Flies are weird creatures. They are attracted pretty much to everything: food, socks, dead body, hot girls... you name it! I once had enough curiosity to take a closer look at a fly hovering around my meal in the cafeteria. It was actually cleaning itself with its hands/appendages. What a neat creature! (still nasty for me)
Then I wondered: How do females pick the best male out there? Based on which criteria? "they all look the same for me!" A new kind of flies was discovered in the UAE near Dubai. What is interesting about this fly is that it looks weird. Scientists realized that the fly with the uncommon pattern and looks had the advantage for mating and being picked and preferred by females. (And they say Men are visual beings!). One might ask what do I mean by weird? the fly had a detailed picture of an ant carved on their wings (that's so attractive!, maybe not!)-see picture below- . "Each wing carries a precisely detailed image of an ant-like insect, complete with six legs, two antennae, a head, thorax and tapered abdomen"
Then scientists realized that flies having this pattern on their wings are less likely to be devoured by predators. "When threatened, the fly flashes its wings to give the appearance of ants walking back and forth. The predator gets confused and the fly zips off". What do you think? Could evolution alter the hideous looks of insect to become aesthetically acceptable?
But the question is how the ant got carved to their wings? The question that no scientist was able to answer! What are your suggestions?
I read about this fly earlier in the week, it's a really cool creature. What's really interesting is that many times when a male has an overdramatic physical appearance, it usually increases the chances to be preyed on. For Goniurellia tridens, it uses the wings as a defense mechanism and mating tool.
ReplyDeleteOverdramatic! What are suggesting here? that we men are overdramatic? (just kidding). Yea that is a bit unorthodox because having these carvings should in theory make them prone to scavenging...
DeleteWow this is crazy! I cannot think of a way that the ants were carved into the wings either! I would definitely be interested in hearing more about this study since it is so unique.
ReplyDeleteWeird! It's a great defense mechanism, but I can't think of a way that the ant would have been designed into the wing. It's a specific design and doesn't follow any typical designs found in nature. Personally, it's not attractive, it's like there are three bugs when it's really only one. Gross!
ReplyDeleteHahah, I have no problem with any bug (except for roaches). But my theory here: flies are equipped with this intricate visual system, thats why they buzz off quickly when we try kill them. anyways using this system they might have recorded the shape of the ants and used that for their own benefits!
DeleteWOW! That is amazing! It is an actual picture on their wing. I too have no idea how it was done but I do question how do the baby flies look. Are there miniature ants on their wings or does this picture of sorts develop later on in their adult life?!
ReplyDeleteI have no idea to be honest, but I understand where you are going. Maybe you have the dalmatian dogs in mind, developing spots later in their adult life.
DeleteI've got an idea, but it's not a good one. So two ants walk into a fly... naw just kidding. Yeah, that is amazing. Perhaps, and I'm serious here, if ants themselves were carved into life (metaphorically speaking), then perhaps one of the mechanisms for the shape they take in life actually occurred in this species' wings.
ReplyDeleteHummm, Yea maybe your theory is correct. Your first theory is also acceptable maybe ants just simply walked on their wings and for some unknown reason "registered" their shapes on their wings.
DeleteI have no idea how they got these ant pictures on their wings, but this is awesome!
ReplyDeleteMy only irrational guess would be that the flies go get them tattooed on their wings as the new cool thing to do. :]]
Hahahaha. Looks that you like tattoos! sounds like a plausible non scientific explanation!
ReplyDelete