Episode 359 – Black-Tipped Hanging Fly

“…and today we’re talking about an animal that sounds more sinister than it is. Bot more on that later.”

Step into the insect world where everything is weird and brutal…including courtship. Imagine a tinyl Casanova what brings the snacks to the party. If you’ve ever thought dating apps were transactional, wait until you hear about this suave insect’s approach to romance. In the world of love, loyalty, and legwork, few can outdo the hangingfly here in Life, Death, and Taxonomy.

Description of the Black-Tipped Hanging Fly

  • Picture a damselfly mixed with a ornithopter from Dune
  • They have two pairs of wings and short antennae compared to their body size.
  • They have long and spindly legs.
  • Their wings have the titular black tips.
  • Their bodies can sometimes be orange or yellow.

Measure Up

Welcome to the beloved Measure Up segment. A part of the show! The part of the show when we present the animal’s size and dimension in relatable terms through a quiz that’s fun for the whole family. It’s also the part of the show that’s introduced by you when you send in audio of yourself saying, singing, or chittering the words Measure Up into ldtaxonomy at gmail dot com. We don’t have a new Measure Up intro! 

The Fly 

Length

19 cm (0.75 inches)

  1. 8.14 go into a Rocket Pop
  2. 1268.5 go into the height of the Rockefeller Plaza Christmas tree
  3. 43 eucalyptus leaves thick-wise

Flight Distance

4 feet

  1. 20.328 trillion go into the flight of Voyager 1
  2. 20.328 trillion go into the flight of Voyager 2
  3. 20.328 trillion go into the flight of Cassini

Fast Facts about the Black-Tipped Hanging Fly

Habitat: They are widely distributed throughout the lower United States and are the most common hangingfly in Illinois. There is also an isolated population in Mexico.

Behavior: Black-tipped hangingflies, like other hangingflies, hang from trees or other vegetation by their forelegs. This behavior allows them to use their hind legs to catch prey more effectively. By hanging from a perch, they can remain relatively still and wait for unsuspecting insects to come within reach. This hunting strategy helps them capture prey such as aphids, houseflies, and other small insects

Diet: They feed on non-insect invertebrates and insects, choosing prey non-selectively based on abundance in the environment.

Predators: Their main predators include web-making spiders, robber flies, damselflies, and occasionally cannibalistic actions of other H. apicalis adults.

Parasites: They are commonly infected by the microsporidium Nosema apicalis, which affects the fat body and midgut of adults. The parasite is a microsporidium that infects the black-tipped hangingfly, scientifically known as Hylobittacus apicalis. The infection rates increase as the summer season progresses, with females having infection rates three times higher than males. This infection can impact the health and behavior of the black-tipped hangingfly, potentially affecting their mating and survival rates.

Reproduction: Males and females can be distinguished by sexual dimorphism in the structure of their abdominal segments.

Major Fact: Dinner and a Show (Episode 6)

  • Male scorpionflies woo females by offering a nuptial gift: a delicious insect snack.
  • The better the snack, the more likely the female is to accept the male as a mate.
  • Males with subpar or no gifts? Rejected.
  • Gift-giving keeps the female preoccupied during mating, ensuring the male’s success.
  • The size and quality of the gift can influence how long the pair mates, impacting reproductive success.
  • If a male can’t find prey, he might fake it by offering an empty piece of silk
  • Females are savvy—they sometimes reject fake gifts by flying away mid-presentation.
  • This behavior is thought to enhance survival rates, as females conserve energy while eating and mating simultaneously.
  • Other males? They wait in the wings (literally) to steal the nuptial gift (57%) or crash the mating process.
    • Some males will even mimic the behavior of females to get other males to bring them gifts to steal.
    • The thief will lower his wings like a female does and when another male gets close with a gift, it gets offered 67% of the time.
    • Usually, the female samples the gift to determine if it’s good enough for mating, and the thief male will do the same
    • After 2 minutes of no hanky panky, the gift-giver will try to take the gift back and is successful 66% of the time.
  • The cycle demonstrates an evolutionary arms race where both sexes compete for reproductive strategy supremacy.

Ending: So haunt people’s nightmares, find the girl of your dreams, and remember that romance isn’t dead like the scorpionfly here in Life, Death, and Taxonomy.