Crane Flies (Tipulidae) are delicate insects varying in size from ¼ inch to as large as 1½ inches in length. The largest crane flies are sometimes called "daddy-long-legs", "gully nippers", or "mosquito hawks". However, they do not bite people and they do not eat mosquitoes. Some species of crane flies emerge from aquatic sources and others from terrestrial or decaying vegetation sources. Crane flies are not predacious and usually many times larger than a typical mosquito. Adults are strongly attracted to porch lights. The larvae live in loose soil or organic matter and feed on the roots of plants. 

Midges (Chironomidae) are the most wide spread and numerous insects resembling mosquitoes. Adult Midges are commonly observed flying in swarms or "clouds", or are seen resting on fences, walls, under eaves and in protected areas such as porches and entryways. Individual adults will live about seven days depending upon the species and weather conditions. The larvae develop in sources having extensive areas of standing water.

Chironomid midges develop in moist soil, lakes and slow moving rivers. The larvae scavenge decaying organic matter, feed on algae and other phytoplankton and the midges themselves can be an important part of the diet of fish. Although adults may emerge and be found during almost any time during the warmer seasons, emergences are often fairly synchronized, apparently being triggered by changes in weather patterns.

What attracts attention are the towering mating swarms that many midges produce. These form over some prominent point or conspicuous, usually light-colored object. This may include automobiles, a piece of lawn or porch furniture, or even a human. These mating swarms are made up almost entirely of the males. When the wingbeat frequency of approaching females is detected, a few will dart out to meet and mate with her. Because of the sensitivity of the swarming males to sound you can often see erratic changes in the swarm pattern in response to sounds such as a handclap or even spoken word.

Dixid Midges (Dixidae) are common around moist areas where vegetation is abundant and may be seen swarming at dusk along the edges of streams and lakes. The adults are short lived, usually being active less than a week. The larvae are found in slow moving water, at the surface, and swim in a characteristic "U" shape. These midges lack a proboscis and scales on the wings. Periodically, dixids can produce staggeringly large emergences, but only in local and certain ecological situations.

Fungus Gnats (Sciaridae) are small (about ¼ inch long), black flies commonly found around decaying vegetation. They have large wings and long antennae, but they are weak flyers and do not move far from the breeding site.

Fungus gnats occasionally become a nuisance indoors when adults emerge in large numbers as mosquito-like insects from potted plants or flower boxes containing damp soil rich in humus. Adults are attracted to lights and are often first noticed at windows. In the household, fungus gnats are usually found around potted plants, because both the adult fly and the larvae require a humid environment. The larvae can complete their development by feeding on the wet and decaying organic matter in potting soil. The lifecycle may be completed in about 10 days, and the adults may live about 2 weeks.

Dance Flies (Empididae) appear like mosquitoes by the way they swarm in sunlit areas in backyards and other sheltered situations. The vertical movements of the swarming adults gives them their common name. Several of the Empis species are "balloon makers." That is, the male flies capture an insect and enclose it in a frothy bag that they carry as a lure to entice the female to mate. Some species dispense with the froth, capturing and displaying live flies in front of females as a preface to courtship. Others trick their intended with an empty ball of silk. Larvae are usually found in rich, moist soil, decaying vegetable matter and in aquatic associations, or under the bark of trees.

Wood Gnats (Anisopodidae) are some of the better known gnats, for they are attracted to light and can be found near windows, especially in spring time. The adults can be found all year long, though. The larvae live in rotting plants and rotting plant parts, fermenting sap, animal manure, tree trunks, mud and sometimes sewage. Adults are found on foliage in or near damp places, some are found around flowing sap. They are sometimes seen in small swarms. Adults appear in two variations: greyish black or reddish.