Gold-Butt Fly Gets Named ‘Beyonce’

What a couple of weeks for Beyonce! First she gives birth to daughter Blue Ivy, and then... she gets a fly named after her?  Umm, congratulations? Yes, a  horse fly discovered  in Australia  was so "bootylicious" with its golden-haired backside, researcher Brian Lessard chose to name the species "Beyonce."

The Associated Press reports previously published results on the insect, which had been sitting in a fly collection since 1981, were just announced this past week. Lessard, a 24-year-old researcher at Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific Research Organization, says he wanted to pay respect to the insect's beauty by naming it Scaptia (Plinthina) beyonceae.

Lessard, a fan of the pop diva, says he hasn't heard from Beyonce, but hopes she takes  his scientific gesture as a compliment. He says he chose the name to draw attention to the importance of his field and the need for more researchers to catalog and study insects.

Lessard explains that horse flies are "vital pollinators of native plants, not just in Australia, but all over the world...It's extremely important to name all the undescribed species so we can measure our human impact on the environment and hopefully protect it for future generations to enjoy."

Well, when you put it that way, it does seem like a compliment to have a fly named after you... I guess it's better than say, a slug?