Flies are often derided as being dirty creatures, but that may not really be fair. I mean, just because you eat shit, lay your eggs in shit and spend your happiest hours swarming around steaming great dog logs, it doesn't make you dirty does it? Does it?

Apart from the environmental clean up job they perform in recycling our waste, they also like to keep themselves clean. I watched this one as it walked up and down our window. Every foot or so it would stop to wash its hands, or pulvilli as entomologists like to call them. I believe that one of the reasons they do this is to help get a better grip. A clean fly is a more effective fly.

After a while, I thought it only fair to let it go. So I opened the window and off it flew. Probably straight to the biggest, filthiest turd it could find.

Pulvillus close up.

Your great macro and info do not make me like these filthy bugs even a tiny bit more..... hahahaha danrav · 2012-07-18: 05:32

Wow What an amazing macro Great details Congrats helys · 2012-07-18: 06:30

Great photo... brilliant defense... (you should be a lawyer) but still completely unappealing... sorry! Annbramwell · 2012-07-18: 06:50

I like your edit but still NOT the fly! 8^) DancingDolphin · 2012-07-18: 07:44

I think your last statement is probably true, when our farm used to have dairy cows, flies all over was a big issue. HoosierAtHeART · 2012-07-18: 08:37

Haha....great post, Jon, with a super macro and interesting commentary! lookagain · 2012-07-18: 19:22

BIG LOL, actually you're right :p i can't express anything else!lmao! onlyricky · 2012-07-19: 16:18

Tagged: wash clean insect fly