A RECORD 200 billion daddy-long-legs are expected to hatch in the UK this autumn and experts say we can expect a bumper year of them here too.
The combination of a warm summer with frequent rain has created the perfect environment for crane flies to thrive in.
Billy Flynn of the Irish Wildlife Trust (IWC) told TheJournal.ie that they “need a certain amount of heat and moisture” to survive into adulthood, adding, “they’ve had both of those”.
We will see more of them, certainly the numbers will be in the millions.
“This happens in nature from time to time when the conditions right – you get an explosion of one species. It’s usually followed by an increase in the predators of that species so it will be good news for spiders.”
However, he also added that as an adult they only live a day or two.
In the coming weeks they will seek warmth and let themselves into houses when they get a chance, but by November they’ll be gone.
Flynn also remarked how they are “absolutely harmless”, describing how, “Adult flies can’t eat – they have no teeth, some can suck you but these can’t.”
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