Crane flies are insects in the family Tipulidae. Adults are very slender, long-legged flies that may vary in length from 2–60 millimeters. Numerous other common names have been applied to the crane fly, many of them more or less regional, including mosquito hawk, mosquito eater, skeeter eater, gallinipper, and gollywhopper. At least 4256 species of crane flies have been described.
Mauna Loa's most recent eruption occurred from 24 March 1984, to 15 April 1984. No recent eruptions of the volcano have caused fatalities, but eruptions in 1926 and 1950 destroyed villages, and the city of Hilo is partly built on lava flows from the late 19th century. In view of the hazards it poses to population centers, Mauna Loa is part of the Decade Volcanoes program, which encourages studies of the most dangerous volcanoes. Mauna Loa has been intensively monitored by the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory since 1912. Observations of the atmosphere are undertaken at the Mauna Loa Observatory, and of the Sun at the Mauna Loa Solar Observatory, both located near its summit. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park covers the summit and the southeastern flank of the volcano, including a separate volcano, Kilauea.
Mauna Loa is the largest volcano on Earth in terms of volume and area covered and one of five volcanoes that form the Island of Hawaii in the U.S. state of Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean. It is an active shield volcano, with a volume estimated at approximately 18,000 cubic miles.
