A PLAGUE of daddy-long-legs has hit Oxfordshire this year.

The wet end to this year's hot summer created the perfect conditions for record numbers of the spindly creatures, known as Crane Flies, to emerge through soft soil.

But Oxford University insect expert Dr George McGavin says people should not be afraid of the insects, which carry no venom and only live for up to 48 hours.

In fact the entomologist, who has studied insects at The Natural History Museum in Parks Road for 24 years, ate a daddy-long-legs when The Oxford Times visited him, just to prove how harmless the creatures are.

He said: "I am absolutely amazed at how adults are terrified by these things. They are completely harmless and I don't really know what the fuss is about.

"If you don't want them coming into your room, close the window. If you don't want them buzzing around by your lights, turn the lights off."

The life of an adult crane fly is just long enough for them to mate and for the female to lay her eggs. Four to five days later the eggs hatch and the larvae wriggle into the soil.

They remain there for ten months feeding on grass roots before finally emerging from late August onwards.

Dr McGavin added: "There are about 300 species of Crane Fly in Britain. The adults have a few days of rampant nookie and then they die.

"Often the female decides during copulation that she does not want to carry on and flies off dragging the male with her by his most sensitive parts."