Fly
- For things moving through the air, see flight.
A fly (plural: flies) is a kind of insect.
Flies are insects in the order Diptera. They are holometabolous, with complete metamorphosis.
Their flying ability is exceptional amongst insects, and they have evolved effective ways of controlling their flight. They have a pair of front wings, but instead of rear wings there is a pair of halteres. These halteres give information about their flight, and this makes possible their flying methods. Their large eyes provide excellent wide-angle vision.
The presence of a single pair of wings distinguishes true flies from other insects with "fly" in their name, such as mayflies, dragonflies, damselflies, stoneflies, whiteflies, fireflies, sawflies, caddisflies, butterflies or scorpionflies.
Some true flies have become secondarily wingless, including some that live in social insect colonies.
[change] Kinds of flies
There are many different kinds of flies. Scientists have named 85,000 kinds (species). Houseflies are grey or black and can be found wherever people are. Horse flies and deer flies can bite people and animals. Fruit flies can be found near fruit that is too ripe. Hoverflies look like small wasps, but they have no sting.
Some flies do not have the word fly in their name, so people may not know they are flies. Mosquitoes are flies that bite people and can carry diseases, such as malaria. Midges are small flie, a bit like like mosquitoes, but not all midges bite. Gnats are small flies that sometimes are in big groups called swarms.
Some insects have the word fly in their names, but they are not flies at all.
Fireflies are a kind of beetle that can make light.
Dragonflies and damselflies are from the order Odonata and are not real flies.
Butterflies are not flies. They belong in the order Lepidoptera, along with moths.
