The Wildlife of
Wallington

 
Home
A-Z Index
Statistics

Flies - The Phantom Crane Fly

First seen on Monday 16th August 2021 at Wallington

Phantom Craneflies are a family of craneflies, given their name because they appear to disappear when they fly into shaded areas. The latin name for this species is Ptychoptera Contaminata which is a bit of a mouthful. The Ptychoptera family name refers to their 'folded' wings which makes them appear thinner when at rest. They have dark spots on their wings which is also a good way of identifying them. They can also be known as Orange-marked Craneflies, but the orange marking are more noticeable in the females. They like damp places - this one was found near the Boating Lake.