Flies have rhythm and choreography, could their moves make the next TikTok dance fad?

Dune flies groove to their own beat in dance-circles and hoverflies use rhythmic movements in mating.

Researchers found the dancing dune fly’s repertoire has specific moves for impressing a female and others for rival dance battles.  Pretty fly for a dune fly.

In Costa Rica the male red hoverfly rhythmically squeezes and strokes his mate during copulation.

They also have a pattern of coupling and uncoupling as many as 17 times during the act!

Featuring:

• Dr Keith Bayless, research scientist, National Research Collections Australia, CSIRO
• Professor William Eberhard, emeritus scientist, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute; emeritus professor, Universidad de Costa Rica

Further reading:

• Genital behaviour in Menidon falcatus (Diptera, Syrphidae) and the possible significance of repeated, rhythmic movements
• Courtship choreography is stabilized among genetically isolated populations

Production:

• Ann Jones, Presenter / Producer
• Rebecca McLaren, Producer
• Tegan Nicholls, Sound Engineer

This episode of What the Duck?!  was recorded on Ngunnawal Country and produced on the lands of the Wadawarrung and Taungurung people.

Find more episodes of the ABC podcast, What the Duck?! with the always curious Dr Ann Jones exploring the mysteries of nature on ABC Listen (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. You'll learn more about the weird and unusual aspects of our natural world in a quirky, fun way with easy to understand science.