Numbers
60 species in North America, listed under family Tipulidae at
nearctica.com
11 species in the subgenus (Pedicia) in North America (David Bree, pers. comm.)
Size
body length more than 20 mm
Identification
dark triangle along costa about two-thirds distance from base of wing
distinct hairy eyes
Range
northeastern US and southeastern Canada, based on photo submissions to BugGuide. Species also found into southeast, e.g., North Carolina, perhaps only in Appalachians, and recorded at least as far west as Minnesota - perhaps even as far as British Columbia (
P. albivitta listed at
Trinity Western U., Langley, BC).
Habitat
larvae are strictly aquatic and predaceous, a good bioindicator of clean aquatic habitat
Season
Two flight seasons for northeastern species, usually in May/June and September/October
Food
Predaceous on small aquatic insects
Remarks
P. albivitta is one of the largest crane fly species in northeastern USA and Canada, the other being Tipula abdominalis.
Print References
Brimley, p. 318, lists
P. albivitta and
P. contermina (May), both from mountains of North Carolina.
(1)
Young, C. and Gelhaus J. 2000 lists P. albivitta, P. margarita, P. procteriana in Pennsylvania.
Internet References
pinned adult images of
P. albivitta male and female (Chen Young, The Crane Flies of Pennsylvania)
North Carolina State University Entomology Collection lists
albivittata (4 specimens) and
inconstans (15 specimens)
preserved adult image of
P. procteriana male (Chen Young, The Crane Flies of Pennsylvania)
