Content:
- Cool Fly Fact 1 – Flies and their Social Life
- Cool Fly Fact 2 – Fly Milk as a Protein Supplement?
- Cool Fly Fact 3 – Flies and Sounds
- Cool Fly Fact 4 – Flies are Older More than 50 Million Years?
- Cool Fly Fact 5 – Flies Taste with Feet
- Cool Fly Fact 6 – Most Adaptable Creatures on Earth
- Cool Fly Fact 7 – Super Visual Ability
- Summary
Hey, did you know that flies have a complex social life? Or that they can see ultraviolet light? Learn all about the seven coolest facts about flies in this blog post. You may be surprised by how interesting these little creatures really are!
The word fly comes from the Old English word “fla”, which means “to crawl.” Flies are such a common pest that they have been given names by all cultures, including “mosquito” in Spanish and “mouche” in French. There are about 240 different species of flies found on every continent except Antarctica.
Flies are incredibly important for the environment. They help to break down dead animals and plants, which helps to recycle nutrients back into the soil. In fact, flies are so important that they’re often called “the garbage men of the animal kingdom”.
Cool Fly Fact 1 – Flies and their Social Life
Flies have a complex social life that involves communication, cooperation, and conflict.
For example, when a fly finds food, it will communicate its location to other flies by making a noise called a “tseet”. Flies also cooperate with each other to build nests out of their saliva.
However, flies will also compete with each other for food and mates.
In general, flies are very social creatures that rely on communication and cooperation to survive.
Cool Fact 2 – Fly Milk as a Protein Supplement?
It’s hard to believe that people used to drink something as disgusting as fly milk.
In the 1900s, some people were convinced of its benefits and regularly consumed it.
Fly milk is the name given to the protein-rich liquid that female flies secrete to feed their young. It was once considered a viable form of protein supplement, but it has since been proven to be unhealthy and potentially dangerous.
It might sound like nonsense now, but at one point in time, this was an accepted form of nutrition! Who knows, maybe there’s some truth to it after all. We’ll never know for sure, but one thing is for sure – drinking fly milk is definitely not something that we do anymore!
Cool Fact 3 – Flies and Sounds
Flies have been known to produce sounds that are too high for the human ear to hear. These ultrasonic noises can be used by flies as communication, allowing them to keep track of each other in swarms or colonies such as hives.
A group of honeybees will make about five distinct types of ultrasonic sounds to communicate with other honeybees.
Flies produce sound by rubbing their wings together. The fly’s body acts as a resonator, amplifying the sound. Some species of flies can make a high-pitched noise that is so loud it can be heard up to three feet away.
This noise used to communicate with other flies sometimes is used even to scare away predators. Flies can also produce a low-pitched hum that is difficult to hear. This noise is used to attract mates.
Cool Fact 4 – Flies are Older More than 50 Million Years?
The oldest fly fossil ever discovered was preserved in amber that originated from the early Eocene period. This fossil is over 50 million years old, and it provides valuable information about the early evolution of flies. It was discovered in Burma in 2003.
In ancient Egypt, flies were considered sacred. The goddess Serket was often depicted as a woman with the head of a fly. They also used to keep live flies in the chambers of their mummies so that they could use them later on during life after death – this is known as using “the souls of the dead”.
Moreover, flies were used as ornaments and jewelry.
Cool Fact 5 – Flies Taste with Feet!
Believe it or not, flies have taste receptors on their feet! This means that they can taste what they’re walking on. For example, if a fly walks on sugar, it will be able to taste the sugar. This also helps the fly find food sources. Pretty cool, right?
In addition to tasting with their feet, fruit flies have taste receptors all over their bodies. Two other facts:
– Flies don’t like the smell of banana or vanilla extract. This is because these scents contain alcohol and aldehyde molecules that can be detected by the fruit fly’s antennae as well as its feet.* Alcohol tastes bad to us too!
– Flies can also tell the difference between sweet and sour foods. This is because they have receptors on their tongues that detect these flavors. (source: How Stuff Works)
The study of flies’ feet is exciting because it could help us to understand how flies taste different foods and find their way around. It may also lead to new ways of controlling flies, for example by using strong-tasting substances to confuse their sense of taste.
In the meantime, next time you see a fly crawling on the ground, remember that it’s not just sniffing out food – it’s tasting it too!
Cool Fact 6 – Most Adaptable Creatures on Earth
Flies have evolved into some of the most versatile animals on the planet. They can live in almost any environment, and they are able to quickly adapt to changes in their surroundings.
They live everywhere on Earth except the frigid polar regions and high mountain ranges where it gets too cold for them. Can be found at elevations of up to 13,000 feet above sea level. Some species have even adapted to living underwater.
One is the fact that they can fly, which gives them mobility and allows them to reach new habitats where other species cannot go. Their ability to move around also protects their young from predators as well as allows adults to escape danger when needed. In addition, flies can quickly move to areas of food or safety when they need it.
Flies have a number of features that allow them to adapt well to changes in their surroundings, including the fact that there are many different species of flies and all can survive under a wide range of conditions. Some fly species spend most of their lives as larvae, which gives them a head start in adapting to new environments. And flies can also quickly change their behavior and genes in response to changes in their environment, which helps them to survive.
All of these adaptations have helped flies become one of the most successful creatures on Earth. They are able to thrive in almost any climate or habitat, and they can quickly adapt to changes in their environment. This makes them an important part of the ecosystem and a creature that we cannot live without.
In fact, flies can even live without the head! This makes them also one of the most resilient creatures on Earth.
Cool Fact 7 – Super Visual Ability
Flies are able to see ultraviolet light, which is invisible to humans. This allows them to detect food sources that we cannot see, such as rotting meat or fermenting fruit. They also use it for navigation; the patterns of UV light can help them find their way home from long distances.
Ultraviolet vision is also useful for insects when they need to identify members of their species visually (such as during mating).
This makes them very useful for scientists, who can use them to study things that are hidden from view.
For example, flies can be used to study the patterns of blood vessels in the human eye. By studying how different wavelengths of light affect the fly’s vision, scientists can learn more about how human vision works.
Summary
Flies are a fascinating species of insect as diverse in the animal kingdom as they come, and it’s not surprising to learn that there is still much we don’t know about them. In this article, we’ve covered 7 cool facts you may not have known about these flying insects – we hope you enjoyed learning more!
The next time you see a fly buzzing around your house, remember that it is an incredibly fascinating creature with a rich history! Stay tuned for more amazing facts about these amazing creatures.
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