WHAT HAPPENED TO THE DADDY LONG LEGS INVASION WE WERE WARNED ABOUT?

In September, the tabloids warned of an ‘invasion,’ as 200 billion daddy long legs were predicted to emerge and storm our homes. Their synchronised hatching was said to be spurred by an unseasonably warm patch of weather, but aside from the odd gangly straggler, it seems the invasion never occurred. So, what happened?

In the UK, the two species of ‘daddy’ most likely to enter our homes (the common European cranefly and the marsh cranefly) had already been and gone. The insects spend most of their lives as soil-dwelling larvae, known as leatherjackets. They feed on plant roots and detritus, then they pupate for a week or two, before hatching in the late summer and early autumn. Larvae can die in waterlogged soils, so if it rains heavily over the summer, the number of hatchlings can be affected. This summer was one of the hottest and driest on record, but no one knows what effect this had on our craneflies, because the species are not rigorously monitored.

What we do know is that craneflies play a vital role in ecosystems. Cranefly larvae help to maintain soil health and are a food source for hedgehogs, badgers and foxes. Meanwhile, adult craneflies are eaten by birds and bats. Adults live for just 10 to 15 days and in some species, the females emerge carrying mature eggs. With males on standby, intercourse can happen within minutes of a female emerging and can last for hours.

Sometimes, individuals get distracted by the light and warmth of a human house, and find their way inside. They’re annoying, but not dangerous. Contrary to rumour, our British daddy long legs are not venomous, and do not bite or sting. They can readily be scooped up in a container or a gentle pair of hands, before being released back outside.