Related
Recommended
Howard Vaughan

And so a little more about the fabulously green, vertically challenged, hooky footed, frenzied tap dancing fly from Monday....

Some lads brought in a poorly young Woodpigeon in a damp bucket and left it on reception.  Other than being a bit skinny it looked ok so I was about to take it outside and put it up in a tree when a fly abandoned it's sinking ship and quite literally scuttled up my exposed arm.... '

FLLLLLAAAATTTTTT FFFFLLLYYYYY....................!!'

This distinctive cry was heard around the office from my fly-loving friend before said fly flicked across to her and then up onto the ceiling where I was hastily dispatched (after putting down the Woodpigeon) to secure it in a pot for identification and general ogling......

Amazingly, I actually succeeded which was quite surprising given the alacrity of the little blighter and its ability to motor in any direction it chose.

Once potted, we managed to identify it as Ornithomyia avicularia; a Avian Flat Fly of pigeons and such like.

Look at them hooks!

A bit more research produced such wondrous factoids such as:

  • the green pigmentation is actually because it has green blood caused by taking up the chlorophyll from the plant matter absorbed into the blood stream of its vegetarian hosts
  • the wings on some species are shed as soon as the adult finds a suitable host
  • the females only have one young and bring forth a live larvae that instantly pupates to speed things up
  • those hooks on the end of the strong legs face both ways to ensure a firm grip as it shimmies up and down the fast moving feathers.....

I took the pigeon outside and I suspect that it was worse off than I thought as several more made a bid for a nice warm arm as I place it on a branch. They did not bite but are persistent and a quick flick away saw them quickly return....

Anyway, after a great show and tell session with this rarely encountered fly we released it outside where I suspect that one of the many Collared Doves soon found itself playing host to a green, body building, blood sucking Klingon...

13-8-14