December 8, 2010 6:46 PM

printer

Kenya locates one of the world's rarest flies

Scientists in Kenya have located one of the world's rarest and oddest-looking flies after a long hunt for the insect dubbed the terrible hairy fly. Scientists today said the one centimeter long fly Mormotomyia hirsuta looks more like a spider with its hairy legs. Unable to fly. it is thought of living only in the dark, bat-filled cleft of an isolated rock in the Ukazi Hills. It also has non-functional wings that resemble miniature belt-straps, and tiny eyes. Scientists first stumbled across the yellow-haired fly in 1933 and then again in 1948. Since then, at least half a dozen expeditions have visited a site between the towns of Thika and Garissa to find it again.

Most Read
View All arrow-right

No posts found.