Don’t Kill Those Giant Mosquitoes Flying Around Texas

There are many pests around Texas; some are ones you absolutely should keep out of your house & stay away from. However there's one in particular that you really do want to keep around; the crane fly, aka the mosquito hawk. They mainly come out during the springtime & can be found around moist environments like woodlands, streams & flood plains. Some common areas include North & Central Texas but they can thrive all over the state. While they look like giant mosquitos; they're much more than what the eye perceives.

What is a crane fly & why does Texas need them?

Well if you just go by the title of the video above, one reason why you don't want to harm these things is that...well they won't harm YOU. While they LOOK like they can bite you, they don't nor CAN they. The worst you'd have to deal with regarding them is just them flying in your face if you get close to them. There's some differences crane flies have compared to the REAL mosquitos, which are ones you SHOULD get rid of.

Nicknamed the "daddy long legs'' of flies, these giant bugs are essential to removing decaying plants during decomposition. Which is extremely handy for animals eating plants; they can eat the healthier parts while the crane fly eats the dead & dying parts of plants. This is very helpful for animals such as frogs, swallows, armadillos and other insectivores.

Crane flies only last about 3 years from larvae to adulthood so if anything, they would be more annoying by flying around you, but that's it. So the next time you find one, just leave it alone & it'll leave you alone too.

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