The Pleistocene glaciations significantly altered the landscape by creating valleys, bogs, marshes and lakes. A phenomenon called lake succession occurred in many regions, processes where lakes develop floating mats of sphagnum moss that eventually become bog and later became land-Peat mires.  Besides affecting the distribution of plants, the Pleistocene glaciations significantly altered the genetic diversity and distribution of the crane fly fauna. There are over 14,000 species of crane flies that comprise four families, Tanyderidae, Ptychopteridae, Rhyphidae, and Tipulidae [1]. Many are yet to be described. The family Tipulidae, commonly called crane flies or daddy long legs frequently lives in sphagnum moss and peat bogs [2,3,4]. The family is the largest of the families of crane flies and divided into three subfamilies, Limnobiinae, Cylindrotominae and Tipulinae.  Tipulidae are found world wide only being restricted by extreme cold and heat [1]. Greater numbers and species richness are associated in temperate regions of both the northern and southern hemisphere [5,6]. They are frequently found in forest, swamps, lakes, marshes and meadows and occupy large areas that were once covered with continental ice sheet. The Pleistocene glaciations provided a uniform biotope, which aided in the dispersion of this family. Even though today, crane flies are prohibited by physical barriers such as mountain ranges, deserts, and straits of water [7]. The holometabolous life cycle of crane flies has limited the knowledge of habitat distribution but soil moisture, organic content, air movement and evaporation rate are the main factors effecting their distribution [8] The crane fly resembles overgrown mosquitoes with a slender body and fragile long legs. Adult crane flies are mainly found in damp environments.  The crane fly life cycle consist of four stages, egg, larval stage (commonly called leather jackets), pupal, and adult.  The immature stages are terrestrial to semi aquatic.  They inhabit fresh water, brackish waters, and moist leaf litter, rotting logs, wet mosses, mud, sand, rich organic earth and decaying plant material [5]. The rate of decaying matter is of particular importance to the developing immature.  The immature stages are particularly prone to desiccation and are dependent on moisture from their habitat in order to survive. In fact, models have been developed to predict the crane fly population based on soil temperature and soil moisture [9]. Besides desiccation, larvae are killed by other environmental conditions such as raising or lowering water levels, changes in temperature, mineral contents and changes in pH of the water [10].  Prolonged drought decreases populations [4]. Many adult species are nocturnal, and require a low evaporation rate for survival.  Shade and high humidity is provided by a variety of conditions [11]. The rain and wind can also reduce adult populations [12]. The larvae and the adult occupy very different niches.  The longer-lived immature stage requires a stable moist environment rich in organic matter. The short-lived adult requires suitable conditions that are conducive with flying.  Therefore, environmental conditions affect the stages differently.