Daddy long legs season is upon us - and residents across Essex are already starting to spot the flighty friends in their homes. 

And earlier this week Essex cleaning influencer Mrs Hinch shared how she had found up to 32 daddy long legs in her home. 

The end of September is the time of year where the crane flies come into our homes to keep warm and look for a mate.

And while they might appear to overstay their welcome, they won't be around for that long. 

The average Daddy long legs only lives for ten to 15 days.

The little critters are attracted to light so, to prevent them scuttling in at night it is best to keep windows closed.

It is strongly advised not to kill these creatures as their numbers are in decline and they provide essential food for a number of British bird species.

What is a daddy long legs?

The daddy longlegs is actually a large type of cranefly, of which there are 94 species in the UK. 

The Wildlife Trusts say it is an urban myth that daddy longlegs are venomous.

It's true that they cannot bite, but the venomous rumour is likely to have been due to its confusion with certain species of spiders.

The adults are on the wing during the late summer and are common in gardens and fields, often coming indoors.

They rarely feed at this time, concentrating on mating and laying their eggs among the grass.