What do you say a 'daddy long-legs' is?

[billyskank]

Poll question: What do you say a 'daddy long-legs' is?

I say it is this, a cranefly:



But I know some people who say it is this, what I call a harvestman:



What do you say it is?

[billyskank]

1. I'm expecting harvestman to win

I have this theory that Americans say a daddy long-legs is a harvestman, while the term is generally used in Britain for the cranefly.

[anarch]

15. I believe your theory is correct n/t

[SIU_Blue]

2. hmmm,

I never heard of the cranefly being called a daddy-long-legs. I had no idea this was a controversy!

:shrug:

[billyskank]

3. Hmm. While only one person thinks it is a cranefly

I would say it is not very much of a controversy! :)

[El Fuego]

4. I think it can be both

The second being called a daddy long legs spider.

http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/spider/pholcus1.html

[billyskank]

5. Your link suggested that there are at least THREE creatures

that may sometimes be called "daddy long-legs!" :crazy:

[supernova]

6. The bottom one

is a daddy longlegs in the south.

The top one looks like a kind of dragonfly or a very large mosquito to me.

"Harvestman" is a new expression to me. :hi: Cute.

[billyskank]

7. It's certainly no dragonfly

Dragonflies have their two pairs of wings fused together, whilst craneflies have one of their pairs of wings reduced to dumb-bells which help them keep balance in the air, just as all true flies do. This is what makes them such accomplished aeronauts. Flies are quite advanced flying insects, whereas dragonflies are very ancient.

I certainly wouldn't like to see a mosquito that size. Craneflies have legspans of a couple of inches. :scared:

[supernova]

9. OT: I get the biggest kick

out of your little guitar player smilie. :D He's just sooooo into it. B-)

[billyskank]

10. You can thank JimmyJazz for him

It was she who gave him to us. I am now his keeper. :)

[supernova]

12. Ha! He's playing along to "Lust for Life" now

:rofl:

[petronius]

8. A crane fly is a 'mosquitohawk' where I come from...(nt)

[DawgHouse]

17. yes, it's a mosquitohawk. NT

[In_The_Wind]

11. I've never heard of a Cranefly being called a daddy long-legs.

so you can guess how I voted ...

[billyskank]

13. I'm pretty sure now it's only a Brit thing.

Where is tjwmason to back me up!

[In_The_Wind]

14. see there ~ billyskank ...

you are increasing my international knowledge of trivial facts ...

interesting, but trivial

[caty]

16. I must be really

ignorant when it comes to "spiderology". I've really never heard them called anything else, other than "daddy long legs".:shrug:

[caty]

18. Also---

has anyone heard that a daddy long legs is supposed to be the most poisonous spider, but can't do any harm because it's fangs are too short? This post reminded me to check it out. It's a myth.

http://spiders.ucr.edu/daddylonglegs.html

[ZombieNixon]

19. A "daddy-long-legs" is

a long-legged creepy thing I wouldn't want to share a bathtub with!