There are many species of crane flies, but only two types - the European Crane Fly (ECF) (Tipula paludosa) and the Common Crane Fly (Tipula oleracea) - cause damage to turf in the United States, particularly in the Northeast and Pacific Northwest.

Crane fly larvae, sometimes called “leatherjackets,” feed on roots, shoots and stems of turfgrass and may be present on golf course greens, tees, fairways and roughs (Photo 2). They prefer wet or moist soils and populations are often near large bodies of water, like inland lakes.
Damage may first be seen in thinned turf areas in the spring after thaw or even during drought stress. Crane fly activity may also be indicated by animals digging into turf in July through September, as raccoons, skunks and opossums forage for mature crane fly larvae. The larvae may be confused with black cutworms (Photo 1) and the damage they cause.

The larvae of the crane fly are legless and dark in color. Unlike most white grubs, they do not curl into a “C” shape when touched. They feed mainly on the foliar parts of grass, and the first observable symptom is thinning turf. If left untreated, a large population can create heavy turfgrass damage. Once the larvae develop into the fourth and final instar, insecticide treatments are not effective, so it is critical to apply preventively to target newly hatched larvae.

Photo 1: Crane fly larvae.	Photo 2: Superintendents diagnose crane fly damage to turfgrass.

Table 1. Life cycles of the European crane fly (one generation per year) compared to the common crane fly (two generations per year).

Traditional insecticide application timing for white grub control typically does not overlap with crane fly larvae emergence, so a separate application round is required for optimum control. Preventive applications are best made in the late fall at the time of egg-laying, or when larvae are smaller and still active at the soil surface. Curative applications can be made in the spring in April through May once feeding damage is detected, but successful control at this timing is more difficult.

Preventive control options

• Late-fall application timing (September through October) - this application targets both the common and European species:
  • Provaunt^® insecticide at a rate of 12 ounces per acre
  • Meridian^® 25WG insecticide at a rate of 17 ounces per acre
• Mid-summer application timing (early July):
  • Acelepryn^® insecticide at a rate of 8 to 16 fluid ounces per acre

Curative control options

• Spring (April through May) once feeding damage is detected:
  • Provaunt at a rate of 12 ounces per acre

For more information about how Provaunt, Meridian and Acelepryn insecticides can help control crane flies, contact your local Syngenta territory manager.

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©2017 Syngenta. Important: Always read and follow label instructions. Some products may not be registered for sale or use in all states or counties and/or may have state-specific use requirements. Please check with your local extension service to ensure registration and proper use. Acelepryn^®, Meridian^®, Provaunt^® and the Syngenta logo are trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company.