Common name : Daddy long legs
Scientific name : Leptotarsus sp.
Family : Tipulidae
Native to : New Zealand
Interesting fact : Due to its unusually long legs, the crane fly has been given the popular name of ‘Daddy long legs’.
Resembling oversized mosquitoes with long stilt legs, the total body length of the daddy long legs is 12 mm on an average. They are harmless to humans. The female lays eggs in wet soil and algae. Once they hatch, the larvae feed on soil and rotting plants to grow, while the adult feeds on nectar.
