Fly(ghts) of Fancy
Ah, Love—the drug that drives hapless men and women to comical endeavours and extreme follies. Are humans the only species to be driven mad by Cupid? In his talk on 26 August 2021, our curator of entomology Dr Ang Yuchen looked at the world of insects (flies, in particular) to discover that the same madness abounds!
Through his research—primarily focused on the study of Diptera (Greek for two-winged; commonly known as true flies)—Dr Ang investigates the myriad morphological and behavioural adaptations for courtship and mating. From ridiculous-looking eyestalks to really big genitalia; from fake Valentine gifts to courtship moves that put Tango dancers to shame, he used these examples to explore how—as Shakespeare puts it— “Cupid is a knavish lad, thus to make females [and males too] mad!”
Disclaimer: Please note this session contains discussion of mature topics
Here is the recording of this session:
