Buzz
Houseflies, horseflies, fruit flies, mosquitoes, and gnats are all part of the insect group known as Diptera, meaning “two-winged” in Latin. This order is home to around 250,000 species worldwide, ranging from creepy parasitoids to vibrant nectar-seeking pollinators. However, some of these insects have evolved in such peculiar ways that they’ve lost the ability to fly. The flightless varieties are among the most bizarre, rare, and specialized insects found on Earth.
10. Horseshoe Crab Fly
With a tiny, crescent-shaped head and a smooth, pill-like body, this minuscule creature resembles a mite or beetle more than a fly. Its unique form is perfectly suited for navigating its only known environment: termite nests. While its diet remains unclear, it’s likely that it either feeds on termite eggs or becomes a nuisance in the hosts' fungal colonies.
9. Louse Flies
These flat, tick-like creatures are part of a large group of bloodfeeding flies that are even more dedicated to a parasitic way of life than your typical horseflies or mosquitoes. Some remain on their host for their entire adult lives. Certain species have wings, but they only fly once before their wings fall off while clinging to their host’s fur. Others are born flightless, spending their entire life cycle attached to their host. These flies can be found on various animals, including birds, deer, cattle, and especially sheep, where their large bite wounds can damage the animals' hides.
8. False Termite
As their name suggests, this fly also inhabits termite nests. In this species, the female looks like a regular fly until mating occurs. Afterward, she leaves behind the male, who dies shortly thereafter. The female enters a termite mound, loses her wings, and undergoes a transformation. Her abdomen swells, taking on a shape similar to that of a young termite, and she integrates into the colony using a chemical secretion that termites find irresistible.
7. Snow Fly
Although insects aren’t typically associated with snow, crane flies, also known as snow flies, are perfectly suited to cold environments, thriving in some of the highest altitudes of any non-microscopic creature. A natural antifreeze, glycerol, prevents these flies from freezing. By giving up flight, they conserve even more heat and energy. Their larvae feed on underground organic material, while the adults live solely to mate, drinking a bit of water from the ice and snow but never feeding otherwise.
6. Bat Fly
Resembling more of a crab or spider than a typical fly, these strange parasites exclusively feed on bat blood and rely on their long, spiny legs to cling to their airborne hosts. Their larvae develop within the mother's body, allowing her to produce pupae instead of eggs, which is highly uncommon for flies. These pupae quickly mature into fully developed, sexually mature adults, prepared to latch onto their furry food source for survival.
5. Ant Larva Mimic
Although it might look like a maggot, this fly infiltrates army ant colonies. Its bloated abdomen, which greatly outsizes its small head and thorax, mimics the appearance, scent, and texture of an army ant grub. The ants are deceived into treating this intruder as one of their own, carrying, feeding, and protecting it. When the ants rest, the winged males sneak in to mate with the freeloading females and quickly flee.
4. Stilt-Legged Pitcher-Dweller
This rare Australian fly raises its larvae in the water-filled chambers of an insect-eating pitcher plant, where the larvae can withstand the plant's digestive juices and feed on whatever else falls in. The adult flies bear a strong resemblance to ants, which may be a form of defensive mimicry. Many creatures that would happily devour a defenseless fly prefer to avoid angering a stinging ant colony. Interestingly, adults are often found in dry areas where their pitcher plant hosts can't thrive, suggesting they travel significant distances between mating and egg-laying.
3. New Zealand Bat Fly
Not related to the earlier bloodsucking bat fly, this peculiar species belongs to its own unique taxonomic family. Unlike the more notorious “bat flies,” these blind insects are completely harmless and feed on guano. They even clean bat fur of any fecal residue. While they might seem like a tasty treat for bats, the two species have developed a remarkable mutual tolerance.
As unsavory as their existence may sound, these cooperative symbionts are among the few flies that display dedicated parental care; they join forces to raise larvae in shared “nurseries.” Females have been seen using their mouths to groom each other and their offspring, while some males seem to evolve into a “guardian” role. These guardians watch over the nursery and produce high-pitched sounds to prevent bats from disturbing their breeding area. In a way, they spend their days shouting, “Don’t crush our babies! You need us for toilet paper!”
The divine beauty of nature, laid bare.
2. Sea-Skating Fly
As larvae, these minute gnats dwell submerged in stagnant tide pools, feeding on algae and decaying marine debris. This makes pontomyia one of the few known insects to thrive in saltwater habitats. Adult males are unique in that they are the only insects that move exclusively on their hind legs. They balance upright on the surface of the water while their small, flipper-like wings propel them forward. Females, lacking wings and fully developed legs, have grub-like bodies that float to the surface. These floating females are then picked up and carried by the water-skiing males, creating what could be one of the most exciting mating behaviors in the animal kingdom.
1. “Bee Louse”
When a honeybee feels the need for a snack, it can always rely on its colony mates for a quick refuel. Using its antennae, it tickles the face of a nearby worker, prompting the regurgitation of a drop of nectar. This is how bees ensure that nutrients are constantly shared within the colony, ensuring that those who need it most are always nourished. Of course, wherever there's a free meal, something will evolve to exploit the opportunity.
The wingless flies known as “bee lice” live their entire adult lives clinging to the bodies of social bees. They are so tiny that they can even fit into the sockets of their host’s wings. Whenever they need food, they crawl down to the bee’s face and tap out the same signal other bees use to request food. This causes the unfortunate bee to involuntarily regurgitate, with most of the food going to waste once the minuscule parasites have had their fill. These freeloaders can multiply to such a degree that they significantly shorten the bees' lifespans and weaken entire colonies, sparking what could be considered an epidemic of insect bulimia.
