insider Newsletter for more news