WATCH: Notts TV’s Kate Chaplin goes on the hunt for invading Daddy long-legs

Beware the invasion! Nottingham is currently playing host to thousands of flying insects this autumn. This comes after experts warned that almost 200 billion daddy long-legs were expected to hatch.

Video: Why are there so many daddy long legs in Notts? Kate Chaplin finds out

The expected infestation of the bugs, also known as crane flies are believed to have benefitted from the hot weather and the optimum amount of rain in order for them to grow.

With temperatures as high as 30°c this week, the daddy long-legs have found Nottingham as an ideal location to live and grow as Notts TV’s Kate Chaplin found out when she went bug-hunting with insect expert Chris Terrell-Nield from Nottingham Trent University at Bunny Wood.

Chris said: “It’s the time of the year you see. They are all coming out to mate, they mate and then they don’t live very long at all.

“They lay their eggs and then they die so a short, brief invasion or incursion would be a better description.

The NTU professor said that a lack of predators for the creepy crawlies may be effecting the number as well.

He said: “It’s a combination of the weather conditions and possibly a decrease in the number of bird predators that eat the leather-jackets on your lawn. Things like starling for example, they are less common than they used to be.”

Crane flies are not dangerous. They are unable to bite or sting and can be approached without fear.

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