
How to Solve a Crane Fly Problem
The Crane Fly is a turf damaging insect that can cause damage in all species of cool season turf grass. Crane Flies can be found in parts of the American Northwest, Northeast, and also parts of Michigan. The Crane Fly can be a big problem in the Seattle area! Approximately 10% of the lawns that we work on suffer from crane fly infestation.
But did you know that it is not the Crane Fly that causes damage to your lawn? The damage is caused by the larvae that the Crane Fly leaves behind. If you have areas in your lawn that look like this picture to the left, then it is likely that you have a lawn that is being damaged by Crane Fly Larvae, and once they start feeding on your lawn, they will keep at it until either your lawn is destroyed, or they are.
Identifying the Crane Fly:
Most of the lawn damage caused by Crane Fly larvae occurs during the spring, when larvae are feeding on the roots and leaf blades of your grass. The results of these feeding habits are recognizable areas of sparse turf, missing foliage and general bare areas in affected lawns. Upon closer inspection these areas often reveal large numbers of larvae in the thatch and upper soil. Crane Flies are considered a pest to turfgrass in the Northwest because they can quickly destroy your lawn.