Tiger Crane Fly

Tiger Crane Fly on Canada Mayflower

8 May 2022

If you care to look at the tiny things in the forest you might notice a beautiful Tiger Crane Fly - Nephrotoma ferruginea - sitting on a leaf of a mayflower.

There are over 1500 species of crane flies in North America. The adults live only for a few days feeding on nectar and thus serve as pollinators. The females lay eggs in soil. "The larvae are detritus feeders that break down organic matter in various habitats such as streams and forest floors thereby enriching the soil, renewing and modifying the microhabitat for other invertebrate species." Since they are found in special habitat conditions, their presence or absence is an indicator of environmental quality.

Close-up view