Insect ID
- Paul Wetton
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Re: Insect ID
It's a Crane Fly but not sure what species as this would have to be key'd out.
Cheers Paul
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- Neil Hulme
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- Joined: Fri Feb 08, 2008 8:27 pm
Re: Insect ID
To me it will always be Daddy-Long-Legs
Neil
Neil
Re: Insect ID
To me as wellSussex Kipper wrote:To me it will always be Daddy-Long-Legs
Neil
September was always the 'epidemic' month for them.
- Mark Colvin
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- Location: West Sussex
Re: Insect ID
I'm fairly confident its a female Tipula paludosa.
This is a very common crane fly especially in meadows and pastureland. Their greyish-brown larvae, often known as 'leatherjackets', live in the soil where they destroy the roots of grasses and other plants.
This is a very common crane fly especially in meadows and pastureland. Their greyish-brown larvae, often known as 'leatherjackets', live in the soil where they destroy the roots of grasses and other plants.
Re: Insect ID
Thanks should have known it was a Daddy Long-legs
-
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Re: Insect ID
I was going to say Daddy Long Legs but thought somebody would come on with a latin name and put me right.....glad to say i do know a daddy long legs when i see one
- Lee Hurrell
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- Location: Hampshire
Re: Insect ID
Am I right in thinking that Crane Flies would be poisonous to humans if thier jaws were powerful enough to pierce our skin?
Cheers
Lee
Cheers
Lee
To butterfly meadows, chalk downlands and leafy glades; to summers eternal.
Re: Insect ID
Naaaah mate, that's harvestmen. And it's pure urban myth anyway. Both completely harmless to humans, at least pyhsically!
Raising £10,000 for Butterfly Conservation by WALKING 1200 miles from Land's End to John O'Groats!!!
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See http://www.justgiving.com/epicbutterflywalk or look up Epic Butterfly Walk on Facebook.
- Lee Hurrell
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- Location: Hampshire
Re: Insect ID
Harvestmen spiders?
Damn it - I told that story in the pub only today!
Cheers
Lee
Damn it - I told that story in the pub only today!
Cheers
Lee
To butterfly meadows, chalk downlands and leafy glades; to summers eternal.
Re: Insect ID
That's blasphemy, Lee! Other than the number of legs...tut tut HurrellLee Hurrell wrote:Harvestmen spiders?
Raising £10,000 for Butterfly Conservation by WALKING 1200 miles from Land's End to John O'Groats!!!
See http://www.justgiving.com/epicbutterflywalk or look up Epic Butterfly Walk on Facebook.
See http://www.justgiving.com/epicbutterflywalk or look up Epic Butterfly Walk on Facebook.
- Lee Hurrell
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- Location: Hampshire
Re: Insect ID
I did say I was in the pub....
To butterfly meadows, chalk downlands and leafy glades; to summers eternal.
- Lee Hurrell
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- Location: Hampshire
Re: Insect ID
In my defence, young Gibster, my book does say they 'look like and are closely related to spiders, with thier four pairs of legs.'
However, it goes on; 'unlike spiders, harvestmen have the head and thorax attached to the abdomen without a dividing waist, giving a one piece body.'
It also says there are 26 species in Britain!
So I have learnt something today
Cheers
Lee
However, it goes on; 'unlike spiders, harvestmen have the head and thorax attached to the abdomen without a dividing waist, giving a one piece body.'
It also says there are 26 species in Britain!
So I have learnt something today
Cheers
Lee
To butterfly meadows, chalk downlands and leafy glades; to summers eternal.
Re: Insect ID
There's more than 26 now Lee, global warming suspected. Unless Martin White has an accomplice in the world of arachnids? (ooh, contentious "young" Gibster lol)
Raising £10,000 for Butterfly Conservation by WALKING 1200 miles from Land's End to John O'Groats!!!
See http://www.justgiving.com/epicbutterflywalk or look up Epic Butterfly Walk on Facebook.
See http://www.justgiving.com/epicbutterflywalk or look up Epic Butterfly Walk on Facebook.
- Lee Hurrell
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Re: Insect ID
It was quite an old book - Reader's Digest Butterflies and Other Insects of Britain (1984)! I have better books, lots of them, but I hold a deep affinity for this series; it was a major part of my childhood. I still take them off the shelf whenever I go to my mum's (she has the whole series).
Indeed....
Cheers
Lee
Indeed....
Cheers
Lee
To butterfly meadows, chalk downlands and leafy glades; to summers eternal.
- Dave McCormick
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Re: Insect ID
Some species of harvestman have huge legs (think its some of the jungle species) and they grow so long that they can break them off as they find it hard to walk.
BTW, I don't know if this is true or not but I was told years ago that these craneflies, if they could bite, their bite would be poisonous? Or am I thinking of some other creature?
BTW, I don't know if this is true or not but I was told years ago that these craneflies, if they could bite, their bite would be poisonous? Or am I thinking of some other creature?
Cheers all,
My Website: My new website: http://daveslepidoptera.com/ - Last Update: 11/10/2011
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My Website: My new website: http://daveslepidoptera.com/ - Last Update: 11/10/2011
My Nature videos: http://www.youtube.com/user/DynamixWarePro
Re: Insect ID
There has always been confusion, because craneflies are colloqially known as "Daddy Long Legs" by many, and harvestmen are also popularly called the "Daddy Long Legs" spider. The urban myth has it that the latter have a venomous bite, but as their mouthparts are so small, they could never pierce human skin and are therefore harmless. This muddling of two distinct beasties leads by inevitable word of mouth distortion to the assertion that craneflies are poisonous.
(I say urban myth above, but this bit might have truth in it - does anyone know enough about harvestmen to pronounce either way?).
Dave
(I say urban myth above, but this bit might have truth in it - does anyone know enough about harvestmen to pronounce either way?).
Dave
- Lee Hurrell
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- Location: Hampshire
Re: Insect ID
I thought Gibster had quashed the myth for both species above?
Cheers
Lee
Cheers
Lee
To butterfly meadows, chalk downlands and leafy glades; to summers eternal.
Re: Insect ID
So he did.
NOTE TO SELF: Learn to read
NOTE TO SELF: Learn to read
- Lee Hurrell
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- Location: Hampshire
Re: Insect ID
Don't worry Dave - I must have told loads of people the wrong information about this over the years!
Cheers
Lee
Cheers
Lee
To butterfly meadows, chalk downlands and leafy glades; to summers eternal.