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Leatherjackets are the larvae of crane flies, or daddy-longlegs. The female fly lays up to 300 eggs in the lawn in late-summer. These hatch after a couple of weeks into grey-black, legless larvae that have a tough, leathery skin, hence the name

A maggot, the larva of the cranefly or daddy-longlegs, which attacks the roots of many plants, including flowers, vegetables and pot plants. May also attack lawns, causing dead patches of grass to appear.

leatherjackets to the surface where they can be collectedBuild new compost bins to recycle garden waste

Monty Don's advice on planting summer cabbagesCombatting cabbage white caterpillarsTackling LeatherjacketsBrowse a variety of vegetable plantsChoose plants by soil type

summer cabbagesTackling cabbage white caterpillarsCombatting LeatherjacketsBrowse a selection of hardy perennial plants View plants by suitability to sun exposure

supports are firmly in placeTrim hedges to keep them neat and to control their sizeBlitz leatherjackets (cranefly larvae), found now on lawns, with a suitable insecticide or biological control

plants in our video from the Gardeners' World garden at Berryfields.courgettes, outdoor cucumbers, marrows, pumpkins, squashesearly summer Common problems affecting vegetable plantsPotato blightPea and bean weevilsCarrot root flyLeatherjackets

with the biological control Steinernema carpcapse.With heavy infestations, use an insecticide based on pyrethrum (only use once a season on crops).brassicas and nasturtiumsearly spring to autumnCommon problems when growing vegetablesLeatherjackets

anythingearly spring, summerMore common garden pestsLeatherjackets on lawns, brassicas, strawberries and ornamental plantsElephant hawk moth on fuschia plantsWhitefly on greenhouse plantsMullein moth - affecting verbascum, buddleja and figworts.

, try to prevent the problem by encouraging your dog to urinate in a designated area of the garden. lawnsall year roundCommon problems affecting lawnsMolesCommon daisyGreater plantainLeatherjacketsMoss