Insects: Native Species
Scientific name: Dicranomyia jacoba
Common name(s): Jacob’s Hawaiian Crane Fly
Status: Endemic
Habitat: Fine debris and low algal growths on wet rocks and waterfalls
Preferred Area of Stream: Riffles, waterfalls, cascades
Range in Hawai‘i: All main Hawaiian Islands
Diet: Seems to be fairly omnivorous and will eat decaying plant material, algae, and other aquatic insects
Predators: Spiders, dragonflies and damselflies, wasps, Saldid bugs, Microvelia vagans, long-legged aquatic flies, native and introduced fish
Fact: In Hawaiian streams, adult crane flies can often be found swarming in sheltered areas of large overhanging boulders next to the stream. Jacob’s Hawaiian crane fly makes a silken tube retreat on the surface of a boulder to provide protection, and will venture in and out of this shelter in search of food. |
