We have been covered up with Horseflies this summer. This photo is of one that was sitting on a gate latch a couple of days ago. He sat there and let me take a number of pictures -- almost as if he was posing for me. This is a Tabanus sulcifrons. They are common in the eastern half of the U.S. In actual size it was about 1 1/4" long.
I had never really looked at the detail on a Horsefly until I took this photograph. The eyes, especially, are intriguing. It looks like it's wearing expensive Sun shades. It was either too full and fat to fly, or just "cool" enough to think it was invincible when I was taking the pictures. I let it live because it was such a good subject. Normally, that wouldn't be the case. They literally torture the cattle with their bites which are a prime vector for disease.
Entomology was never a subject that held much interest for me. After looking closely at this photo, though, I begin to see how it might be intriguing to some. I wonder what the purpose of the feathery features on the front part of the body might be? I also see what look to be horizontal flaps lying against the body, beneath the wing; what do they do? Are they a vestigial wing? Or, perhaps they are used to make a noise? Maybe they are a shield that protects some vital organ? What is the purpose of the tiny needle-like projection on the knee?
This critter stimulates my curiosity. It also stimulates my imagination. It doesn't look particularly aerodynamic, yet it is able to fly. Man has developed many types of aircraft, but we don't have anything that flies or, even looks vaguely like this type of insect. In science fiction we often see craft that fly much more like insects or, birds. They have the ability to zip quickly across the landscape and then to drop rapidly to the surface in a "pouncing" move that appears to hover just over a target which might be an enemy that is captured by a grappling device -- much like the legs of the insect would grab prey. Man hasn't quite mastered the air to that level. Insects -- even ungainly appearing ones -- do it with ease. So do birds.
I wonder if there is a way to utilize disease vectors such as the Horsefly to deliver vaccines rather than infectious agents? When it is time to vaccinate the herd, just turn loose a handful of vaccine-laden insects that are genetically programmed to target cattle and which are unable to reproduce and have a short life. Maybe we could do that with micro-drones? Just think how little stress that would cause the animals. Of course, you might lose a few drones to a swatting tail.
I wonder what other information could be gathered by such micro-drones? Horseflies bite the animal; perhaps the drones could take blood samples and provide information about nutrition, health, gestation, etc. I keep mentioning micro-drones because it is my understanding that a number have been developed that are designed to mimic insects. One of the biggest issues is battery life.
If you happen to be a young, aspiring engineer, I would think a career focused on energy storage and transport would hold a bright future. With macro projects such as the efforts to travel to Mars, or with the miniaturization of technology such as smart watches and phones, there is great need to be able to store and transport energy efficiently.
I've strayed from the Horsefly. I suppose my point is that there is much we can learn from nature. We need to be good stewards of it or, that tremendous reservoir of creative solutions will be lost. Think about that. Nature has already solved many of the challenges we face in technology. Is our approach the correct one?
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