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AMAZING FACTS TO PONDER |
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A dragonfly’s eye has reportedly 28,000 lenses (or ommatidia in one compound eye), giving it excellent sight for spotting prey. Dragonflies cannot walk, as their legs are made for catching insects in mid air and for perching when at rest (CSIRO).
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A hawk moth got its name because it is such a fast flyer (widely variable speeds around 50km/h have been recorded), arguably second only to dragonflies. More remarkable than sheer speed are their manoeuvrings in the air. Hawk moths are seldom seen, as they are mostly nocturnal (active at night). |
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A bumblebee’s design defies aerodynamic belief, as its body is technically-speaking too large for its wings to enable flight, yet it flies! |
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Chafers pump extra oxygen into their muscles by ventilating vigorously just prior to taking flight, in order to get their rather heavy bodies airborne.
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Aquatic or water beetles often breathe through the last (posterior) segmental spiracles, sticking out just above the surface of the water. |
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Rat-tailed larvae (of hoverflies) breathe through an aperture at the end (distal) of their tube-like ‘tails’ sticking out the watery medium. |
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A housefly can detect rapid movement because of the combination of its many ‘little eyes' (ommatidia) at single but unique angles, capturing light to form multi-faceted images simultaneously. |
