Gray-green Worms on Roof Extension are Crane Fly Larvae

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“I have found these “worms” on the roof of my extension”, writes this reader about the thick, grayish green, worm-like creature pictured below. “They only come out when it rains, but there are lots of them! What are they? How can I get rid of them?” Firstly, we want to commend our reader on the excellent photo she sent in, as well as the helpful context and excellent questions. Secondly, we have come to an identification of this creature. We think she found a cranefly larva. Crane flies, typically referred to as ‘flying daddy long legs’ or giant mosquitoes, are neither of these two creatures: neither spiders nor mosquitoes. Which is a good thing! Crane flies are completely harmless to humans and pets.

As their name suggests, crane flies are a species of fly, they just have a very strange appearance that creeps a lot of people out. Weirdly enough, their spindly bodies mature from these rather stubby worm-like creatures: the two just don’t look related at all. The larvae of crane flies thrive in damp environments, particularly in those areas that remain damp for a long time, causing organic growths to form and things to rot. The reason for this is because crane fly larvae are detritivores, which means they feed on decomposing organic materials. These guys particularly like leaf mulch, grass thatch, and wet leaves. Typically, they have small, tentacle-like appendages protruding from one end of their bodies, which we cannot see in the photo our reader sent us, though, admittedly, the photo is not as clear as it could be.

Now, when it comes to getting rid of them, our reader can move whatever larvae she finds, preferably to some moist soil. When it comes to preventing more larvae from ending up here, that’s a trickier question. Since these guys appeared on the roof, we assume that a mother crane fly laid her eggs here because there was food there for her larvae: maybe moss, or algae (if it rains often enough and the water does not get drained properly). If anything, we advise that our reader check if the roof is covered in any moss, and that she scrape it away if that is the case. Getting rid of their source of food will discourage future crane flies from laying their eggs here.

To conclude, we think that the creatures our reader has been finding on her roof extension are crane fly larvae. They are not harmless, we understand the invasion is nonetheless not welcome. We hope this helps, and we wish our reader the very best!

 

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Gray-green Worms on Roof Extension are Crane Fly Larvae
Article Name
Gray-green Worms on Roof Extension are Crane Fly Larvae
Description
"I have found these “worms” on the roof of my extension", writes this reader about the thick, grayish green, worm-like creature pictured below. "They only come out when it rains, but there are lots of them! What are they? How can I get rid of them?" Firstly, we want to commend our reader on the excellent photo she sent in, as well as the helpful context and excellent questions. Secondly, we have come to an identification of this creature. We think she found a cranefly larva. Crane flies, typically referred to as 'flying daddy long legs' or giant mosquitoes, are neither of these two creatures: neither spiders nor mosquitoes. Which is a good thing! Crane flies are completely harmless to humans and pets.
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Author: Worm Researcher Anton

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