New-word Day

I figure it's a good day when you learn a new word.

Halteres. I didn't know what they were until I noticed the little paddles on the sides of this dandy-longlegs walking about on our kitchen ceiling today. (We brought the cat's grass box back inside and a couple of dandy-longlegs a week emerge. The cat appreciates us for doing so.)

Halteres (singular 'haltere' and apparently both pronounced three-syllabically at least in traditional Biology-talk) are the evolutionary result of a pair of wings not being needed precisely as the other pair were. So they became like really smart stablisers.