Colloquial name for the dragonfly or the crane fly, depending on your colloquy; also a nickname of the Mississippi Kite, a raptor prevalent in the southern U.S. Crane flies look rather like giant mosquitos. Contrary to popular myth, they do not prey on mosquitos; many species don't eat at all in their adult lives, and those that do, feed on nectar.

Environmental educators and camp counselors alike have taken to calling the non-blood sucking members of the family Tipulidae by the name "mosquito hawk" in order to convince their young charges that the ubiquitous long legged, long winged insects hovering over their bunk beds are not mosquitoes, so there's really no need to unload an entire can of mosquito repellent in this stuffy cabin. "In fact," you tell them, "Leave them alone so they can hunt down the mosquitoes and eat them." Yes, it's a lie, we know the crane fly is a pollinator, but we're looking out for everyone's health, and we're tired of breathing DEET.

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