Daddy Long Legs

JEN22

Our house seems to have an awful lot of daddy long legs at the moment. Anyone know why and how to stop them getting in

Francesanne

You have my sympathy. I know they're harmless but they petrify me. Unfortunately apart from keeping windows shut, I don't have solution. You could try insect spray on them or rolled up newspaper to swat them.

keith969

They always start appearing this time of year. All you can do is shut the windows

[Deleted User]

Maybe address the cause ....
The larvae are commonly known as 'leatherjackets', they live in the soil, especially under grass, and when matured emerge as daddylonglegs (i agree, they give me the creeps).
If you get a gardening friend/relative to dig over the ground it might rid your immediate area of them, obviously they could come from next door etc, but worth a try !

Davesnave

There is nothing sensible you can do, so don't waste time and energy on them, unless you'll actually enjoy living in an airless box.

If it's any consolation, they don't really enjoy being indoors either.

[Deleted User]

Hi,

I can never understand why bees, wasps, flies etc, can find their way in an open window, but batter into the window glass trying to get out.

Apodemus

Catsacor wrote: »

Maybe address the cause ....
The larvae are commonly known as 'leatherjackets', they live in the soil, especially under grass, and when matured emerge as daddylonglegs (i agree, they give me the creeps).
If you get a gardening friend/relative to dig over the ground it might rid your immediate area of them, obviously they could come from next door etc, but worth a try !

Unless you want your lawn dug over, using an old-fashioned roller might be a better approach. The added compaction doesn't suit the larvae so well. There used to be lawn insecticides available but I am not sure if they are still marketed. Either way it is too late for this year!

EDIT: Lol, reading this back I realise that "old-fashioned roller" could mean different things to different people! I am meaning the big heavy garden rollers that bowling greens etc still use. Amusing though the thoughts are, I don't mean swatting them with a rolling pin, driving your Rolls Royce over the lawn or doing something inventive with your hair-curling apparatus!

chrisw

Francesanne wrote: »

You could try insect spray on them or rolled up newspaper to swat them.

Strangely, I don't mind them alive and whole, it's when they're dead and all the legs start falling off it knocks me sick.

Gloomendoom

I hate the things. Luckily I haven't seen any this year, yet.

keith969

I don't mind them. They're easy to grab by a wing and put out the window. Don't try that by their legs though as they fall off...

Strider590

Daddy long legs is a spider, i'm not sure how the name got applied to crane flies, but it seems to be a very British thing.