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Common Name: Crane Fly
Scientific Name: Ctenophora vittata

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum:Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Dipitera
Family: Tipulidae
Genus: Ctenophora
Species: C. vittata

 

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Ctenophora vittata is a very uncommon bug. Nobody really knows about it. So in these paragraphs, I will try to explain in the best way. Ctenophora Vittata can also be called a crane fly. It is black and yellowish red. It has black stripes and very long legs. Their wings are transparent with an amber color. Full grown they are 17 to 25 mm long. Their larva can be 30 mm long to 5.2 mm in diameter. Adaptation is very easy for them since they are wood burring type.

Even though this bug isn’t very known of it is actually found in a few places. This Crane Fly lives from California to Brazil, Columbia in wet woodlands or orchards. Ctenophora Vittata do so well her because the larva can scavenge in wet decaying wood. As larva, they are decomposers.

There is no exact amount of Ctenophora Vittata but it is part of a very large species. It is in a species of more than 4,000 different kinds. This means it is the largest group of flies. The population is staying at a steady level because are living in a habitat where there are not many things that can get to it.

In this paragraph you will learn something very interesting about Ctenophora Vittata. Adults do not eat so they do not compete for food. But as for the larva, they feed on decaying vegetation which is right in the comfort of there own home since they live in a decaying substance. When sneaky pests do get into the creeks and ridges of there habitat it is usually birds and bats for the adults and moles and skunks for the larva.

Last but not least, this Crane Fly has a very uncommon fact that really pooped out at me. What stood out to me the most was that my adult bug does not eat. Last is that I learned that this is a wood borer that increases damage that is caused by rot in poorly pruned trees. I hope you learned a lot about Ctenophora Vittata.

Author: Tessa D.
Published: 2/13

Sources:
Animal worksheet # 1   http//bugguide.net/node/view/461908/bimage

Taxa   http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu

Taxa  http://bugguide.net/node/view/55
AnimalBooks:
Animal worksheet # 3 and 4: Author: William, Robinson Title: Handbook of Urban Insects and Arachnids Published: Cambridge University Press Year: 2005 Pages: 191

Animal worksheet # 6-12:  Author: National Aububon Society Title: Field Guide to Insects and Spiders City: New York Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf Year: 1980 Pages: 634-635

Photo Credit: http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/imgs/512x768/1111_1111/2222/1844.jpeg

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