| Nephrotoma appendiculata | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Diptera |
| Family: | Tipulidae |
| Genus: | Nephrotoma |
| Species: | N. appendiculata |
| Binomial name | |
| Nephrotoma appendiculata (Pierre, 1919) | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Nephrotoma appendiculata, the spotted crane fly, is a species of crane fly. [1] [2]
Subspecies include: [3]
This species is present in most of Europe, in North Africa and in the Near East. [4] Some in Southern Alberta Canada.
These crane flies inhabit woodland edges, gardens, fields, rough grassland, and farmland. [5] [6]
Nephrotoma appendiculata has a wingspan of about 50 mm (2.0 in), [5] and a body length of 13–15 mm (0.5–0.6 in). [6] [7] The body is yellow with a few short, black stripes on the thorax , a black horseshoe mark on the side [6] and a broad dark stripe [6] on each section of the abdomen. The wings have a thin, yellow line near the leading edge. [5] The wing stigma is usually pale, but sometimes it is dark. [6]
This species is rather similar to Nephrotoma flavescens . [6]
Adults can be seen from April to August. [6] [7] The larvae, known as "leatherjackets", [5] feed on the roots of grasses, [6] [7] while the adults feed on umbellifers such as cow parsley. [6] [7]
Media related to Nephrotoma appendiculata at Wikimedia Commons