What is "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["o]l.) A wading bird of the genus Grus, and allied genera, of various species, having a long, straight bill, and long legs and neck.

   Note: The common European crane is Grus cinerea. The sand-hill crane ( Grus Mexicana) and the whooping crane ( Grus Americana) are large American species. The Balearic or crowned crane is Balearica pavonina. The name is sometimes erroneously applied to the herons and cormorants.

2. Any arm which swings about a vertical axis at one end, used for supporting a suspended weight.

3. A machine for raising and lowering heavy weights, and, while holding them suspended, transporting them through a limited lateral distance. In one form it consists of a projecting arm or jib of timber or iron, a rotating post or base, and the necessary tackle, windlass, etc.; -- so called from a fancied similarity between its arm and the neck of a crane See Illust. of Derrick.

4. An iron arm with horizontal motion, attached to the side or back of a fireplace, for supporting kettles, etc., over a fire.

5. A siphon, or bent pipe, for drawing liquors out of a cask.

6. (Naut.) A forked post or projecting bracket to support spars, etc., -- generally used in pairs. See Crotch, 2.

7. (Zo["o]l.) The American blue heron ( Ardea herodias).

   Crane fly (Zo["o]l.), a dipterous insect with long legs, of the genus Tipula.

   Derrick crane. See Derrick.

   Gigantic crane. (Zo["o]l.) See Adjutant, n., 3.

   Traveling crane, Traveler crane, Traversing crane (Mach.), a crane mounted on wheels; esp., an overhead crane consisting of a crab or other hoisting apparatus traveling on rails or beams fixed overhead, as in a machine shop or foundry.

   Water crane, a kind of hydrant with a long swinging spout, for filling locomotive tenders, water carts, etc., with water.

n. long-legged slender flies that resemble large mosquitoes but do not bite [syn: daddy longlegs]

Crane fly is a common name referring to any member of the insect family Tipulidae, of the order Diptera, true flies in the superfamily Tipuloidea. Cylindrotominae, Limoniinae, and Pediciinae have been ranked as subfamilies of Tipulidae by most authors, though occasionally elevated to family rank. In the most recent classifications, only Pediciidae is now ranked as a separate family, due to considerations of paraphyly. In colloquial speech the crane fly is sometimes known as daddy longlegs, a term also used to describe opiliones or the family Pholcidae, both of which are arachnids. The larvae of crane flies are known commonly as leatherjackets.

Crane flies are found worldwide, though individual species usually have limited ranges. They are most diverse in the tropics, and are also common in northern latitudes and high elevations.

The Tipulidae sensu lato is one of the largest groups of flies, including over 15,000 species and subspecies in 525 genera and subgenera. Most crane flies were described by the entomologist Charles Paul Alexander, a fly specialist, in over 1000 research publications.