Quick post today with something really fascinating I learnt today. But first a couple of pictures:
And a non close up
So...these are adult mayflies and the weird appendages on their head is actually a..pair of eyes 🤯
There's actually a term for them. They are called turban eyes (for obvious reasons) and they are an exclusive trait for male mayflies.
These overdeveloped eyes allow them to better scout for females during the dusk.
Fyi, mayflies (also known as shadflies, fishflies, canadian soldiers in the American Great and up-winged flies) are aquatic insects of the order Ephemeroptera:
This order is part of an ancient group of insects termed the Palaeoptera, which also contains dragonflies and damselflies. Over 3,000 species of mayfly are known worldwide, grouped into over 400 genera in 42 families. source and further reading
Fun fact: Males may have enlarged eyes but they don't have a functional mouth and they don't eat. But they only get to live for a day so it's not that it matters much. I guess sex is the only pleasure they get to have in their short lives :)
Ok friends, this is it for today. See you soon with more bizarre stuff from mother nature _
P.S.: Tagging @enginewitty , he loves shit like this _
Silvergoldstackers Re-blog Lottery
Looks like cheap hive is back on the menu which means it's a good time for me to start accumulating HBI again! I will be drawing every day one winner with each new post. 5 hbi, one winner takes all. Feel free to re-blog this post for a chance to win some for free. My only condition is that you are an active member on the silvergoldstackers community here on hive or discord! If you are not, come on the discord, say a hi and tag me!
Yesterday's participants were:
@geneeverett
@gwajnberg
@jfang003
@lupega
@thebighigg
@youloseagain
And the winner is...
@geneeverett ! He gets 5 hbi. The rest one piece for participating 😀