Nomenclature of long-legged bugs

[jsc1953]

A little survey on regional vocabulary.

(A) What do you call this flying thing?

(B) What do you call this spider?

[jsc1953]

My answers:

(a) Galleynipper

(b) Daddy Long-legs

[Colibri]

1. In New York City when I was growing up, those things were commonly called “New Jersey Mosquitoes” (really). It’s actually a Crane Fly.

2. Daddy-Long-Legs.

[panache45]

Neither is a “bug.”

[jsc1953]

@panache45

Neither is a “bug.”

Pedant.

And one is not an insect.

[Balance]

1. Galleynapper

2. Daddy long-legs

[gotpasswords]

I’ve heard the top one called a mosquito or skeeter eater.

Daddy long-legs for the spider.

[Pork_Rind]

Crane fly and Daddy long-legs, respectively.

[jsc1953]

I brought this up because my wife called the fly a daddy long-legs, when everybody knows that name is reserved for the spider. And I’m glad to have found a fellow gallynapper; I thought I was the only one.

[Colibri]

@panache45

Neither is a “bug.”

Yes they are.

From Merriam-Webster:

bug
noun

1a : an insect or other creeping or crawling invertebrate (as a spider or centipede)
b : any of several insects (as the bedbug or cockroach) commonly considered obnoxious
c : any of an order (Hemiptera and especially its suborder Heteroptera) of insects that have sucking mouthparts, forewings thickened at the base, and incomplete metamorphosis and are often economic pests —called also true bug

Bolding mine. The original meaning of “bug” is any small crawling animal. Just because scientists later applied it to one particular group of insects doesn’t make the original sense obsolete. “Bug” is perfectly correct in popular usage.

[Colibri]

@jsc1953

I brought this up because my wife called the fly a daddy long-legs, when everybody knows that name is reserved for the spider. And I’m glad to have found a fellow gallynapper; I thought I was the only one.

Actually, in some places Crane Flies are called Daddy Long-Legs.

And there are two kinds of arachnids that are called Daddy Long-Legs; the spider you linked to and Harvestmen, or opiliones, which have only one body unit. (Spiders have a cephalothorax and abdomen.)

[Filbert]

In England:

A)Daddy-long-legs (also known as crane fly, but not as common locally )
B) Daddy-long-legs spider.

[burpo_the_wonder_mutt]

@Colibri

Actually, in some places Crane Flies are called Daddy Long-Legs.

And there are two kinds of arachnids that are called Daddy Long-Legs; the spider you linked to and Harvestmen, or opiliones, which have only one body unit. (Spiders have a cephalothorax and abdomen.)

Thanks for the ultra-large pic of that eight-legged horror, Colibri; sweet dreams to you, too.

[wolfman]

1. 'Skeeter eater
2. Daddy long legs

[Colibri]

@burpo_the_wonder_mutt

Thanks for the ultra-large pic of that eight-legged horror, Colibri; sweet dreams to you, too.

When I was a kid this diorama of a magnified view of the forest floor at the American Museum of Natural History was one of my favorite exhibits. The Daddy Long-Legs was about two feet tall.

[burpo_the_wonder_mutt]

@Colibri

When I was a kid this diorama of a magnified view of the forest floor at the American Museum of Natural History was one of my favorite exhibits. The Daddy Long-Legs was about two feet tall.

Is it true that in one acre of ground, there are 1,000,000 spiders? Pull no punches.

[rsat3acr]

mosquito hawk

daddy long legs-which is a harvestmen not a spider

[StarvingButStrong]

1. Mosquito hawk

2. Daddy Long-Legs

[Cub_Mistress]

A: Mayfly
B: Daddy Long Legs

[Eyebrows_0f_Doom]

1. Big mosquito
2. Daddy long legs