What is a fly - is it an insect or not: a complete dossier on the "buzzing pest"

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The fly was met by almost every person on Earth. They inhabit the entire planet, where the climate can reach more than 10-15 degrees. There is a huge variety of these representatives. They have their own characteristics, structure, life cycle, diet and so on.

What kind of insect is a fly

A fly is one of the varieties of insects that are distinguished by their unique properties. The representative of Diptera belongs to the type of arthropods. The length of their body can be very diverse from millimeters to 2 centimeters. The life cycle also depends on the species. The life expectancy of the longest living among flies does not exceed three months.
They inhabit a huge part of the planet. Thanks to natural selection, these creatures do not fill the entire planet. Without natural selection, so many flies could appear on Earth in one year that they would cover the entire planet by about a few centimeters. Some feed on carrion or meat, nectar or plants.
These representatives have a unique structure of vision. Their one eye consists of several hundred or even thousands of small eyes, which are combined into one common picture. This allows the flies to navigate well, as well as to get almost all-round vision. The way they feed is not much different from other varieties. Some flies feed on everything they see, they are called polyphages. 

What do insects (flies) look like?

These representatives have two wings. With their help, they are able to develop high speed to catch prey and avoid predators. In addition to the wings, they have fenders that regulate the angle of rotation, and also allow you to linger in the air in one place.
The head has a rounded shape. It has eyes that are facet type. Their vision, thanks to hundreds of small eyes, is combined into one picture. In total, the fly, like many animals, has two eyes.
The oral apparatus is of the suction type. It is divided into two component parts that penetrate the food. In species that feed on meat or other solids, the mouthparts are slightly modified. It is more advanced and has special plates that allow you to bite through the skin of animals if they feed on blood.
Insects have three pairs of limbs. They serve as a support and basis for movement. On the paws there are additional suction cups that allow the flies to move along walls and other obstacles. Throughout the body are hairs that perform the function of touch. The paws also play the role of touch and smell. Thanks to them, the fly can understand what kind of food is in front of it.

Where do flies live

Classification and types of flies, depending on the diet

What does a fly look like. Flies differ in their diet. It can be the most varied. It depends on the type of fly. It can range from human food to rotten animal meat and animal waste.

The most popular divisions include:

  • coprophages;
  • hematophagous;
  • necrophages;
  • nectarophages;
  • afagi;
  • variegated flies.
Coprophages

Not a very remarkable variety in its uniqueness. When compared with other varieties, these are the most popular. Coprophages are divided into two varieties: obligate and facultative.

The first variety can eat the waste products of animals, as well as humans. In addition, they are able to eat various juices from plants. The second variety differs from the first in that in addition to waste, they also eat ordinary human food.

Hematophagous

Of all the varieties, they are the most dangerous to humans. Their bite can cause irritation, redness, and also cause serious illness. These include diseases such as anthrax, diphtheria, dysentery, tuberculosis, and other intestinal diseases. This happens due to the fact that these representatives feed on the blood of various animals or people. After the insect drinks the blood of a sick animal, it automatically becomes a carrier of a dangerous disease. Such creatures should not be underestimated. If a fly has bitten, and the bite hurts as if another larger insect did it, then you need to urgently seek help from specialists. On the plus side, these representatives live in a few countries, as well as where the climate is hot. The most popular varieties are: tsetse fly, some autumn studs.

Necrophages

This includes flies that feed on the dead flesh of animals. After an animal dies, the flies swoop down on it and eat it. Some of them are able to lay eggs in a corpse, and the larvae feed on organic matter inside. The most popular species are the drop flies. Their structure of the oral apparatus is slightly different from the usual. Since they need to bite through the skin of animals. Such insects are able to carry the most dangerous existing diseases.

Nectarophages

The most harmless flies for humans. They feed on nectar and lay their eggs in plants, due to their special uniqueness, they can pollinate some flowers. Some species can eat animal droppings, as well as various nutritious juices. They differ from their relatives in size and weight. They are almost twice as small as carrion flies.

Afagi

This is an unusual variety. They only require food when they are in the larval stage. They were given this name precisely because of the diet of the larvae. After the adult lays eggs, the larvae begin to lead a parasitic lifestyle. They feed on various excrement or waste of humans and animals. At the same time, in their essence, they resemble ordinary parasites. This species can be dangerous to humans.

speckwings

The colony includes about five thousand varieties. In another way, variegated flies are called real fruit flies. They received such a nickname not only for their diet, but also for the opportunity to breed in unique conditions. They are able to leave offspring in the bark of dead trees, as well as in the soil environment. Pied wings are called due to their beautiful body color. It is full of various colors. This species resembles various wasps and bees. They are practically omnivorous, but prefer to eat plant foods or various small insects. They do not have great popularity, they live only in many regions, but the population is quite low.

The most popular types of flies

Flies are one of the most common insects that inhabit this planet. Their species, types, subtypes, and so on, there are more than tens of thousands of species. Not everyone can boast of such results.

The most popular variety among all existing is the well-known, house or room fly. Almost every person who lives in a climate suitable for flies knows it.

Other popular species include the following flies:

The role of Diptera in ecology: what are the benefits of different types of flies

Flies are equally harmful and beneficial. The larvae eat pests that spoil the soil and other important organic elements. They are harmful because they are carriers of dangerous diseases. Also, flies are very annoying and there are a lot of them in summer. They interfere in the physical plane and other human interests.

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