Leather Jacket Larvae

Dig down 4 inches.

Leather jacket larvae. Although several different kinds of crane-fly produce damaging leatherjacket grubs they. When the adult crane fly lays its eggs in the earth the larval form known as leatherjackets develop over the coming year. These creatures have a very short lifespan and are quick-breeding typically hatching in late August or September.

Adult crane flies hatch from pupae in late July and August and lay their eggs in the ground within 24 hours of hatching. A These pests are the grubs or larvae of crane-flies Tipula species better known by their common name daddylong-legs. A leatherjacket is the common name for the larval stage of an insect called a crane fly.

The larvae cause damage to lawns by feeding on the roots of grass plants. They have tubular elongated bodies which can grow up to 3cm in length. These hatch after a couple of weeks into grey-black legless larvae that have a tough leathery skin hence the name leatherjacket.

Leatherjackets are the larvae of the Cranefly or Daddy Long Legs or if were being formal Tipula paludosa. Different species hatch at different times of year though some in May for example. They are in the Tipulidae family of insects.

The larvae usually feed on decaying plant tissue. The grubs will then appear at the surface and you can easily brush them off. European crane fly Tipula paludosa The larvae life stage of crane flies life cycle is called a leather jacket.

Plastic sheeting can be bought in garden centres or you can cut open a black bin bag. Heaviest feeding occurs as Leather jackets mature in summer. Tipula paludosa known as crane flies or daddy-longlegs emerge from the soil in enormous numbers during late summer.