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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Flies (Diptera) » "Nematocera" (Non-Brachycera) » Tipulomorpha » Crane Flies (Tipulidae) » Tipula » subgenus Nippotipula (Tipula subgenus Nippotipula) » Giant Crane Fly (Tipula abdominalis)

Species Tipula abdominalis - Giant Crane Fly

Classification · Size · Identification · Range · Habitat · Season · Life Cycle · See Also · Internet References
Crane Fly - Tipula abdominalis Crane Fly - Lateral View - Tipula abdominalis Giant Crane Fly, compare T. abdominalis - Tipula abdominalis Crane Fly Big - Tipula abdominalis large crane fly - Tipula abdominalis - male Giant Crane Fly - Tipula abdominalis Crane Fly - Tipula abdominalis Crane Fly at Lights - Tipula abdominalis - male
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Diptera (Flies)
No Taxon ("Nematocera" (Non-Brachycera))
Infraorder Tipulomorpha
Family Tipulidae (Crane Flies)
Genus Tipula
No Taxon (subgenus Nippotipula)
Species abdominalis (Giant Crane Fly)
Size
female max. body length at least 45 mm; max. wing length at least 30 mm; max. legspan (front to back) at least 115 mm
male is usually smaller
Identification
large size coupled with black velvety patches on thorax is diagnostic feature
Range
eastern North America
Habitat
adults often attracted to light
Season
adults fly from May to October
Life Cycle
two generations per year (usually May/June and September/October)
See Also
female Tipula (Vestiplex) longiventris is almost as large but lacks black thoracic patches and has only one generation per year (in May and June)
Internet References
adult image and information on biology, life history, etc. (Barbara Strnadova, New York)
adult image (Bill Johnson, Minnesota)
Contributed by Tony DiTerlizzi on 21 July, 2005 - 12:50pm
Additional contributions by Robin McLeod
Last updated 15 January, 2007 - 5:37pm

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