No Need to Panic, Minnesota, Those Aren’t Giant Mosquitos

The weather is warming up in Minnesota which means that the bugs are coming back out to play. Yay... And there are all sorts of bugs we want to swat at and get rid of, but there's one that looks pretty scary but actually will do you no harm.

This thing sure looks like it could do some damage, though, because it looks like a giant mosquito!

These big, long-legged, mosquito-looking things tend to come out in Minnesota in the spring, mostly, but also sometimes in the fall. Usually, I'll find them on the screens on windows around our house.

The University of Minnesota Extention mentions that that's one of their favorite spots to hang out, is screened windows. These guys also really like light, like most bugs.

So what the heck are these crazy-looking things?

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That's a Crane Fly, Not a Giant Mosquito

These are called crane flies, and they basically do nothing is what I'm gathering.

They like light, they'll hang out on screens, buildings, or foliage, and research says that the adults in some crane fly species (adults are the ones that look like huge mosquitos) don't eat. And if they do eat, it's on sugary stuff like flowers, according to the website called Bug Guide.

Well, if they just hang out and some don't even eat, what's the point? Well, they make great food for other creatures.

So if you come across a bug that looks like a huge mosquito, hold onto that fly swatter, no need to kill them, it's just a crane fly that won't do much and will make a meal for a happy bird out there.