tipula

[Lat. tippula =an insect which runs swiftly over water, a water-spider, the Hydrometra (q. Entom.: Crane-fly, the typical genus of Tipulidse (q. v.). The antenne have all the articulations but the second almost cylindrical; the second globular. About fifty species are known from Europe. Tipula oleracea is the very common species called by children Daddy Long-legs. It is about an inch long, hoary brown, with four brown streaks on the thorax; the legs brownish-yellow, the thighs, tibiæ, and tarsi blackish toward their ends. It deposits about 300 shining black eggs in or on the ground. The larvæ, called Grubs and Leather jackets, are dingy gray or brownish worms desti. tute of feet; they feed on the roots of gra es and other plants, and are often very destructive. When full grown they are an inch or an inch and a half long. The change to the pupa state takes place underground; the pupa itself has respiratory tubes. A smaller species, T. hortulana , is common in gardens. The largest species in Europe is the Great Crane-fly, T. gigantea, an inch and a quarter in length.