Tiger Cranefly - Nephrotoma flavescens
Length about 18 mm. This cranefly has a yellow and black thorax and yellow abdomen with a thin and normally broken black stripe down the centre. It also has a black 'ace of spades' mark on the back of its head.
Nephrotoma appendiculata has a broader and usually continuous black stripe along the top of the abdomen. N. appendiculata also has a dark horse-shoe mark on the side of the thorax, between the wing base and the haltere, which is missing in N. flavescens.
Hedgerows, verges and grassy places.
April to August.
Adults take nectar and pollen from flowers such as Hogweed. Their larvae are virtually indistinguishable from small Tipula leather-jacket grubs.
Common and widespread in Britain.
Fairly frequent in Leicestershire and Rutland.
 Field near Granitethorpe Quarry Sapcote SP 4939 9374 (taken 22.6.2009).JPG)
Graham CalowSapcote22 June 2009
David NichollsRatby garden03 July 2011
Graham CalowSapcote garden118 June 2013
David NichollsCloud Wood07 July 2012
David NichollsCloud Wood24 June 2011
David NichollsRatby garden23 June 2016
Barbara CooperLong Clawson24 June 2020
 Field near Granitethorpe Quarry Sapcote SP 4939 9374 (taken 22.6.2009).JPG)
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Mike HiggottAnstey garden26 June 2014
Barbara CooperLong Clawson24 June 2020 Donkey Lane Sapcote SP 4858 9298 (taken 14.6.2009).JPG)
Graham CalowSapcote14 June 2009
David NichollsNature Alive, Coalville12 July 2012
David NichollsCloud Wood07 July 2012
David NichollsBloody Oaks02 July 2015
David NichollsBloody Oaks Quarry08 July 2016
Mike HiggottAnstey garden13 July 2019
egatenThurlaston garden06 July 2015
Paul RuddochMelton Mowbray Country Park28 June 2014
Dave GamblePriory Water25 June 2006
 Donkey Lane Sapcote SP 4858 9298 (taken 14.6.2009).JPG)
