2024-07-07 06:01:49
Whether they’re sneaking through windows, near uneaten food or in garbage dumps, flies are some of the most common insects in the world. At first glance, it’s possible to detect that some are larger than others. The average size of a fly is 7 millimeters; but have you ever wondered which is the largest in the world?
While an average length fly measures 0.7 centimeters, the largest species of its kind that exists reaches 7 centimetersThat is to say, the flies we normally see are one-tenth the size of this giant insect, native to South America and named by scientists as Gauromydas heros. What is it like?
The antennae of the larger fly are usually reddish or yellowish in color. Photo: Kennedy Borges / I Naturalist
The biggest fly in the world
Gauromydas heros, considered the largest fly in the world, lives in Brazil, Bolivia y Paraguayaccording to a study published in the scientific journal Zootax.
The species belongs to the Mydidae family, which includes large flies with a robust and muscular body compared to other flies that are not as large as it. The wingspan of Gauromydas heros is 10 centimetres.
Like other flies in its family, its abdomen and thorax often have striking color patterns, with yellow and black or red and black tones.
What do giant flies eat?
Gauromydas heros larvae are known to feed on decaying organic material, but are also thought to eat beetle larvae.
“Large larvae of the South American species Gauromydas heros (7 cm body length) have been found in the waste chambers of Atta Fabricius (leafcutter) ant nests, presumably feeding on beetle larvae that also inhabit the chambers,” the study notes.
Adult males are also believed to feed on flower pollen, according to I Naturalist.
Where do the biggest flies live?
These flies usually inhabit forested areasespecially in areas close to bodies of water such as rivers, streams and lakes. However, due to the limited information available on this particular species, precise details about its geographic distribution may vary.
The world’s largest flies tend to live in areas with warm and humid climates. Photo: Marcel Caritá / I Naturalist
What other giant flies exist?
Another species of fly considered giant is the one known as Hercules fly (Megachile pluto). This species lives in the Amazon rainforest of South America and its body length can reach 5 centimeters.
There are also the horsefliesalso called deer flies, which can reach 2 centimeters in length.
On the other hand, although they are not as large as those mentioned, the killer flies The Asilidae family are considered larger and more robust than other common flies. A curious feature of these flies is that they have spines on their legs and sensory structures that allow them to protect themselves when attacking their prey: other flies, bees, wasps and even spiders.