Bird of paradise fly facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bird of paradise fly |
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The bird of paradise fly is a special kind of scale insect. Its scientific name is Callipappus australis. It belongs to a family of insects called Callipappidae. You can find this insect in Australia, especially in Queensland and New South Wales.
What Does It Look Like?
The bird of paradise fly is quite interesting because the males and females look very different. This is called sexual dimorphism.
The adult female is about 2 cm (0.8 in) long. That's about the size of a small paperclip. She is dark bluish-black or purplish. Her body is shaped like a long oval, and she looks plump and rounded. She has three pairs of legs, but she doesn't have any wings.
The adult male is much smaller. He looks more like a tiny fly. He has a thin, violet-colored body. Like the female, he has three pairs of legs. But he also has a pair of clear, see-through wings. From the end of his body, a tuft of long, shiny white, waxy threads sticks out.
Where Does It Live?
This type of scale insect lives only in Australia. You can find it in the states of Queensland and New South Wales.
Life Cycle of the Bird of Paradise Fly
Adult male and female bird of paradise flies come out of the ground in the autumn. The female then climbs up a tree, a fence post, or any other tall surface. This is where the male and female meet and mate.
After mating, the female attaches herself to a surface. She then lays a group of eggs. She dies soon after laying her eggs. Her tough outer skin, called a cuticle, becomes a leathery cover that protects the eggs.
The first young insects that hatch are called crawlers. They are tiny and look like nymphs. These crawlers go down to the ground. They attach themselves to the roots of plants. They do this by using their special mouthparts to suck sap from the roots. A waxy bubble forms around them.
These young insects live completely underground. They get their food by sucking sap from plant roots. They have been found on plants like Banksia. They probably also live on Xanthorrhoea and other plants found in mallee, woodland, and heathland areas. Scientists are still learning about all the different plants they use for food.
