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Stories and science about nature's most complex, crucial and highly adaptive insect. The Secret Life of Flies takes readers into the hidden world of snail killers, con artists, crazy sex and a great many silly names. It dispels common misconceptions about flies and reveals how truly extraordinary, exotic and important are these misunderstood creatures. There are ten chapters: 1. The immature ones - Squirmy wormy larvae can be just a bit unnerving, especially when they're in large numbers. 2. The pollinators - Those annoying No See Ums, or midge flies, are the only pollinator of the chocolate-producing cacao tree, a status held by many of the pollinators. 3. The detritivores - These garbage eaters are often fluffy and thus water-repellent, good for a life spent in a sewer.