Mosquito Invasion?

If you have walked around the Nature Preserve recently, you probably noticed large numbers of insects rising up from the grass. They have long legs, and bear a strong resemblance to mosquitoes, but they are NOT mosquitoes, thank goodness. These are crane flies, and they do not bite humans at all. Sometimes, crane flies are referred to as "skeeter eaters." This is an interesting name, but crane flies are not predators and do not eat mosquitoes (not as adults, anyway: some larval crane flies are predatory, and may occasionally eat mosquito larvae). People sometimes refer to crane flies as "male mosquitoes." This may have come from the knowledge that male mosquitoes don't bite. Crane flies are not male mosquitoes, although mosquitoes and crane flies are fairly closely related.

Crane flies are considered to be "true" flies, because (unlike other insects) they have only one pair of wings. Other insects like mayflies, dobsonflies, and dragonflies have two pairs of wings. If you look very closely at an ordinary housefly, you will see two tiny, white knobs just behind its wings. These are all that remains of its original second pair of wings. It uses the knobs, called halters, for balance while flying. Look at this closeup for a small protrusion beneath this crane fly's right wing - that's its halter. There are dozens of crane fly species in Kentucky, and most are similar in appearance and biology. The most commonly encountered species are in the Tipula genus, and these are typically 3/4" - 1" long and gray or brown in color. The University of KentuckyEntomology department has detailed information about crane flies and all other insects found in Kentucky.

Like all flies, crane flies undergo complete metamorphosis with egg, larval, pupal, and adult stages. The larvae are legless and wormlike, and some are very large. Winged adults are active during warm months, especially fall and spring, with different species of adults active at different times during the year. Adults live only for a few days; just long enough to mate and lay eggs. Most species overwinter as larvae or pupae in moist soil, decaying vegetation, or underwater. You may see them flying around tail-to-tail as they mate. Just try not to inhale them as you walk around!

Thank You for Being Our Friends

April is Volunteer Appreciation Month, and we have the BEST volunteers in the world at Creasey Mahan Nature Preserve! All it takes is willingness to help and a big smile.

What kind of people come to volunteer with us? Well, we have students earning service hours and retirees with time and skills to share. People who work full-time still find opportunities to volunteer, and sometimes a company sponsors a work day for their employees. Church groups come for a work day as well. Of course, our Boy Scouts, Eagle Scouts and Girl Scouts are always wonderful. The bridges and benches you enjoy around the preserve were all made by Eagle Scouts, as were the two dugouts by the baseball field. We have a terrific liaison with the scouts in Greg Uligian.

What can you do if you want to volunteer? Gardeners and weed pullers are always needed. The Oldham County Master Gardeners are helping with the Woodland Fern Garden as it grows. Patty usually needs some help in the office, and Mahan Manor needs cleaning like any other house. Other volunteers are builders, painters, craft makers, and renewers. We have teachers who help with field trips, and others are naturalists, song singers, costume wearers, actors and historians. Our wonderful Board of Directors not only come for Directors meetings to guide our activities, but they participate in our large events such as Nature Fest, Halloween Harvest and the Nature of Christmas in Goshen. You have probably seen Buford Parrish driving the tractor at our hay rides, since that is his favorite job!

Even if we have not listed or shown everyone who comes to volunteer, please accept our heartfelt and warmest thanks for you time and dedication. We couldn't be such a success without you. Remember, a volunteer is a person who works without pay, not because their work is worthless, but because it's priceless! So thank you for being our friends!