Focus Stacked Image of a Green Bottle Fly
Jun 11, 2022 13:35:59 #
This is a 10X magnified focus-stacking view of a green bottle fly's mouthparts. They are sponge feeders from the order Diptera. As the name implies this feeding style involved soaking up food in a liquid form, much as a sponge does.
Taken from a source far more knowledgeable than me:
"The primary mouthparts that enable this mode of feeding include the psuedotracheae, labellum, labium, and maxillary palps, all of which are common to most diptera but are highly specialized. The labium in these flies is elbowed and on the end of it are the labellum and pseudotracheae. The labellum secretes saliva which dissolves the food to allow the food particles to be taken up by the grooves in the pseudotracheae via capillary action. There are some variations in the pseudotrachea including the addition of sharp teeth to rasp flesh and draw blood however flies with sponging mouth parts are most commonly incapable of biting."
So, the next time you see a fly walking on your food....this is something to think about...YUCK..!
Taken from a source far more knowledgeable than me:
"The primary mouthparts that enable this mode of feeding include the psuedotracheae, labellum, labium, and maxillary palps, all of which are common to most diptera but are highly specialized. The labium in these flies is elbowed and on the end of it are the labellum and pseudotracheae. The labellum secretes saliva which dissolves the food to allow the food particles to be taken up by the grooves in the pseudotracheae via capillary action. There are some variations in the pseudotrachea including the addition of sharp teeth to rasp flesh and draw blood however flies with sponging mouth parts are most commonly incapable of biting."
So, the next time you see a fly walking on your food....this is something to think about...YUCK..!
Jun 11, 2022 13:38:48 #
Jun 11, 2022 13:38:51 #
Jun 11, 2022 13:45:07 #
UTMike wrote:
I always enjoy your "parts" shots, Gary!
Thanks, UTMike. I suspect some are better left to be unseen.
Jun 11, 2022 13:46:58 #
napabob wrote:
Yowsa!…… And now we know what that looks like
Thanks, Napabob. Not exactly the most appealing sight. Fortunately, many things are so small that we would never be able to see them with an unaided eye.
Jun 11, 2022 14:07:02 #
Jun 11, 2022 14:15:11 #
Jun 11, 2022 14:29:58 #
Jun 11, 2022 18:32:53 #
kpmac wrote:
I already go "yuk". Now you've made it worse, sippy.
Kpmac, We are far too often distracted by "something new and shiny" like how deadly COVID is when there are age-old spreaders of disease among us which we tend to ignore. More people die around the world each year from diseases caused or spread by mosquitoes and flies than ever will be by COVID. Flies thrive on fecal matter and decaying corpses and then they walk around on our food spreading the bacteria from the fecal matter as well as in the enzyme in their saliva. Flys are also one of the largest spreaders of tuberculous. Swat'em if you see'm.
Jun 11, 2022 18:34:32 #
MFTVGirl wrote:
Otherworldly - shiver!
Thanks, MFTVGirl. Perhaps some things should go unseen.
Jun 11, 2022 18:35:34 #
JimmyTB wrote:
Another good one Sippy. You really get a lot of mileage out of your victims/models.
JimmyTB, I try to get as much out a specimen and a setup as I can before I move on to another...and another...and another.
Jun 12, 2022 01:58:02 #
Jun 12, 2022 05:53:17 #
Jun 12, 2022 08:51:45 #
Jun 12, 2022 08:53:52 #
Wow, so that is what they 'lick' you with when they land on you. Like something out of a nightmare.
If you want to reply, then register here. Registration is free and your account is created instantly, so you can post right away.