The mystery of the long-legged mosquitoes: everything you need to know

Long-legged mosquitoes, the only insect that does not bite you. You must take care of it by taking it out of the house and not ending its life. Do you want to know why and how to prevent them from entering your home? We'll tell you all about it, read on!

What is it?

Long-legged mosquitoes are a class of insects that do not belong to the family of mosquitoes, but to the family of crane flies.. They are characterized by not to sting, do not have mouthparts in their internal structure, and by their appearance, which we will see below.

Features

Below, we show you the characteristics of this type of insect that despite its name, long-legged mosquito, it is not a mosquito.

Body:

Long-legged mosquitoes are characterized by having a very thin and long grayish-yellowish colored body. Your wings keep them always open not yet having started the flight.

Its size ranges from two and one hundred millimeters long. However, in Spain, the ones we usually see are about sixty millimeters long.

Legs

Its legs are very long, thin and weaksurrounded by a lot of short hair that falls out quite easily.

Differences between males and females

The females and the males are different; the former are fatter-lookingbecause they harbor the eggs. The female of this long-legged mosquito usually lays an average of 500 eggs.

Life expectancy

Their life expectancy is quite high for an insect, last between 8 and 12 daysThe main task of these plants is pollination and reproduction, and to a lesser extent, feeding.

What is the difference between mosquitoes and long-legged midges?

The first difference that exists between the mosquitoes and the long-legged mosquitoes is the family to which they belong. The former belong to the mosquito familywhile the latter to the Diptera family.

The second is in relation to stings. Mosquitoes are characterized by their annoying, reddish bites.. But the diptera do not biteThey do not feed on blood as we have seen.

In appearance it is similar, however, long-legged mosquitoes are larger in size.

And as a curiosity, long-legged mosquitoesDespite having their wings extended, they are characterized by not to be skillful flyerson the other hand mosquitoes have mastered flight to perfection.

Do I have to worry about them?

You don't have to worry about them, they are one of the few insects that don't! These mosquitoes do not feed on bloodyou can rest assured. As they do not feed on blood, nor do they sting, cannot transmit any type of disease. 

They feed on flowers and plant nectar.. They are very important for pollination work.

Why should they not be killed?

These insects, as we have just seen, do not sting. it is preferable to take them out of the houseWe have to open the doors and windows so that they can continue their pollination process. It can only be annoying for us to have them, but do not and will not cause us any harm.

Can they be considered a pest?

Long-legged mosquitoes are not considered a pest even if there is a high concentration of them. The problem comes when they are larvae. These dipterans reproduce in places that have abundant grass and in humid areasas gardens. When it is daytime these larvae are submerged in the soil, but at dusk they go outdoors. The problem arises when there are many of them, due to the fact that can cause problems in our outdoor environments. 

Control and prevention of long-legged mosquitoes in the home

Here are some tips to prevent the appearance of long-legged mosquitoes in your home.

Use of mosquito nets and protective nets

Install mosquito nets on the windows of your house, especially those closest to the gardens to prevent any species of diptera from entering, although we have to remember that if they sneak in, nothing happens, they are harmless, but annoying.

For outdoor locations such as patios, you can install protective nets.

We recommend using custom-made mosquito netstoyou can find models of: fixed mosquito nets, folding or pleatedas an effective measure for the prevention of bee flies in your homes.

Regardless of the choice of the mosquito net, it is fundamental that its installation is carried out correctly covering doors and windows; and that its maintenance is perfect for optimum protection.

Conclusion

Long-legged mosquitoes are a species of insects that do not belong to the mosquito family. annoying, but harmless.

To avoid these discomforts, the following is recommended use of mosquito nets and protective nets to enjoy a safe and quiet home.