The Stalk-Eyed Fly

This has to be one of the strangest creatures I’ve ever seen. Male Stalk-Eyed Flies gulp air bubbles up into their heads, then pump those air bubbles into the stalks that support their eyes. The eye-stalks are then inflated to terrifying proportions, acting as nature’s creepiest balloon animals. Lastly, they straighten out any kinks that they may find (because as we all know there’s nothing more embarrassing than a wrinkly eye-stalk). Apparently, this is a sexual adaptation, as the males with the longest eye stems get all the ladies. 

Thank you, evolution, for being more creative than any science fiction writer and for providing me with endless wonderment and nightmares. 

via: Life