A crane fly rests on an iris flower. Anza Valley Outlook/Courtesy photo
April is the month that the often misunderstood crane flies return to the Anza Valley, inadvertently harassing residents with their bumbling, persistent presence.Crane flies are sometimes mistaken for giant mosquitoes. The harmless insect resembles one of humanity’s most obnoxious creatures, and they are smashed, trapped, shot with salt or left to die in bowls of water as a result. Despite their similarity to mosquitoes, crane flies do not bite, and many species are known to not feed on anything in their adult form.Additionally, another myth is that crane flies are the most venomous insects in the world, but in reality, they have no ability to administer venom. This old wives’ tale most likely arose due to the flies being confused with the daddy long legs arachnids, to which th
