Flies are probably better at picking up than you are
· 26 min
Episode Flies are probably better at picking up than you are
Flies have rhythm and choreography, could their moves make the next TikTok dance fad?
Dune flies groove to their own beat in dance-circles and hoverflies use rhythmic movements in mating.
Researchers found the dancing dune fly’s repertoire has specific moves for impressing a female and others for rival dance battles. Pretty fly for a dune fly.
In Costa Rica the male red hoverfly rhythmically squeezes and strokes his mate during copulation.
They also have a pattern of coupling and uncoupling as many as 17 times during the act!
Featuring:
• Dr Keith Bayless, research scientist, National Research Collections Australia, CSIRO • Professor William Eberhard, emeritus scientist, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute; emeritus professor, Universidad de Costa Rica
Further reading:
• Genital behaviour in Menidon falcatus (Diptera, Syrphidae) and the possible significance of repeated, rhythmic movements • Courtship choreography is stabilized among genetically isolated populations
Production:
• Ann Jones, Presenter / Producer • Rebecca McLaren, Producer • Tegan Nicholls, Sound Engineer
This episode of What the Duck?! was recorded on Ngunnawal Country and produced on the lands of the Wadawarrung and Taungurung people.
Find more episodes of the ABC podcast, What the Duck?! with the always curious Dr Ann Jones exploring the mysteries of nature on ABC Listen (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. You'll learn more about the weird and unusual aspects of our natural world in a quirky, fun way with easy to understand science.
Links in the notes 2
Shows are listed from Apple Podcasts' charts and directory, and Podcast Index where it is used. Every show and episode belongs to its publisher and plays from the publisher's own feed; this site hosts none of them. Explicit shows are for adult profiles only, and children’s profiles hear only children’s shows. More about this list.