Crane flies. These things...
http://www.insectidentification.org/...s/cranefly.jpg
They look like giant pre-historic mosquitoes, but they are harmless to humans, as far as I know. They can be quite annoying when they are numerous, as it looks like they will be this year.
Anyway, Iris spends hours hunting & chasing them in the yard. I haven't discouraged her as she gets lots of exercise at it and seems to enjoy stalking and catching them. But she eats almost every one she catches.
Does anyone know if they could be harmful when she ingests them? She's been eating them for 2 -3 weeks now, and I haven't noticed any change in her bowel movements or urinary output, no overt behavioral changes. Could it indicate that there is something missing from her diet, or that she's eating them to ease stomach pain?
http://www.insectidentification.org/...s/cranefly.jpg
They look like giant pre-historic mosquitoes, but they are harmless to humans, as far as I know. They can be quite annoying when they are numerous, as it looks like they will be this year.
Anyway, Iris spends hours hunting & chasing them in the yard. I haven't discouraged her as she gets lots of exercise at it and seems to enjoy stalking and catching them. But she eats almost every one she catches.
Does anyone know if they could be harmful when she ingests them? She's been eating them for 2 -3 weeks now, and I haven't noticed any change in her bowel movements or urinary output, no overt behavioral changes. Could it indicate that there is something missing from her diet, or that she's eating them to ease stomach pain?
The only harm the species can cause is to your grass/plants when they're larvae, at that stage they chew up roots.
. Also, Iris is eating so many of them that she might actually reduce their numbers.
