I agree, I did think it was a joke, but it could be real as the 
habitat and diet sound reasonable. Fly larvae eat weirder things than 
bat guano and dust. The hard part to swallow is bats putting up with 
all the disturbance of the minors.
But, I disagree that the diamonds would eventually kill the larvae. I 
published a note in Crustaceana on amphipod crustaceans that eat 
sponges, and in the process swallow long, needle-like silica 
spicules. These would kill us. They didn't even inconvenience the 
amphipods. Diamond dust would be no bother at all.
Besides, if it was a joke, it was the best kind: well thought out and 
well presented, and it could be true. Life does stranger things than 
swallowing bat exhaust and engagement rings for amoebae. And it is an 
interesting problem ...

Phil

>ok this does sound like a joke to me for the following reason.
>if the diamond mentioned were the sizes stated and they concentrated 
>in the tissue it would eventualy kill the larvae.
>
>but, i'll bite anyway. pun intended. i have cut many tissues that 
>have hard substaces in the tissue. try cutting thicker sections.
>man do i wish i hadn't jumped into this one. lol
>john

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Philip Oshel
Supervisor, AMFSC and BBPIC microscopy facilities
Department of Animal Sciences
University of Wisconsin
1675 Observatory Drive
Madison,  WI  53706 - 1284
voice: (608) 263-4162
fax: (608) 262-5157 (dept. fax)