Tipula livida

Quite a large cranefly, the male is much yellower than the female.  There is a bold wing stigma and often a dark dorsal stripe.

In view of the rarity of this species in VC55 records should be supported by an image and the specimen should be retained in case it is needed to confirm the record.

The fly occurs in woodlands or heathland besides clumps of trees.

British records that we have seen seem to run from May to late July though the flight period may be longer. 

The whitish larva has been reared from damp soil and detritus in woodland, and has also been found in soil under Dog's Mercury.

Infrequent in Britain, records are widely, but sparsely dispersed in southern England extending as far north as Yorkshire and into North Wales, with about a dozen known widely scattered post 1960 sites. This species was first discovered in Britain in the 1950s.

Rare or rarely recorded in Leicestershire and Rutland. The Sapcote record of 24th July 2019 is believed to be the first record of this species in VC55.