The Promise of a Fly by Chipka
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Description
Since I was a child, I always thought of flies as little warriors. Maybe it’s because of my early exposure to Egyptian mythology and my extreme interest in a religion that didn’t bore the living daylights out of me. Admittedly, the ancient Egyptian religion was rather inventive, and well…the divine pantheon looks like extras from the cantina scene in Star Wars…which might suggest that they rather enjoy music that sounds suspiciously like Benny Goodman by way of John Williams. Hey…stranger things have happened, you know. At any rate, since I was a child, I’ve always possessed a soft spot for flies. I don’t think of them as appropriate dinner guests, house guests, or party attendees, but I don’t see them as vermin. The title of vermin is reserved for the lowest of the low, the most vile and depraved and ecologically-useless of biological accidents: the politician.
I saw this rather cold, and not entirely alive fly on a windowsill in Albany Park. It was a cold day. Most sensible insects were either dead or asleep. This holdout was…well…lethargic. Motionless. I poked and prodded, only to see if it was alive. It was alive, but just barely so. It flexed its wings. It did not fly. It is dead now, and covered in snow. I suspect that it’s laid scores and scores of eggs somewhere, and they’re overwintering…or perhaps it’s mated with a fly that has since migrated elsewhere. At any rate, there will be maggots next spring: pale little wigglers with heads smaller than their hind ends, and really useful medical benefits (if only we didn’t suffer from what is called among doctors, “the ick factor.” Who needs band-aids and antiseptics when you have little pale, legless creatures who EAT rot, and leave healthy, uninfected tissue alone?)
I was amazed that I could get as close to this fly as I did, and I was amazed that I could count its hairs. I can’t say that I was (or am) willing to invite such six-legged people into my home, but I can say that the errant fly in MY home is guided to the nearest open door or window and sent outside with little ceremony. I could be wrong, but I don’t get many flies indoors…it seems that they are warrior insects of a sort, and if you kill one, you establish a kind of cycle of retribution: kill one fly and ten more come to visit you. Shoo a fly outside, and none of them seem to care…now, horseflies and other biting flies are a different matter, but thankfully, those sorts of six-legged people don’t live in Chicago. I have it on good authority that they possess rather belligerent attitudes toward Chicago architecture, and the absence of sufficiently succulent horses roaming around.
And so, here is the last fly of 2010: a year that has been—to my experience—a pretty odd year. Good things happened. Bad things happened, and towards the end of it all, I saw a fly that reminded me: Spring is coming and when it does, it will be a different year. A new year with new possibilities. I like that, and I like that a fly—a tired and dying housefly—was the one who showed me that. It’s such a small gift--the size of a poop-eating insect with rather non-Victorian feeding habits--but it’s so incredibly valuable.
As always, thank you for viewing, reading, and commenting, and I hope you’re all having a great week.
Comments (22)
MagikUnicorn
Great Zoom :)
Sepiasiren
love this intimate up close look at ye olde fly--wonderful image
popeslattz
I always thought of them as little demons. I like that you see the promise of a good new year in the the bugger. Great shot!
CoreyBlack
Hey, Dude, yer fly is open. Sorry, couldn't resist that! Speaking of open flies, that reminds me of a corny old joke: Person Number One: " It's nice out." Person Number Two: "Yeah, think I'll take mine out too." What has any of this got to do with this picture? Not a hell of a lot. Any tenious link for a joke you know... When I first opened this, I thought it was the cover of Led Zep's In Through the Out Door, or was an abstract, or an obscure bit of genius. I was looking for the prize at the bottom of the Cracker Jack box. And then I found it. I'll admit that under close observation, insects really are fascinating looking and rather alien. Scratch that, VERY alien. There's this amazing level of detailing and moving parts that always makes me think that the Creator of the Universe was working on Game Theory that day and then gave up and decided to design something REALLY complicated instead to prove to himself that he still had the chops. Anyway, that's what close inspection of insects always makes me think of. I'm suprised to see one out and and about this late in the year. Very cool shot. Like this a lot!
mbz2662
LOL.. I absolutely agree with your definition of vermin.. and I literally laughed out loud. (and I literally mean literally, because I know the definition big grin). great narrative to accompany your fly. A belated Merry Christmas. I also wish you a happy, healthy, prosperous New Year!
MrsRatbag
Well, to my uninformed eyes he doesn't look near death, in fact he looks really good. Excellent capture of this soon-to-be-ex-fly, and fascinating ruminations as always!
Orinoor
Wow, what a close-up, amazing! Not surprisingly, I'm reminded of the movie "The Fly" and I do believe this fly is much more appealing than the human-fly hybrid. He/she is almost beautiful, in a metallic sort of way.
auntietk
Denise's comment made me think this might be a Norwegian Blue. He's probably just pining for the fjords. :D
lwperkins
Somehow this fly looks tired--the droopy front legs, the saggy little wing tips..who knew a fly could be so expressive? A great capture of a fly guy.
kgb224
Outstanding capture my friend.
beachzz
I try to open the door for the flies in my house, but sometimes they just won't go. Then they turn into window splat, a very unappealing sort of thing. He doesn't look real happy, probably because he knows you're about to turn him out into the cold. Poor guy!!
whaleman
Some days you could poke and prod me too with the same result. I'll be careful to stay off the window sills the next time I'm in Chicago.
durleybeachbum
What a stunningly sharp macro! Brill although chill. I prefer not to kill them either, but one of these days I shall cripple myself chasing them around the house to get them out.
flavia49
marvelous macro!
RodS
Wonderful macro shot of the little bug-ger! I've always found the irredecent colors quite fascinating on these critters. Have to agree with you on the politicians...
marybelgium
fantastique close up !
sandra46
EXCELLENT!
Season's Greetings Cards
More New Year Scraps
KatesFriend
Great macro, any more detail and you would be in the realm of electron micrographs. Fringe benefits of an arthropod who is not quite dead yet. I hope you gave him some sugar for his troubles. In this shot one can almost believe the urban legend (or sci-fi joke) that flies are really alien surveillance bots places on Earth to observe human activity of all kinds. Hence the expression, "fly on the wall", what if they were all really listening in to us? Love the vibrant colours here too.
SIGMAWORLD
EXCELLENT!
helanker
What a marvellous capture, Chip. I like it alot and i like the big space around it. It makes "peace" around the beautiful fly. And of course I like the narrative too :-) Happy New Year to you and your family and friends.
KateBlack10
Cool shot - really neat on the detail- love Corey's comment and joke
praep
Very impressive close-up. They are great when you come close to look.