It Is Rather Interesting About Flies

A large number of people hate flies and think that there can’t be anything that is interesting about them. However, there are several things that make flies rather interesting. For example:

* Many plants are pollinated by flies.

* Dragonflies aren’t true flies. However, at one time they grew huge. Fossils have been found of dragonflies that had a wingspan of about three feet. Although dragonflies have been around since the age of the dinosaurs, adult dragonflies only live about 1 day.

* Although dragonflies might not be true flies, mosquitoes are true flies. Mosquitoes are also found from the tropics to the Arctic Circle, from lowlands to mountains, and on every continent except Antarctica. Many other creatures subsist mostly or completely on mosquitoes, though. If it was possible to kill all the mosquitoes on Earth, many animal species would die out from starvation and become extinct.

* The average lifespan of houseflies is one month. Of course, that is unless they meet an untimely demise, splattered all over a fly swatter.

* Houseflies taste with their feet.

* All true fly adults have two pairs of wings, but only one pair is large enough to easily see. The second pair are rudimentary stubs that act as counter-balances for the larger wings.

* Some species of aphids can fly, but they aren’t true flies. However, aphids are interesting in their own right. Except for in the last brood each year, all aphids are females. They also reproduce so quickly that they are born pregnant. They are “born”, too. Aphids give live birth, except in the very last brood; the one that has males, too. The males mate with females and the females then lay eggs that can survive the winter. These hatch into pregnant females.

* Some flies are capable of seeing infrared and ultraviolet, beyond the range that humans can see. In this regard, they have better eyesight that people do. Because of the many lenses and the placement of the eyes, they can also see 360 degrees in every direction around them at all times. 

* When houseflies rub their front pair of feet together, they are actually tasting what they landed on.

Now you might know a bit more about flies than you did, even if you don’t find this interesting. Personally, I’m constantly amazed at the wonders that God put on Earth and feel that even flies are interesting in many ways.