A Ghanaian photographer Mr. Kudiabor Edem has captured houseflies mating on a drying rope in a doggy style position.
The creative photo after it made its way on social media has since gone viral.
See the photos below:
Mating in Houseflies
Houseflies are polygynous in nature. The males mate with multiple females. Females however choose only one male.
After emerging from the pupa, the male sexually matures at 16 hours and female at 24 hours. The female has one job: accept or decline the invitation by the male. The male chooses a female by detecting pheromones. They court the chosen female by using an elaborate ritual.
The housefly’s mating process is initiated by a male bumping into the female. This is known as striking. A single strike lasts anywhere between one to nine seconds and may occur on the ground or mid-flight. If the female is already on the surface, the male literally jumps on her. If in mid-air, he bumps into her and forces her wings open. This causes them to fall down to a stable surface.
At this time, she can decline the male and shake him off if she chooses to do so. Female virgins are more likely to copulate. In the process of opening her wings, the female vibrates and causes a loud buzzing noise while the male strokes her head. A willing female pushes her ovipositor into the males genital area. Mating lasts between 30 to 120 minutes.
References: study.com
