Billions of daddy long-legs to invade UK homes for terrifying two weeks
dailystar.co.ukREAD MORE: False widow spiders on their way into UK homes in huge numbers after record heatwave A spokesman for the group said: “Although they can cause a bit of bother in homes with their incessant fluttering, they are placid creatures, literally incapable of hurting a fly.”If you find one, catch it gently and release it outside, is Buglife’s advice.
They do not sting and are harmless.The daddies – also known as crane flies – are good for the environment as their larvae help enrich the soil, turning dead organic matter into nutrient-rich material.The Buglife spokesman added: “And they’re also breakfast, lunch and dinner for birds, bats, amphibians, spiders, other insects, reptiles and fish, which are building up reserves to see them through winter.”Those set to be unleashed this month were laid as eggs last autumn before emerging as larvae within a week.The baking hot summer, with no rain to affect them in their underground tunnels, means there could be a record number.Pushing their way to the surface and flexing their wings, they have only one thing on their mind.
In their mad rush to find a mate, they often blunder in through open windows at night, attracted by lights.Once airborne they only live for a few days.And the ideal weather conditions mean there has also been an explosion in the “monster” four-inch Tipula maxima species.For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletter by clicking here.There has long been a myth that crane flies, of which there are 94 different species, are indeed extremely venomous.
Due to the similarities in appearances to spiders, crane flies are considered incorrectly by some to be themselves venomous.But you needn't worry,.
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