crane fly

crane fly
crane-fly, adj.
any of numerous nonbiting insects constituting the family Tipulidae, inhabiting damp areas and resembling a large mosquito with extremely long legs.
[1650-60]

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Harmless, slow-flying dipteran (family Tipulidae) usually found around water or abundant vegetation.

It ranges in size from tiny to slightly over 1 in. (2.5 cm) long. Larvae of the range crane fly (Tipula simplex) are called leatherjackets because of their tough brown skin. In northern latitudes a wingless crane-fly species is found on snow. The crane fly is also called daddy longlegs in English-speaking countries other than the U.S. (in the U.S., daddy longlegs refers to an arachnid).

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insect
also called  daddy longlegs 
  any insect of the family Tipulidae (order Diptera). In English-speaking countries other than the United States, the crane fly is popularly called daddy longlegs because it has a slender, mosquito-like body and extremely long legs. (In the United States, “daddy longlegs” generally refers to an arachnid.) Ranging in size from tiny to almost 3 cm (1.2 inches) long, these harmless, slow-flying insects are usually found around water or among abundant vegetation. The best-known species, the range crane fly (Tipula simplex), deposits its small black eggs in damp areas. Each egg hatches into a long slender larva, called a leatherjacket because of its tough brown skin. The larvae usually feed on decaying plant tissue; some species are carnivorous, and others damage the roots of cereal and grass crops. The larvae feed all winter, then enter a resting stage in the spring. The adult feeding habits are not yet known. In northern latitudes a species of slow-crawling, wingless crane fly is found on snow.

      Related to the Tipulidae are the primitive crane flies, Tanyderidae; the phantom crane flies, Ptychopteridae; and the winter gnats, or winter crane flies, Trichoceridae. These families closely resemble the Tipulidae, but the insects are smaller in size.

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Crane fly — Nephrotoma (spotted crane fly) …   Wikipedia

  • Crane fly — Crane Crane (kr[=a]n), n. [AS. cran; akin to D. & LG. craan, G. kranich, krahn (this in sense 2), Gr. ge ranos, L. grus, W. & Armor. garan, OSlav. zerav[i^], Lith. gerve, Icel. trani, Sw. trana, Dan. trane. [root]24. Cf. {Geranium}.] 1. (Zo[… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • crane fly — plural crane flies n BrE a flying insect with long legs = ↑daddy longlegs …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • crane fly — ► NOUN ▪ a slender two winged fly with very long legs; a daddy long legs …   English terms dictionary

  • crane fly — crane ,fly noun count a flying insect with very long legs …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • crane fly — crane′ fly n. ent any of numerous nonbiting insects constituting the family Tipulidae, resembling a large mosquito with long legs …   From formal English to slang

  • crane fly — n. any of a family (Tipulidae) of slender, mosquitolike dipterous flies with long legs …   English World dictionary

  • crane fly — noun long legged slender flies that resemble large mosquitoes but do not bite • Syn: ↑daddy longlegs • Hypernyms: ↑dipterous insect, ↑two winged insects, ↑dipteran, ↑dipteron • Member Holonyms: ↑ …   Useful english dictionary

  • crane fly — UK / US noun [countable] Word forms crane fly : singular crane fly plural crane flies a flying insect with very long legs …   English dictionary

  • crane fly — fly with thin long legs that resembles mosquito but does not sting …   English contemporary dictionary

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