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· “This episode brought to you by Meow Mix Cat Food. The only one cats ask for by
name.”
INTRO---- HI GUYS I’M ALEX FARNHAM AND THIS IS ANIMALIST
NEWS! NEXT TIME YOU GO TO SWAT A FLY, PAUSE AND
TAKE A MOMENT TO THINK ABOUT HOW AMAZING THESE LITTLE GUYS ARE!
ONE SPECIES, THE BLUE BOTTLE FLY, CAN BE FOUND ACROSS THE GLOBE AND IS ONE OF THE MOST COMMON
HOUSEHOLD ANNOYANCES. ACCORDING TO RESEARCHERS IN THE PLOS BIOLOGY
JOURNAL, THESE PESTS ARE ACTUALLY SOME OF NATURE’S MOST COMPLEX FLYING MACHINES!
USING A COMBINATION OF POWER AND STEERING MUSCLES, FLIES ARE ABLE TO PERFORM COMPLEX
AERIAL MANEUVERS EVEN DURING STRONG WIND TURBULENCE. IN THE TIME IT TAKES FOR US TO BLINK OUR EYES,
A BLUE BOTTLENOSE FLY CAN FLAP ITS WINGS FIFTY TIMES!
NO WONDER THEY’RE SO GOOD AT AVOIDING A FLY SWATTER!
SURE, THEY CAN BE ANNOYING, ESPECIALLY SINCE THERE ARE ABOUT SEVENTEEN QUADRILLION FLIES
IN EXISTENCE AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT, BUT THEY’RE ACTUALLY A HUGE HELP TO THE EARTH.
AFTER MATING, FEMALE BLUE BOTTLE FLIES LAY THEIR EGGS INTO DECAYING ANIMAL CARCASSES.
WHEN THE EGGS HATCH, THE LARVAE EAT USING SMALL BLACK HOOKS TO TEAR FLESH AND A SPECIAL
SALIVA THAT HELPS DISSOLVE MEAT. AFTER FEASTING FOR ABOUT A WEEK, THE LARVAE
BURROW INTO THE GROUND AND CREATE COCOONS WHICH TURN THEM INTO ADULT FLIES WHO CONTINUE
TO DECOMPOSE MATTER! LONG STORY SHORT, WITHOUT FLIES AND OTHER
DECOMPOSERS THE ENTIRE WORLD WOULD BE ONE STINKING, ROTTING PILE OF POOP, DEAD ANIMALS,
AND FUNGUS. SO MAYBE INSTEAD OF SWATTING THE NEXT FLY
YOU SEE, SAY THANK YOU. WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE WEIRD INSECT?
LET ME KNOW IN THE COMMENTS BELOW. THAT’S ALL FOR TODAY’S EPISODE.
BE SURE TO CHECK OUT THESE OTHER VIDEOS AND SUBSCRIBE.
I’LL SEE YOU HAIRY MAMMALS LATER!