8th September 2025

Lots of 'Daddy longlegs' or Craneflies in the meadows around the Great Pedding stream this morning. This permanent pasture is ideal for them. There are a lot of different species of cranefly in the UK and this is one of them! Eggs are laid in the soil and the larvae, known as leatherjackets, eat the grass roots. The adult craneflies are short-lived but are a vital part of a healthy ecosystem. They and their larvae provide food for all manner of creatures, from birds and bats to badgers and moles.

Cranefly