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That five-pound bag of flour you just bought at the store? It could probably carry a fly. Unbelievable, right? There are many more things we don’t know about house flies that still amaze us.
Here are 5 fly facts that will make you see these little critters in a whole new light.
Fly Facts That Will Amaze You
#1 Liquid diet.
House flies are true masters of the art of eating. They can eat solid food, but their diet is mostly liquid.
House flies, in fact, require liquids to survive. Soft drinks, beer, and other fermented beverages are particular favorites of houseflies. House flies are more efficient than humans at extracting nutrients from these liquids.
This is due to the fact that they have specialized mouthparts that allow them to directly pump liquids into their stomachs. As a result, house flies can get all of their nutrition from a diet that would make most humans feel lightheaded and dizzy.
So, if you see a housefly buzzing around your garbage can, it’s not because it’s hungry. They’re actually looking for a restroom. House flies must urinate every few minutes because they have no other way to eliminate their waste. That’s why you’ll often see them near garbage cans, septic tanks, and other areas where there’s a lot of rotting food and liquid.
#2 Quick reproduction.
House flies reproduce at an alarming rate. If you’ve ever had a fly infestation, you know how quickly they can take over your home. But why do house flies reproduce so quickly?
Female house flies, for example, can lay up to 500 eggs at a time. Within 24 hours, the eggs hatch into larvae. Within 7-10 days, the larvae develop into full-grown flies. So, in just a few weeks, you can go from having a few houseflies to having a full-fledged infestation.
House flies have a relatively long life span for insects, lasting up to two months in ideal conditions. That means they’ll have plenty of time to mate and have hundreds of children.
#3 Not a fan of traveling, and not particularly fast.
We all understand how an airplane flies, but how does a housefly buzz around our heads?
Their aerial anatomy plays a role in their success. Houseflies have two pairs of wings, one larger at the back and one smaller at the front. The wings are attached to the body by a series of hinged joints that allow them to move independently up and down.
Because of this, the fly has more control over its flight than most insects. Another advantage is that the housefly’s wings can move at all times, even when it is resting.
Each housefly wing has thousands of tiny hairs that work together to generate lift and traction during takeoff and landing.
Furthermore, they assist the housefly in detecting when they are close to an object, allowing them to navigate without colliding with it. The housefly can also change the shape of its wings while in flight, allowing it to make sharp turns.
Aside from their fascinating aerial anatomy, houseflies dislike long-distance travel. They will go to great lengths to avoid it. According to research, houseflies will change their flight patterns to stay within a few miles of their breeding grounds.
When it comes to flying speed, males can reach speeds of up to 8 miles per hour, while females can reach speeds of up to 10 miles per hour. Of course, these speeds are only possible when the flies are flying straight; when they are zig-zagging after a pesky human, their top speeds are closer to 4-5 miles per hour.
#4 Taste receptors.
While humans have around 9,000 taste receptors, houseflies have just 700. And what’s more, their taste receptors are concentrated on their feet!
These receptors are known as gustatory hairs, and they are extremely chemically sensitive. When a housefly steps on something containing sugar, the sugar molecules cause a response in the gustatory hairs. This sends a signal to the brain of the fly, informing it that the food is sweet and tasty.
Similarly, when a housefly steps on something bitter or sour, the gustatory hairs send a different signal to the brain. As a result, houseflies can tell which foods are delicious and which aren’t.
In fact, some scientists believe that houseflies can aid in the development of more effective pesticides by acting as living sensors for harmful substances.
#5 Buzzing danger.
In search of a meal, a housefly will happily buzz around your trash can, your pet’s food bowl, and your kitchen counter.
Furthermore, they can travel long distances in search of food, making them excellent disease carriers. So, how do these germ-infested creatures spread disease?
It all boils down to their anatomy. Houseflies have sponge-like mouthparts that quickly absorb liquids. They also have hairy bodies that serve as a barrier against bacteria and other pathogens. When a fly lands on a contaminated surface, pathogens are transferred to its body and mouthparts. When it lands again on a new surface, such as your food, it can transfer pathogens to you.
Final Words
So the next time you’re swatting at a fly or dodging one in your food, remember that they are more complex than you may have thought. Flies have some amazing capabilities and we still have much to learn about these fascinating creatures.
Do you know of any other interesting facts about flies? Share them with us in the comments below!
