Celebrating the humble fly

Our planet is one of incredible biodiversity. From beautiful beasts to charming coral reefs. All vital to our existence, and all working in harmony to maintain crucial ecosystems.

Yet there is one little fella who will be unlikely to make the front page of insect of the year. He’s the uninvited guest to your summer BBQs. The breaker of naps as he buzzes sweet nothings in your ear.

Flies are everywhere. From the Arctic to Antarctica, and everything in between! For every person on the planet - there are 17 MILLION flies. Love them or hate them, they are a vital part of our biodiversity!

No flies, no chocolate!

They may not be given the same kudos as our pollen loving friends the bees, but flies are actually very important for pollination! There are a number of plants that bees may not visit, and this is where flies help with the pollination process.

Like chocolate?! Without flies we’d have none! The cacao tree where we get our coco beans from is pollinated solely by little flies called No See Ums. (no joke this is their actual name!)

It’s a chain reaction

Everyone has their role to play in diverse ecosystems. Flies are no exception. They are a vital food source for fish, birds and mammals. Even other insects! Without these little nuisances, other creatures would be going hungry.

Call in the clean up crew

Flies are natural waste collectors! They will eat rotting matter and dead animal carcasses. The resulting digestion releases nutrients back into the soil. This helps plants and fungi to thrive.

Pretty fly for a fly

Put a fly under the microscope and they are actually stunning! Full of colour and iridescent markings.

Did you know that there is a fly named after the Queen of Pop, Beyoncé. A type of horsefly was named Scaptia (Plinthina) beyonceae due to the golden hairs on the lower abdomen making the fly look ‘bootylicious’!