I work as a research assistant in an Entomology lab, and as I was doing whatever it is that I do, I picked up a lady beetle (it took forever to get used to not saying lady bug) on a toothpick. I watched it crawl 360 degrees around the toothpick, defying gravity. And I really wanted to know why they can do that. Is it just because they're light? Do they have some sticky things on their feet so they can crawl up or land on walls?
Apparently, there are three things that insects have that helps them stick to all types of surfaces:
1. To stick to really smooth surfaces, they use a mucous-y membrane that is like tiny little suction cups. To illustrate how bugs would do that, imagine slapping a wet piece of paper onto a wall or window.
2. They have what are essentially tiny claws that help them hang onto to rough surfaces.
3. Insects can also use tiny little hairs to stick to surfaces. The membranes, mentioned in "1." can get the sticky mucous on these little hairs, and with more parts of the legs coated in this sticky substance, the bug is more able to climb walls, or my toothpick.
So now you know how flies stick to walls or lady beetles (still weird) can cling to pieces of grass.
JT Surge
Bibliography:
http://www.ccmr.cornell.edu/education/ask/?quid=652
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