Leather Jackets

The adult Crane Fly has long legs with a body about 25mm long.
Commonly active in the late summer to autumn period with each female laying 200-300 eggs.
The egg hatch into larvae, called a Leatherjacket, in about 14 days and remain in the soil for about 9 months before pupating into next season's Crane Fly.
The Leatherjacket exists in the soil from the autumn to the following spring on the turf and roots, biting off stems at or just below ground level resulting in the turf dying back often in clumps.
Damage generally becomes noticeable during the spring caused by the feeding that occurred the previous autumn and winter.
Secondary damage from birds, badgers, foxes, moles and other small mammals searching and pecking for larvae can rip up the turf.

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