Time flies, we have came to the last post without realising it. After observing my adopted pet for months and read through bunch of information about houseflies, I’m impressed by this tiny creature, the creature that I hated before this project. I never know so many innovations are inspired by this little thing as what I mentioned in literature review. I believe more noble inventions can be made if people are paying more attention to this so called 'nasty' creature. Do you inspired after reading the posts? I hope you do. Or if you don't, I hope you enjoy my writing and change your thinking about houseflies.
Thursday, 30 June 2016
Wednesday, 22 June 2016
Individual refelction
1. What was the most interesting proposed used of biomimicry that was developed in blog? Why?
The cleaning tool is an interesting proposed in this blog. As we all know, biomimicry is meant to utilise nature's behaviours or patterns to solve humans' problems and this cleaning tool is an idea extracted from houseflies. This innovation can help to ease human's life by cleaning up the dirty area within a shorter time compared to human's hands. It also can reduce the accident rate by replacing the workers who risk their lives to clean up the window or the wall outside the buildings. In addition, the more important point here is that this multipurpose tool is an improvement of the marketed Winbot (window cleaning robot). It can clean not only window but other surfaces as well such as wall, ceiling, roof top and etc. This makes it interesting and worth to be invested.
2. Do you think that your design is patentable? Is it unique enough to be approved?
Yes. In the present market, there is no such a cleaning tool that is able to clean window, wall, ceiling and ect. at the same time. Therefore, it is patentable. The multi-function of this tool makes it unique enough to be approved.
3. Did you think that working as a team made this project easier or harder? Why?
Working as a team can make this project easier definitely. But, it can be harder too. If the team members are the kind of person that always doing the last-minute-works or always absent from the group meeting, you will find it difficult to work with them. However, if your team members are responsible individuals, a better idea or innovation can be proposed from the contribution of each different brain. This is what we called brainstorming. Unfortunately, I got to work this project by myself as I'm from different batch with my biomimetic classmates, we have difficulties to coordinate the time as we have different timetable.
Sunday, 12 June 2016
Industry application
As mentioned in the previous posts, houseflies use labellum to consume the food by capillary action and the claws or small hairs on their feet allow them to stick on the wall. You know what? We can combined these two features to invent a useful product. There is a potential that an efficient and environmental friendly multipurpose cleaning tool can be produced, by mimicking unique digestive pattern of houseflies and the ability to crawl on the wall. This idea is an improvement of the window cleaning robot (Winbot) that already marketed. The Winbot is used to clean window but the that idea I proposed here is a multipurpose tool that can clean any surfaces.
The cleaning tool can make use the way that flies suck up their food to capture/clean up dirt. We can even make use the capillary action to clean up liquid on the floor instead of electricity. Besides, the tool can 'climb' and clean the wall or ceiling easily by mimicking the feet feature of flies. This will be a great biomimetic product as this multipurpose cleaning tool can help people to clean some unreachable areas such as roof top, ceiling, wall and window of building. Therefore, it can help to save time and energy!
As we know, the window cleaner is one of the most dangerous job in the world. The workers risk their life to keep the building clean and clear. This tool can replace the worker to clean the window of the skyscrapers with shorter time and lesser risk. Also, companies don't have to pay the insurances and the wages of workers, all they need is the cleaning tool! Eventually, the accident rate can be reduced and again, time, money and energy can be saved.
Other than the window of skyscrapers, this tool can be used to clean the wall and ceiling of your house too, in which we seldom clean it by ourselves due to inconvenient and dangerous in some extent. This is also quite a tiring work as you may easily get tired and dizziness if you constantly tilt up your head while cleaning the ceiling. With this tool, all these problem can be solved.
Is this multipurpose cleaning tool sounds attractive to you? The target customers can be owners of those tall building, cleaning companies and also the housewives! Can you see how great the potential of this tool in cleaning industry?
Malaysia is a developing country, this indicating that more and more building will be built in the future for the purpose of industrialisation. Since there will be more buildings, more cleaners are needed. But, how many people out there are willing to take this risky job? Additionally, buyers can use this multipurpose cleaning tool to clean not only widow but wall and ceiling too. Therefore, this tool will definitely work and have a great potential to be marketed in the future.
To manufacture this multipurpose tool, we need money. So how are we going to raise funds for manufacturing? We can create a video film and promote this idea to the companies that involved in cleaning industry. We can also create a prototype and test it on real situation. A demonstration can be done with the prototype to show investors how the tool works. By doing so, this will attract more and more investors as they see how great the tool is with their own eyes.
Many engineers do explore solutions from nature into their inventions. The examples are shinkensan bullet train (Japanese bullet train) by mimicking kingfisher, a fish-eating fowl that creates barely a ripple when it darts into water in search of a meal); coating of boat and planes inspired by sharkskin;
velcro inspired by burdock burrs and etc. As an engineer, we shall continue to research and explore more on nature to get inspiration to design or invent more biomimetic products or system.
The cleaning tool can make use the way that flies suck up their food to capture/clean up dirt. We can even make use the capillary action to clean up liquid on the floor instead of electricity. Besides, the tool can 'climb' and clean the wall or ceiling easily by mimicking the feet feature of flies. This will be a great biomimetic product as this multipurpose cleaning tool can help people to clean some unreachable areas such as roof top, ceiling, wall and window of building. Therefore, it can help to save time and energy!
As we know, the window cleaner is one of the most dangerous job in the world. The workers risk their life to keep the building clean and clear. This tool can replace the worker to clean the window of the skyscrapers with shorter time and lesser risk. Also, companies don't have to pay the insurances and the wages of workers, all they need is the cleaning tool! Eventually, the accident rate can be reduced and again, time, money and energy can be saved.
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| Window cleaner |
Other than the window of skyscrapers, this tool can be used to clean the wall and ceiling of your house too, in which we seldom clean it by ourselves due to inconvenient and dangerous in some extent. This is also quite a tiring work as you may easily get tired and dizziness if you constantly tilt up your head while cleaning the ceiling. With this tool, all these problem can be solved.
 |
| ceiling cleaner |
Is this multipurpose cleaning tool sounds attractive to you? The target customers can be owners of those tall building, cleaning companies and also the housewives! Can you see how great the potential of this tool in cleaning industry?
Malaysia is a developing country, this indicating that more and more building will be built in the future for the purpose of industrialisation. Since there will be more buildings, more cleaners are needed. But, how many people out there are willing to take this risky job? Additionally, buyers can use this multipurpose cleaning tool to clean not only widow but wall and ceiling too. Therefore, this tool will definitely work and have a great potential to be marketed in the future.
To manufacture this multipurpose tool, we need money. So how are we going to raise funds for manufacturing? We can create a video film and promote this idea to the companies that involved in cleaning industry. We can also create a prototype and test it on real situation. A demonstration can be done with the prototype to show investors how the tool works. By doing so, this will attract more and more investors as they see how great the tool is with their own eyes.
Many engineers do explore solutions from nature into their inventions. The examples are shinkensan bullet train (Japanese bullet train) by mimicking kingfisher, a fish-eating fowl that creates barely a ripple when it darts into water in search of a meal); coating of boat and planes inspired by sharkskin;
velcro inspired by burdock burrs and etc. As an engineer, we shall continue to research and explore more on nature to get inspiration to design or invent more biomimetic products or system.
Wednesday, 8 June 2016
Bioinspiration of houseflies
After the previous posts, any idea pop out in your mind from biomimicry perspective? Now, I would like to discuss the bio-inspirations discovered from houseflies.
1) Cleaning tools
Do you notice that houseflies will extend their "tongue" when they are eating? If you don't, you can refer to this picture.
2) Spiked shoes for athlete
1) Cleaning tools
Do you notice that houseflies will extend their "tongue" when they are eating? If you don't, you can refer to this picture.
Houseflies digest their food externally, unlike other animals. They applied solvent liquid onto the food to dissolve the food into liquid form so that they can suck up. So, how do they digest food externally?
This special phenomena attributed by the unique sponging mouth parts of houseflies. The mouth parts consist of a fleshy labium, at the end of which are large, sponge-like organs called the labella (singular, labellum). Labium can be moved and bent. The labella is a complex structure which consists of many grooves, called pseudotrachea. It sops up liquids similar to what sponge does. Salivary secretions from the labella help in dissolving and collecting food particles so that they may be more easily taken up by the pseudo trachea (by capillary action). Then, the liquid food is drawn up from the pseudotracheae through the food channel into the esophagus.
This special phenomena attributed by the unique sponging mouth parts of houseflies. The mouth parts consist of a fleshy labium, at the end of which are large, sponge-like organs called the labella (singular, labellum). Labium can be moved and bent. The labella is a complex structure which consists of many grooves, called pseudotrachea. It sops up liquids similar to what sponge does. Salivary secretions from the labella help in dissolving and collecting food particles so that they may be more easily taken up by the pseudo trachea (by capillary action). Then, the liquid food is drawn up from the pseudotracheae through the food channel into the esophagus.
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| Housefly labellum magnification 41x |
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| Housefly mouth part structure |
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| Housefly labellum magnification 170x |
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| Housefly labellum showing individual papillae structure (magnification 2300x) |
From the mechanism that houseflies suck up food into pseudotrachea by capillary action, we could apply this idea in developing an efficient, sustainable and environmental friendly cleaning tool like vacuum cleaner or mop. We can make use of the capillary action instead of electricity to capture particles.
2) Spiked shoes for athlete
There are many functions of houseflies feet. The claws on feet can grab to hold on and the small hairs can adhere to smooth surfaces through Van Der Waals force. Other hairs are sensory organs which allow them to taste food with their feet.
Fly has two fat foot pads on each of the foot that provide plenty of surface area with which to cling. The adhesive pads on the feet, called pulvilli, come equipped with tiny hairs (also known as satae) that have spatula-like tips. Van Der Waals force will be created between fly foot and surface that allow them to cling to the wall or ceiling like gecko. This mechanism allows gloves and shoes with millions of tiny hairs to be manufactured to assist rock climbers, or workers who need to keep a firm grip on their tools. Not to forget that shoes could be developed for athlete especially track runners to replace the spikes shoes. This is for the safety issue as athlete could get hurt by the spikes.
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| Close-up of the tacky hairs and claws on a fly foot taken with an Electron microscope |
Fly has two fat foot pads on each of the foot that provide plenty of surface area with which to cling. The adhesive pads on the feet, called pulvilli, come equipped with tiny hairs (also known as satae) that have spatula-like tips. Van Der Waals force will be created between fly foot and surface that allow them to cling to the wall or ceiling like gecko. This mechanism allows gloves and shoes with millions of tiny hairs to be manufactured to assist rock climbers, or workers who need to keep a firm grip on their tools. Not to forget that shoes could be developed for athlete especially track runners to replace the spikes shoes. This is for the safety issue as athlete could get hurt by the spikes.
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| Rock climbing gloves |
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| Spiked shoes for track and field |
Tuesday, 31 May 2016
Literature review
What is biomimicry?Biomimicry is an approach to innovation that seeks sustainable solutions to human challenges by emulating nature’s time-tested patterns and strategies. It becoming a stronger influence on engineering design and the process of utilising nature's ideas and adapting them for human use is becoming increasingly common practice, nowadays.
Any animal, plant or any creature on Earth can be a potential candidate in biomimicry industry. Same goes to houseflies. Can you think of any idea that what unique features present in houseflies can be utilised and applied for biomimetic purposes?
Actually, houseflies do have some contributions in biomimicry industry. Now, I would like to share with you guys about some example of innovations which inspired by houseflies.
1) Flying robot
A housefly size flying robot that mimic the biological features of flies (flying and hovering) had been created with the weight 80 mg. The robot’s wings are consists of thin polyester films reinforced with carbon fibre ribs and its ‘muscles’ are made from piezoelectric crystals, which shrink or stretch depending on the voltage applied to them. The multi-layes of ultrathin material allow the wings to flap approximately 120 times per second (similar to a housefly's flapping rate). With such a tiny scale, any airflow changes will impact the flight dynamaics of the robot. The control system has to react faster to remain stable.
The researches claim that the potential applications of the tiny flying robot are searching and rescue missions, environment monitoring and crop pollination.
The prototype still has to tether by a very thin power cable because the tiny body can't carry its own power source yet (there is no batteries that are tiny enough to be mounted on the robot’s body). However, the researchers are being optimistic and believe that the battery issue can be overcame within 10 years.
Feel free to watch the video to know more about this amazing robotic fly!
http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2013/05/robotic-insects-make-first-controlled-flight/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/03/robot-fly-insect-flight-wings_n_3207829.html
References:
Cohen, R. (2013). Robot Fly Mimics Insect Flight, Hovers With Ultrathin Wings (VIDEO). Retrieved May 24, 2016, from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/03/robot-fly-insect-flight-wings_n_3207829.html
Perry, C. (2013). Robotic insects make first controlled flight | Harvard Gazette. Retrieved May 24, 2016, from http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2013/05/robotic-insects-make-first-controlled-flight/
2) Anti-fogging material
This idea is inspired by flies' eyes. The common green housefly (bottle fly) can see clearly in dusty and wet environments without fogging up.
Fogging takes place when moisture drops of > 190 nano-metres in diameter form on surfaces, scattering light and making the surface hard to see through. In a humid environment, it was found that the condensation occurred only on its body and not the compound eyes. The eye is composed of thousands of repeating small hexagonal shapes, each with a diameter of the order of 20 micro-metres. And within each of those hexagons there were still more hexagonal shapes with diameters of approximately 100 nano-metres.
Sun, Z., Liao, T., Liu, K., Jiang, L., Kim, J. H., & Dou, S. X. (2014). Fly-eye inspired superhydrophobic anti-fogging inorganic nanostructures. Small (Weinheim an Der Bergstrasse, Germany), 10(15), 3001–6. http://doi.org/10.1002/smll.201400516
Salleh, A. (2014, May 27). “Fly-eyes” could reduce glass fogging. Retrieved from http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2014/05/27/4001730.htm
Fly eyes inspire anti-fogging materials discovery. (2014). Retrieved May 24, 2016, from http://media.uow.edu.au/news/UOW172664.html
As mentioned earlier, a pair of compound eyes is one of the special features which allow housefly to see a wide field (up to 180 degree). Researchers have been inspired to build a multifaceted camera which consists of 180 lenses and each connected to an individual photodetector. The array was built onto a flexible rubber mat which was then curved into a hemispherical shape. The input from all the lenses is combined into a solitary image. The whole thing (lenses and electronics) is only one centimeter in diameter.
Currently, the prototype has only few pixels which give low resolution of image but it displays an immense depth of field and a very wide-angle view that avoids the distortion seen in standard camera lenses. The mechanical bug eye consists of 180 lenses which is about the same number in the eyes in fire ants and bark beetles, that don’t have great vision. One of the researchers Dr Xiao, claimed there are 28,000 small eyes in the compound eye of the fly so they are now working hard to increase the number of lenses. Dr Xiao also mentioned that this invention can be used in surveillance cameras one day as one device could see 180 degrees and two device provide you the whole field of view. Other than surveillance purpose, it could be used as endoscopic investigations of the human body.
Borst, A., & Plett, J. (2013). Optical devices: Seeing the world through an insect’s eyes. Nature, 497(7447), 47–8. http://doi.org/10.1038/497047a
Houseflies have extremely strong olfactory system which allow them to search food efficiently. They particular sensitive to chemical odor releasing by rotting meat. A pair of antenna that located on the head of houseflies is an important sense organ which often covered with olfactory receptors that can detect odor molecules in the air. Thus, it is important in housefly for sense of smell.
An idea has been proposed that the application of knowledge of houseflies's olfactory system in food processing industry could be done. It can be applied in food quality control sensors to optimise the
quality of food in the future.
Olfactory system detects decomposition: house fly. (n.d.). Retrieved May 24, 2016, from http://www.asknature.org/strategy/47426a740b999570674796a7f33e5f6c
Any animal, plant or any creature on Earth can be a potential candidate in biomimicry industry. Same goes to houseflies. Can you think of any idea that what unique features present in houseflies can be utilised and applied for biomimetic purposes?
Actually, houseflies do have some contributions in biomimicry industry. Now, I would like to share with you guys about some example of innovations which inspired by houseflies.
1) Flying robot
Flying robot
A housefly size flying robot that mimic the biological features of flies (flying and hovering) had been created with the weight 80 mg. The robot’s wings are consists of thin polyester films reinforced with carbon fibre ribs and its ‘muscles’ are made from piezoelectric crystals, which shrink or stretch depending on the voltage applied to them. The multi-layes of ultrathin material allow the wings to flap approximately 120 times per second (similar to a housefly's flapping rate). With such a tiny scale, any airflow changes will impact the flight dynamaics of the robot. The control system has to react faster to remain stable.
The researches claim that the potential applications of the tiny flying robot are searching and rescue missions, environment monitoring and crop pollination.
The prototype still has to tether by a very thin power cable because the tiny body can't carry its own power source yet (there is no batteries that are tiny enough to be mounted on the robot’s body). However, the researchers are being optimistic and believe that the battery issue can be overcame within 10 years.
The tiny flying robot, "RoboBee"
"RoboBee" structure
Feel free to watch the video to know more about this amazing robotic fly!
http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2013/05/robotic-insects-make-first-controlled-flight/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/03/robot-fly-insect-flight-wings_n_3207829.html
References:
Cohen, R. (2013). Robot Fly Mimics Insect Flight, Hovers With Ultrathin Wings (VIDEO). Retrieved May 24, 2016, from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/03/robot-fly-insect-flight-wings_n_3207829.html
Perry, C. (2013). Robotic insects make first controlled flight | Harvard Gazette. Retrieved May 24, 2016, from http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2013/05/robotic-insects-make-first-controlled-flight/
2) Anti-fogging material
Hexagonal structures provide anti-fogging property
This idea is inspired by flies' eyes. The common green housefly (bottle fly) can see clearly in dusty and wet environments without fogging up.
Fogging takes place when moisture drops of > 190 nano-metres in diameter form on surfaces, scattering light and making the surface hard to see through. In a humid environment, it was found that the condensation occurred only on its body and not the compound eyes. The eye is composed of thousands of repeating small hexagonal shapes, each with a diameter of the order of 20 micro-metres. And within each of those hexagons there were still more hexagonal shapes with diameters of approximately 100 nano-metres.
Condensation not occurs on fly's eyes
Scanning electron microscope image of the compound eye of a fly
The researchers proposed that the close packed, well-ordered and hierarchical hexagonal nanostructures are one of the factors of the superhydrophobicity of the green bottle fly eyes. Superhydrophobic means that water can't wet the material and this can be used for anti-fogging, anti-freezing, anti-corrosive and self-cleaning.
Zinc nanoparticles have been assembled into hexagonal structures (mimic the flies' eyes) and the result showed it was similarly superhydrophobic to the flies' eyes. This finding allows the development of anti-freezing-fog materials for applications in some extreme environments, as well as the coating on the windows of cars, airplanes and buildings in the future.
Zinc nanoparticles have been assembled into hexagonal structures (mimic the flies' eyes) and the result showed it was similarly superhydrophobic to the flies' eyes. This finding allows the development of anti-freezing-fog materials for applications in some extreme environments, as well as the coating on the windows of cars, airplanes and buildings in the future.
*Freezing fog occurs when ice layer is formed due to water vapour is super-cooled. This phenomena can destruct the electrical and telecommunication networks, and reduce the lift force that keeps aeroplanes in the air.
References:
Salleh, A. (2014, May 27). “Fly-eyes” could reduce glass fogging. Retrieved from http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2014/05/27/4001730.htm
Fly eyes inspire anti-fogging materials discovery. (2014). Retrieved May 24, 2016, from http://media.uow.edu.au/news/UOW172664.html
3) Multifaceted camera, "bug eye" camera
As mentioned earlier, a pair of compound eyes is one of the special features which allow housefly to see a wide field (up to 180 degree). Researchers have been inspired to build a multifaceted camera which consists of 180 lenses and each connected to an individual photodetector. The array was built onto a flexible rubber mat which was then curved into a hemispherical shape. The input from all the lenses is combined into a solitary image. The whole thing (lenses and electronics) is only one centimeter in diameter.
Currently, the prototype has only few pixels which give low resolution of image but it displays an immense depth of field and a very wide-angle view that avoids the distortion seen in standard camera lenses. The mechanical bug eye consists of 180 lenses which is about the same number in the eyes in fire ants and bark beetles, that don’t have great vision. One of the researchers Dr Xiao, claimed there are 28,000 small eyes in the compound eye of the fly so they are now working hard to increase the number of lenses. Dr Xiao also mentioned that this invention can be used in surveillance cameras one day as one device could see 180 degrees and two device provide you the whole field of view. Other than surveillance purpose, it could be used as endoscopic investigations of the human body.
"Bug eye"
References:
Borst, A., & Plett, J. (2013). Optical devices: Seeing the world through an insect’s eyes. Nature, 497(7447), 47–8. http://doi.org/10.1038/497047a
Scientists make “bug-eye” camera - BBC News. (2013). Retrieved May 24, 2016, from http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-22372442
4) Food quality control sensors
Antenna located on fly's head (1)
Antenna located on fly's head (2)
quality of food in the future.
References:
Olfactory system detects decomposition: house fly. (n.d.). Retrieved May 24, 2016, from http://www.asknature.org/strategy/47426a740b999570674796a7f33e5f6c
5) Composite film
Insect cuticle is a composite material that composed of layers of chitin, a polysaccharide polymer, and protein which organized in a laminar, plywood-like structure. It can be found in the rigid exoskeleton insects such as houseflies. It is light weight thus can provide protection to the insect without disturb its flight and it is thin that allows flexibility. The cuticle can deflect external physical and chemical strains without damaging the insect's internal organs, while providing structural support for the insect's wings and muscles.
People invented a film that mimic the material that made up of insect cuticle. The clear film is biocompatible, biodegradable, and micromoldable. In addition, it is twice as strong as nylon or polylactic acid (PLA), while exhibiting the strength of an aluminum alloy at half its weight. The material could be used to replace plastic materials such as bags, bottles, diapers, packing materials and etc. It also has significant role in medical industry because of its biocompatibility and biodegradability.
References:
Shrilk composite film. (n.d.). Retrieved May 24, 2016, from http://www.asknature.org/product/a3611833427a21371e893408951e9de7
Thryf, A. R. (2012). Design News - News - “Shrilk” Mimics Insect Exoskeleton. Retrieved May 24, 2016, from http://www.designnews.com/document.asp?doc_id=237263
Insect cuticle is a composite material that composed of layers of chitin, a polysaccharide polymer, and protein which organized in a laminar, plywood-like structure. It can be found in the rigid exoskeleton insects such as houseflies. It is light weight thus can provide protection to the insect without disturb its flight and it is thin that allows flexibility. The cuticle can deflect external physical and chemical strains without damaging the insect's internal organs, while providing structural support for the insect's wings and muscles.
Insect cuticle (1)
Insect cuticle (2)
"Shrilk" that mimics insect exoskeleton
References:
Thryf, A. R. (2012). Design News - News - “Shrilk” Mimics Insect Exoskeleton. Retrieved May 24, 2016, from http://www.designnews.com/document.asp?doc_id=237263
Thursday, 26 May 2016
Introduction: Different species of flies
Hey peeps! I'm back again! I would like to share with you some information about different common species of flies today! Are you ready? There you go!
Reference:
Types/Species
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General information
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Specific characteristics
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Housefly (Musca domestica)
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Houseflies are major carriers of disease and are attracted to all types of food, including food waste and even faeces.
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Bluebottle fly (Calliphora vomitoria)
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Bluebottle flies (aka Blow fly) are commonly hovering around dustbins. They are attracted to dead animals and pet faeces à carrier of diseases
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· The adult’s length is approximately 0.635 - 1.27cm.
· The body is metallic blue in colour.
· Larva is similar to the house fly larva in all respects except size à 1.905 cm when mature. They take 7 – 12 days to mature.
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Fruit fly (Drosphila species)
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Fruit flies are always infesting fruit or hovering around fermenting residues found in pubs, fruit orchards & vegetables plots and breweries
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Horse fly (Family tabanidae)
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Horseflies are particular pest to livestock. Relentless biting attacks by females can cause in weight loss in animals.
On the other hand, male horse flies are mainly feed on pollen and nectar and are most active during day time.
Horse flies bites can lead to severe pain.
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Drain fly (Psychodidae)
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Drain flies have variety of names: drain fly, sewage fly and moth fly. They are often associated with sewage beds, where larvae feed on sludge–like organic matter
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Sand fly (Spiriverpa Luminata)
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Sand flies live on sandy riverbanks with an open habitat free of shading trees.
Female sand flies prefer to lay eggs in water or damp soil.
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Flesh fly (Family - Sarcophagidae)
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Flesh flies are attracted to decaying wastes, excrement and human foods à potential threat to human health.
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There are too many flies on Earth to be listed one by one. So I just choose few types which are more common and familiar to us. The pictures below are the different species of flies I have mentioned in the table above. Although they are "flies", they are totally difference in appearance right!?
Housefly
Bottleblue fly
Fruit fly
Horse fly
Drain fly
Sand fly
Flesh fly
Reference:
Common Fly Species | Rentokil Pest Control. (n.d.). Retrieved May 22, 2016, from http://www.rentokil.com.my/flies/species/
Monday, 23 May 2016
Introductin: Unique facts of houseflies
Good day all! Today, we are going through the unique facts of houseflies!
The link below leads to other blogspot that shows how useful houseflies decomposing dead animals in images.
http://allofnature.blogspot.my/2011/06/flies-as-decomposers-disgusting-but.html
That's all for today. Stay tune!
Housefly Facts
Houseflies existed 65 million years ago. Houseflies are the most famous of 300 000 species of flies. They can be found all over the world.
They can survive in all habitats where people can survive. Houseflies are pests because they easily reproduce (rapid breeder) and transmit numerous diseases. People apply various insecticides to eradicate them, but they are still very numerous and even resistant to some of those chemicals. On the other hand, houseflies are beneficial because they accelerate recycling process by decomposing organic waste.
The link below leads to other blogspot that shows how useful houseflies decomposing dead animals in images.
http://allofnature.blogspot.my/2011/06/flies-as-decomposers-disgusting-but.html
Interesting Housefly Facts:
- Housefly is a small grey in colour insect that can reach ¼ of inch in length. It has four dark stripes on the back side of the body.
- Unlike other insects, housefly has only one pair of membranous wings. Second pair of wings is reduced and looks like a pair of miniature drumsticks. This pair of wings (known as "halters") is used for balancing during the flight.
- Houseflies are able to move their wings 200 times per second and reach a maximum of speed of 5 miles per hour when flying.
- Housefly produces sticky substance which keeps the fly firmly attached to the ground (it acts like glue after landing).
- Housefly has red compound eyes which contains 4000 lenses each. This enable visualization of different pictures at the same time. Housefly still has poor eyesight despite large number of eyes.
- Sense of smell that is situated in the antennas are used to search for food by houseflies.
- Housefly eats sugary liquids and different kinds of organic waste. All food needs to be turned into liquid before ingestion because fly does not have teeth and ability to chew food. Housefly spits digestive juices on the food to decompose it before swallowing.
- Houseflies are carriers of numerous pathogenic bacteria. Gangrene, tuberculosis, dysentery, anthrax, plague and different types of poisoning are just some of diseases transmitted by flies.
- Houseflies defecate every couple of minutes. This is one of the factors that facilitate transmission of diseases.
- Houseflies are active during the day and rest during the night.
- Houseflies undergo complete metamorphosis: egg will transform into larvae, larvae will transform into pupa and pupa will give rise to adult insect. Complete development lasts 10 days.
- Houseflies have incredible high reproductive capacity. Without natural predators, one couple of flies and their offspring would be able to cover all continents on Earth to the height of 18 feet after couple of months of reproduction.
- Housefly can survive around 1 - 2 months only.
That's all for today. Stay tune!
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