They are properly called Crane Flies. People think that they “have poison but no teeth or stinger to use it” wrong. This is the Daddy Long Leg SPIDER, which does not have strong enough teeth to use it but is thought to contain one of the highest levels of poison of all the spiders (but cant use it!)

This year they are much, much worse and are driving us crazy. They seem to instinctively congregate right outside doors, so they can enter the house instantly. They are difficult to swat. We slip into and out of the house with the great fear of letting more in.

I heard someone say they saw them in Austin, TX, also. I don’t believe they bite, but we just don’t want them inside with us. We kill a number of them daily inside and dozens outside and wonder how long their “season” is. Please, does anyone have some advice on how to deal with them? We have no grass anywhere near us. We live in the dry desert southwest.

Nobody has really given a method of eliminating these things here and I’ve been trying to find a way to ensure I don’t have the same problem next year. From what I have read, the best way is to power rake your lawn. Killing the crane flies won’t do much good because they’re already mating and laying eggs at this time. The larvae is what eats your grass so by power raking your lawn, it will cut into the top layer of your soil which is where the eggs and larvae are and by raking, you will kill them. I plan on buying a power rake attachment for my lawn mower which is only like $12.00 at Canadian Tire, power rake the lawn and spread fertilizer in October. Then power rake again after winter probably in March or April, spread fertilizer and also over-seed to ensure the grass grows in thick and healthy.

Also, I have not watered my lawn for a few weeks now since drying out the top soil will also help in killing the eggs/larvae. The grass won’t be damaged as it has the capacity to go without water for awhile. It just starts to look a little brown on top. And attract birds to your lawn because they eat the larvae! I saw birds in spring pulling out these worm like things which I now know were probably larvae.

Hopefully this helps and if you have any other info on getting rid of these things, please post!

Help!!!!!!!!

Like others have said though, I’m glad to see I’m not the only person being invaded by these crazy little buggers!

P.S Lanie, ” What I hate most is laying in bed and one comes flying on your nose or lands on your head. Dam!!! It’s got the whole house to land his skinny ass and he comes to my face, in the dark.” … I know what your talking bout!!

It was on the news the other day that because of our weird weather we had here this year so far, (rain, hot, rain, rain, hot, etc) that these suckers laid eggs more then usual because of the weird weather here, go figure.

All I know is that there are hundreds by our front door each evening before the sun sets and to come in or let my 3 goldens outside, is dangerous around here. I shoo my dogs out so fast, I have caught a tail or a hind leg in the door when slamming it shut. Funny thing is there are no wasps around and this time of year here, they should be swarming around and in our faces, but no wasps, just these stupid looking,can’t seem to fly straight, long legged insect, the crane fly.
I keep reading stories, yet no one has come up with a way to get rid of them. If I’m outside watering, and water the plants, they come out of my plants in the hundreds and fly into each other, into walls, me, my truck, and anything in their way. What I hate most is laying in bed and one comes flying on your nose or lands on your head. Dam!!! It’s got the whole house to land his skinny ass and he comes to my face, in the dark.
I think they are here to bug us and drive us mad. any one know a sure way to rid them fast, let me know.

Last year when I let the dog out, he got tangled and I had to go into the yard to untie him. When I did, hundreds of these crane flies came at me from the grass. Now I have nightmares about these things because they are EVERYWHERE!
So…..I love my dog, but if he gets tangled in the next two weeks out there, it’s ‘see ya in a couple of weeks buddy!’ because I am NOT going out there to untie him! LOL. I need to try some sort of remedy next year because I can’t take it anymore having thousands of these covering the sides of my house, windows and lawn! I’m a prisoner in my own home every year at this time! I know I am overly dramatic, but ew, they are HUGE!

my dog loves to snap at flys, but I don’t know what my kittens are like