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| What's the point of daddy longlegs? | What's the point of daddy longlegs? |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| WHO, WHAT, WHY? The Magazine answers... They only live for a few weeks | |
| There's been an explosion in the population of flying daddy longlegs, but what are the gangly insects for? | There's been an explosion in the population of flying daddy longlegs, but what are the gangly insects for? |
| There is no escaping them, lolloping around and battering into every window, wall, light and person that gets in their way. | There is no escaping them, lolloping around and battering into every window, wall, light and person that gets in their way. |
| The UK is in the grip of an explosion of daddy longlegs - or crane flies as they are otherwise known - because of the combination of a hot summer followed by heavy rain showers and a dry, warm September. | The UK is in the grip of an explosion of daddy longlegs - or crane flies as they are otherwise known - because of the combination of a hot summer followed by heavy rain showers and a dry, warm September. |
| They are a late autumnal species that peak at this time of year. The larvae - known as leatherjackets - feed through autumn, winter and spring on decaying plant material and plant roots just below the soil surface. These then turns to pupae and new adult flies hatch in September. | They are a late autumnal species that peak at this time of year. The larvae - known as leatherjackets - feed through autumn, winter and spring on decaying plant material and plant roots just below the soil surface. These then turns to pupae and new adult flies hatch in September. |
| The lifespan of an adult is only about two weeks and their purpose is to mate and to die within a few days. There is debate over whether they even eat during their short lives or survive on food reserves stored in their bodies. | The lifespan of an adult is only about two weeks and their purpose is to mate and to die within a few days. There is debate over whether they even eat during their short lives or survive on food reserves stored in their bodies. |
| WHO, WHAT, WHY? A regular feature in the BBC News Magazine - aiming to answer some of the questions behind the headlines | |
| More and more will keep hatching if the weather stays mild into next month. But apart from being a nuisance and frightening people - they were voted the world's second scariest creature after spiders in a recent poll - what's the point of daddy longlegs? | More and more will keep hatching if the weather stays mild into next month. But apart from being a nuisance and frightening people - they were voted the world's second scariest creature after spiders in a recent poll - what's the point of daddy longlegs? |
| They are an important source of food for creatures that eat insects, including birds and spiders, says ecology professor Guy Poppy, from the University of Southampton. | They are an important source of food for creatures that eat insects, including birds and spiders, says ecology professor Guy Poppy, from the University of Southampton. |
| "Insect eaters will be feasting on all the daddy longlegs at this time of year, a spider web will be full of them." | "Insect eaters will be feasting on all the daddy longlegs at this time of year, a spider web will be full of them." |
| The larvae also eats decaying plant material and helps to recycle nutrients back into the soil. | The larvae also eats decaying plant material and helps to recycle nutrients back into the soil. |
| Eco system | |
| But one man's meat is another man's poison. As they feast on plant roots, this proves to be a nightmare for many gardeners - particularly when they gorge on grass roots, leaving bare patches. | |
| "Some people think they are useful and others think they are a pain in the neck. They're definitely not very popular at golf courses," says Professor Poppy. | "Some people think they are useful and others think they are a pain in the neck. They're definitely not very popular at golf courses," says Professor Poppy. |
| "It's hard to predict what would happen if all daddy longlegs were eradicated but I don't know of any bird and spider that eats them exclusively. However, as an ecologist I think all life forms have an important role to play in the eco system." | "It's hard to predict what would happen if all daddy longlegs were eradicated but I don't know of any bird and spider that eats them exclusively. However, as an ecologist I think all life forms have an important role to play in the eco system." |
| Love or hate them, the explosion in numbers could result in an increase in bigger, well-fed spiders... which won't do much for the popularity of daddy longlegs. | Love or hate them, the explosion in numbers could result in an increase in bigger, well-fed spiders... which won't do much for the popularity of daddy longlegs. |