The Legend of the “Mosquito Hawk”
Sorry to say, when it comes to mosquito control, the mosquito hawk plays no part. Also known as the “skeeter eater,” the crane fly simply gets a bad social media reputation. It’s harmless to mosquitoes and humans. If you see one, you will note its gigantic size, which is probably where the legend comes from. Compared to mosquitoes, crane flies are enormous. They look like they might like to devour a mosquito, but they do not. As a matter of fact, the adult mosquito hawk rarely takes a meal. If they do eat, they prefer sweet nectar, not mosquitoes. Crane fly larvae feed on organic plant and leaf waste in wetland areas.