TIL: Some scorpions flies are transvestites

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Weird title right? 🤣

So, this is from an old artice on new York times I stumbled upon today. I guess a more proper title would be along the lines of "Male Fly Benefits Through Female Imitation" or something.

Anyways, here's the quick gist. In the scorpion fly Hylobittacus apiculis species, normally a male will catch and presents an insect to the female. If the female is happy with the size and taste of the meal the two will go mate...And that while the female is eating her gift as well. Double pleasure!

If not, she will fly to find a better suitor.

Now, here's where the fun part comes. Some males don't go hunting. Instead they pretend to be females and wait for a loser to bring a gift...so they can steal it and steal the bride 🤣

In transvestite behavior, a male scorpion fly seeks out a male with a captured prey and mimics the winglowering and abdominal movements of a female.

That's not always a success though

Once the transvestite has a firm hold on the prey, he tries to fly off with it for use as his own nuptial gift. The robbery, however, is not always accomplished without a fight.

In field observations of 90 transvestite attempts at stealing, 22 percent were successful. In roughly an equal number of attempts where force was used, rather than female mimicry, the success rate was only 14 percent. In some cases prey was stolen from a mating couple.

Ahhhh nature can be so fascinating some times 🏳️‍🌈🌈

Posted with STEMGeeks