Biology
The larvae of the European cranefly feed on the crowns of grasses during the winter and spring. Damage can be severe in lawns, appearing as large patches of dead or dying grass. The grass usually recovers when the larvae stop feeding, but weed invasion may occur in the weakened areas. Adult craneflies are mosquito-like with long legs. The body is about 1" long. They emerge from lawns and pastures in late August through September and may gather on the sides of houses in large numbers. Eggs are laid in the fall. The full-grown larvae are about an inch long, gray-brown, and worm-like with a tough, leathery skin which gives them the common name "leatherjackets". They feed in the soil from fall through spring, pupating in the summer. They feed primarily at night and during cloudy weather on overcast days. Treatment is usually not necessary unless spring sampling indicates numbers in excess of 25/square foot. Also, well-established lawns that are properly irrigated and fertilized rarely need treatment even at numbers higher than this.
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