Crane flies are just big, clumsy mosquitoes that don't bite

Crane flies and mosquitoes are often confused, but the main difference is that crane flies don’t bite or transmit diseases.

The easiest way to tell them apart is size. Crane flies look like mutant mosquitoes — a half-inch to an inch long, with long, spindly legs that often break off. They fly slowly, kind of drunk. Mosquitoes are smaller, more compact, and when they land, they mean business.

Crane flies are harmless. They can’t even eat as adults — they just mate and die. Mosquitoes feed on blood (the females) and can carry diseases like West Nile or malaria. So if something big and wobbly is flying into your face, it’s a crane fly. If something small and sneaky makes you itch, it’s a mosquito.

People sometimes call crane flies “mosquito hawks,” which is a myth — they don’t hunt mosquitoes either. They’re basically insects with zero survival skills past reproduction.

Next time one fumbles into your lamp, just scoop it out. It’s not out to get you.