crane fly
noun
: any of a family (Tipulidae) of long-legged slender dipteran flies that resemble large mosquitoes but do not bite
Examples of crane fly in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Blooming flowers will provide natural nectar sources, but hummingbirds primarily eat bugs, including an assortment of gnats, mosquitoes, crane flies, midges and spiders.
—
Ernie Cowan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Apr. 2026
Despite their colloquial name, crane flies have nothing to do with mosquitoes.
—Dale Denwalt, Oklahoman, 9 Mar. 2026
Bernardo Silva hooked a short clearance to Rayan Cherki, who, from just inside his own half and with the goal unprotected at the far end, released a shot of which an anaemic crane fly would have been proud.
—Simon Hughes, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2026
Pest Problems The environment created by a layer of wet leaves is ideal for lawn pests such as mole crickets, crane flies, and armyworms to overwinter in Southern lawns.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 30 Oct. 2025
Illustrations of a crane fly and an owl show real skill.
—Danny Robb, JSTOR Daily, 2 May 2025
Another flying pest that resembles the mosquito is the crane fly, also called mosquito hawks.
—Caralin Nunes, The Arizona Republic, 16 Mar. 2024
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Ernie Cowan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Apr. 2026
Despite their colloquial name, crane flies have nothing to do with mosquitoes.
—Dale Denwalt, Oklahoman, 9 Mar. 2026
Bernardo Silva hooked a short clearance to Rayan Cherki, who, from just inside his own half and with the goal unprotected at the far end, released a shot of which an anaemic crane fly would have been proud.
—Simon Hughes, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2026
Pest Problems The environment created by a layer of wet leaves is ideal for lawn pests such as mole crickets, crane flies, and armyworms to overwinter in Southern lawns.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 30 Oct. 2025
Illustrations of a crane fly and an owl show real skill.
—Danny Robb, JSTOR Daily, 2 May 2025
Another flying pest that resembles the mosquito is the crane fly, also called mosquito hawks.
—Caralin Nunes, The Arizona Republic, 16 Mar. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Crane fly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crane%20fly. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
