Fly

Flies

Flies are tiny insects that can buzz around and fly very fast. They belong to a group called Diptera, which means "two wings" because they only have one pair of wings to fly with. The other pair of wings changed into small parts called halteres that help them balance in the air.

Flies have big, round eyes and can see almost everywhere at once. Their bodies have three main parts: the head, the middle part called the thorax, and the abdomen. They can land on smooth surfaces because tiny claws on their feet help them stick. Flies love to drink sweet liquids like nectar and some even sip from rotting fruits.

These insects live almost everywhere on land, from gardens to forests. There are more than 150,000 kinds of flies! Some look like tiny bees to stay safe, while others have long, thin bodies. Scientists often study a kind called fruit flies to learn about how all living things grow and change.

Flies play important roles in nature. They help plants grow by moving pollen, just after bees and their relatives. Their babies, called larvae, help keep the world clean by eating dead plants and animals. Even though some flies, like mosquitoes, can spread sickness, most are very helpful to the environment.