Stalk-eyed Fly
Family Diopsidae
The "Hyper-Span" Anatomy
The stalks are not fixed at birth. After emerging from the pupa, the fly swallows air and pumps it through its head, inflating the stalks like balloons until they harden into their final, rigid position.
Fungal Gardens
They are often found near decaying organic matter. They serve as important decomposers, breaking down fungi and bacteria in the moist soil of the riverbanks.
Night-Shift Roosting
At dusk, they gather in groups on hanging root hairs or threads of vegetation near water. They sleep together in these communal dormitories for safety from predators.
Field notes
| Range | Old World Tropics |
|---|---|
| Lifespan | 6 to 12 months |
| Size | 1 cm body |
| Weight | Approximately 2 mg to 5 mg |
| Colour | Amber & Metallic |
| Diet | Decaying Matter |
| Family | Approximately 160 species within the family |
In the book
The Stalk-eyed Fly is number 91 of the 101 creatures in Glowing Bugs. Its two pages show it from three sides, at its true size, with a map of where it lives. The plate is an artistic interpretation and does not show the true colours of the living animal.
