DIPTERA > NEMATOCERA | Lower Diptera

TIPULOMORPHA > Tipuloidea > Tipulidae (87 species)

(subfamilies: Ctenophorinae, Dolichopezinae and Tipulinae)

Tipula (around 60 species)

Given the sheer number of species that have been recorded, my current tally of six is obviously disappointing, except that after spending a fair amount of time carefully going through the available distribution data for both Dorset (VC9) and South Hampshire (VC11) I realised that it isn't as bad as it first looks. Fortunately, the local list didn't include anything like that number and, following my initial review, I could only come up with another ten species that I could realistically encounter. However, when I started checking details, I discovered that a few of those species had only been recorded from west Dorset, which is out of scope and, more importantly, most of the confirmed sighting that I checked were from the same few individuals who are active members of the Cranefly Recording Scheme. This puts a different light on the matter as obviously many of these records would have been the result of sweeping or light trapping, rather than encounters where individuals can simply be observed and photographed.

From a worldwide perspective, Tipula is an extremely large genus with over 2,000 species which, for classification purposes, have been subdivided into various subgenera groups. The British species are covered in fourteen of these and, even though, my paltry list only represents three at present, I've referenced them here in taxonomic order. I've also added a couple more that include species that I could find locally, but it still only amounts to five groups that are worth mentioning; Acutipula, Lunatipula, Savtshenkia, Tipula and Yamatotipula:

Acutipula - this first group comprises just four species, which are some of our largest craneflies. I haven't encountered any as yet, but there are three that could be found locally which need to be mentioned.

Tipula fulvipennis - large, with a wing span of around 5cm; vaguely tinted wings with a distinctive tiny dark spot in the centre; wings and body, greyish in the males, brownish in the females; occurs mainly in damp woodland and along muddy margins of shaded streams; takes flight easily; peaks around July to September.

Tipula luna - a little smaller; grey body with a variable dark median stripe down the abdomen; wings tinted yellowish with a feint whitish lunule below the stigma; could possibly be found locally in wet meadows during May or early June.

Tipula maxima - our largest cranefly with a wingspan up to 6cm; beautifully patterned wings with a distinctive dark triangular marking midway along the front margin; despite its size, the species is known to be elusive, albeit widespread and locally common; unfortunately, most of the Dorset sightings have been from the west of the county, but across the border in Hampshire there have been a few records from in and around the New Forest, so always a possibility; primarily occurs in damp woodland although local sightings have come from various wetland habitats; could be seen anytime from May through to late August. 

Lunatipula - one of the largest subgenus groups with ten, mostly pale to dark brown species, but with a few that have a distinctive orange colour. I've photographed two of these species and have identified a further two that could be found locally.

Tipula cava - dull orange-brown body with a narrow dorsal median stripe down the abdomen; a species that I could possibly find locally on heathland or other sandy-soil areas, as it has been recorded a few times locally, particularly from Dorset although rarely over the past few years; May to September, peaks in July.

Tipula fascipennis - a fairly large, distinctive, medium-brown species; described as common, particularly in the south, but again with hardly any recent local records; another species to look out for alongside woodland tracks and under hedgerow; May to August, peaking late June and early July. 

Tipula lunata - one of two fairly large yellowish-orange species (the other Tipula peliostigma is rarely seen these days with the last official sighting from Dorset being well over fifty years ago), which I suspect is probably more common locally than current distribution figures suggest; there are a handful of reasonably recent records from South Hampshire, but none from Dorset for nearly ten years; such a pity that the individual I photographed has a damaged wing as they are a very attractive species; typical habitat is woodland edge and overgrown hedgerow, similar to where I found this one; most likely to be seen from the end of April to July.

Tipula vernalis - abdomen yellowish-brown with a dark median stripe; wings with streaky dark and whitish markings, which are more apparent from certain angles; a common species found alongside open woodland rides and in various grassland habitats; typically seen during May and June.

Savtshenkia - the largest subgenus group with 15 mostly brown-bodied species with mottled wings.

Tipula confusa - a late season woodland species; described as common, but yet again with very few local sightings, so presumably under-recorded; most likely to be seen from mid-August to mid-October.

Tipula rufina - distinguished by having a strong dark brown stripe on the side of the thorax that runs from the neck to below the wing (just visible in the partial side shot below); widespread, but certainly not common; interestingly, ravine woodland and rocky upland hillsides are regarded as ideal habitat, but occasionally found in urban areas on walls or at light; can be seen anytime from March right through to November.

The subgenus Tipula only includes three mainly drab brown species, which are characterised by having a narrow dark-coloured band along the leading edge of the wing with a parallel pale stripe below; male genitalia with a large rhombus-shaped outer clasper.

Tipula oleracea - body colour described as mild pale-brown but, to my eyes, more of a bluish-grey; females with wings reaching the end of the abdomen or beyond; eyes narrowly separated beneath the head; the most frequently observed species locally when combining both the Dorset and South Hampshire records; can be seen in various habitats from late March through to mid-November, but always with greater numbers being apparent locally from late April to the end of May.   

Tipula paludosa - somewhat nondescript, females much easier to identify than the males as they have rather short wings that when folded back would end well short of the end of the abdomen; black base to antennae (compared with several pale segments in oleracea); although this cranefly is one of the known pest species responsible for leatherjackets in lawns, most of my photographs have been from woodland; although the official common name of the species is the Meadow White-stripe because of its preference for dry open grassland, here in the south it is also known as the 'September Cranefly' as that is the time of the year when they are most prevalent.

Yamatotipula - the last subgenera that I have need to mention comprises seven species that are mostly found around various water margins.

Tipula lateralis - included as it's the single most frequently recorded species in Dorset, which surprises me as I've never seen it; described as having a slender body; abdomen pale grey above, flanked by a blackish stripe along either side; thorax with a slender median black stripe over wider dark banding; wings relatively narrow and elongate, typically held at right angles when at rest; occurs along the banks of streams and rivers, ditches, and around pond and lake margins; flight period from March to early October.

There are two other species in this group that I could have included, Tipula marginella and Tipula pruinosa, but I think that all of the truly likely species have been mentioned.

Finally, I have to say that despite carefully going through the various keys, identification aids and descriptions I struggle distinguishing some of these species. I've had help with a few when I've posted photos on the dedicated 'UK Cranefly Recording Scheme' FB group, but at other times I don't get a response. The last two photos that I've included here are good examples of what I think are distinctive-looking species that can't, or haven't been, identified.

New page added, Dec.24 (v.1)