What Does the Fly’s Brain Do?
WouterIn a new study, researchers are examining the brain of the fly to learn more about how it thinks. Using this information, scientists hope to develop a wiring diagram for flies’ brains. Vivek Jayaraman, a scientist at the Janelia Research Institute in Virginia, is attempting to figure out what the fly brain does.
There are hundreds of different types of flies. Each has a unique function in the ecosystem. This role is known as their niche. For instance, some flies are prolific pollinators. Others lay eggs on dead things. Their larvae eat organic matter, decomposing it for essential nutrients. Still others are predators and eat other insects.
Flies are important pollinators and help clean up organic matter. The larvae of flies feed on plant material, including dung, dead animals, and plants. They also filter microscopic food particles from freshwater water. And some flies serve as food sources for various animals, including humans.
The adult fly is the most common stage of a fly’s life cycle. Before this, the fly’s larvae, a pale maggot, wanders away from its breeding site before turning into a pupa. The pupa then turns into the adult fly. Most flies complete the development cycle in a week or two. However, there are some species that can remain in the adult form for months.
Although flies are a common nuisance pest in the home, you can control the number of them by removing food sources that they use to breed. If you have a small infestation, you can use desiccant dusts blown behind the walls to kill adult flies. In addition to these methods, you can hire a professional to remove any existing flies.
