Why do flies crawl on your body? Why are all flies so annoying? What kind of animal is this

Publicat pe 14 June. 2018

Why do flies land on people?
It’s unlikely that anyone likes it when this buzzing insect flies around the room. Besides unpleasant sound, flies irritate us by crawling on our body. And if no one paid attention to this before special attention, then in the 20th century the world suddenly learned that this dipteran spreads bacteria that can be very dangerous to humans.
Initially, it was believed that flies land on us in search of food. By the way, I’ll immediately add that they don’t know how to chew in principle, because they don’t have teeth as such. The mouth is adapted only for sucking soft food, and the tongue, shaped like an elephant’s trunk, helps it do this - it is divided into two channels, through each of which food is absorbed.
Flies do not see us as living beings, at least they do not consider our bodies as animate objects. And in general, they don’t think about the fact that they might disturb someone.
They are attracted by the “appetizing” supply and taste of the body, on which they can find particles of skin, fat, the salts they need, and so on. If a person is sleeping or simply does not move, the insect will continue to walk on him until he has eaten. However, if we twitch or turn around, the fly will immediately fly away. True, a little time will pass and she will return back.

Commentarii

Guys, I’m in shock 😱 a fly landed on me and I didn’t care and this stupid fly it sat.. sat and then I don’t know how to say it has a sting, well, it’s not a sting, I don’t know it was transparent and inside it’s red, maybe it’s blood, I’m in a panic, suddenly he contagious I have no idea if you had the same then write what happened after that

Very little explanatory information about the housefly bite?. The search engine immediately returns a light fly and says that everyone confuses a light fly with a housefly, but this is not so. Supposedly the indoor one doesn’t bite. But this is a terrible mistake. The housefly also bites, but much weaker and leaves no trace, although their bite is not pleasant. The bite of a burner is significantly different, it is more painful and leaves a mark. I would like a detailed explanation specifically for the bite of an ordinary housefly. How it does this if it does not have a sting or any other sharp organs. As I mean, she does this with the same proboscis with which she eats food. Perhaps she finds weak spots, for example, sweat glands or something else, creating a vacuum by suction or, as a result, twitching the hair follicles and causing that mild but unpleasant pain. There was even a dispute and I specially caught a fly with a burner in order to compare and show the difference. Once, in the cold season, having sweated while working in the veranda at a lathe, I took off my T-shirt and after a while I felt the bites of house flies. In order to make sure of this, I lightly swatted the fly and checked it with the lighter. And immediately everything became clear and visible to the naked eye. The difference is like heaven and earth. But I cannot prove to my friend that I really felt the bite of this fly. That’s why I want someone to professionally explain that house flies know how to cause pain and how they do it. This is just scant information. The housefly is a common species. These individuals are capable of carrying parasitic diseases. There are cases when bacterial infections develop after a bite. The weight of the fly is 12 mg, the length of the proboscis is 1-1.5 mm. During the breeding process, the female lays up to 150 eggs. At the same time, she lays eggs 4-6 times during her life;

If you've seen a fly rubbing its legs, you've probably wondered why it does this. You probably think that when a fly rubs its legs, it is cleaning them.

And you are absolutely right!

Why is she doing this? Is a fly, a carrier of many infections and bacteria, really a cleaner?

The end of a fly's foot (275x magnification).
Between the two large "hooks" a pad with
small bristles that secrete a sticky liquid.
Photo: Trevor A. Minning, Source: filebox.vt.edu

Not certainly in that way. The fly does indeed clean dirt from its legs, but not for reasons of hygiene.

The fact is that the fly's foot ends in two pads - pulvillia. Pulvillia are covered with thin setae. These bristles secrete a sticky liquid consisting of a mixture of carbohydrates and fats. The sticky secretion (liquid) of the bristles holds the fly on smooth surface force of capillary attraction.

By studying the tracks of flies walking on clean surfaces, scientists discovered that they are identical in shape to the pads on the ends of their legs. Chemical analysis traces showed that they consist of fats. Although grease itself is slippery, it helps hairs stick to smooth surfaces such as glass. The reason is the high surface tension of the fat. If the legs of a fly are degreased by dipping them in hexane for a short time, the fly loses the ability to move around for a while. glass surface- will begin to slide.

Of course, when a fly crawls on various surfaces, dirt collects on the sticky pads and bristles of her paws. To prevent the adhesion of the legs to the surface when crawling from deteriorating due to this, the fly regularly “toilets” all six legs, cleaning them from adhering particles of debris.

By the way...

In addition, the fly has short bristles on the pulvillas - organs of touch and taste. That is, the fly senses taste first of all... with its legs, and only then with its proboscis and sucking blades! Moreover, a fly analyzes food with its feet 100-200 times better than a human with its tongue.

Probably a fly is the first animal that a person observes in his life. While still lying in the stroller, the baby moves his eyes with interest after a living black dot moving along the wall. And in later life, flies do not allow a person to forget about himself. They are very attached to people, although they do not reciprocate. As one sensitive 19th-century author put it, “hardly anyone recognizes a single virtue in her...”. What is true is true.

Again from the very beginning early childhood we hear a phrase that enters our consciousness: “Flies are carriers of infection.” We accept it as truth, which does not require proof. However, you can find any amount of evidence. Making constant journeys from garbage dumps and all sorts of human waste to his home, one single fly carries about 6 million microbes! And this is only on yourself, and more than 25 million more inside yourself, in the intestines! Theoretically, this number of “passengers” is quite enough to infect the entire population of a country, for example, Australia or Canada.

How can flies “reward” a person? Dysentery and cholera, typhoid fever and tuberculosis, anthrax and diphtheria, polio and many others. Full list includes more than 30 diseases.

The annoying buzzing and tickling touches of flies will infuriate even very balanced and calm people. Hence the name of the fly - “tskokotuha”, that is, chatter, talker, talker, rattle. Why do flies have such sympathy for humans? The answer to this question must be sought in her and our pedigrees.

Probably, the ancestors of the common fly were grazing forms and harassed grazing animals. The remains of these bad habits we also observe it in modern house flies. In extreme heat, they literally attack people, licking sweat and secretions from the mucous membranes of the mouth and eyes.

What is the origin of flies, where is their homeland? On the one hand, they cannot stand the cold. On the other hand, they do not hibernate in the wild, like some insects, but look for a warm shelter. This makes one think of their southern origins. From there, from warm countries, they settled together with humans into areas with a more severe cold climate.

Human housing provided them with warmth, and the waste of human activity, rotting near his home and accompanying him from ancient times to the present day, provided food for the larvae. By the way, rotting is also accompanied by the release of heat. And now, traveling around the world, people help flies spread everywhere. These annoying insects can be found in cars and planes, on trains and ships. They use any transport.
“Indestructible Squadron”

At the beginning of the last century, a wide anti-fly campaign was launched. Scientists, with facts and figures in hand, branded flies as unclean and therefore dangerous insects. Experts have repeatedly spoken about the need to completely eradicate flies. However, no one succeeded in implementing such radical plans.

One of the main methods of flies in the struggle for a place in the sun is their amazing fertility. One female common fly lays about a hundred eggs at a time. There are from four to six such “times” in her monthly life. In each generation, about half of the flies are females. They naturally do the same thing as their mother fly. A simple calculation shows that by the end of August, the offspring of a single female fly should exceed 5 trillion individuals. And if we consider that our calculations are based on average indicators, then the conclusion is obvious - you and I should have no place on this planet.

Luckily for us, it is there. A huge army of flies is opposed by an equally large army of their natural enemies - beetles, spiders, dragonflies, toads, birds. It happens that ants snatch fly eggs while they are being laid. Even plants catch flies, thereby reducing their numbers. Among them are the famous fly agaric mushrooms. They secrete a whole chemical bouquet: one substance attracts flies with its smell, others kill them. Man also does not lag behind, waging a constant struggle with flies.
The ideal airplane

Some of those who were interested in the fly were engineers and designers. And I won’t drown that flies interfere with mental and creative work. Rather, on the contrary, the fly is a treasure trove of unsolved engineering mysteries. What would you say about aircraft, which does not need a runway for takeoff and landing, which takes off without a run and from any surface, at the same time highly economical, high-speed, highly maneuverable and reliable? So far, such a device is the crystal dream of all aircraft designers, pilots and passengers. Nevertheless, such a device exists. Raise your head and quite possibly you will see it on the ceiling of your room.

Let's look at the fly's wings. There are only two of them. And two tiny halteres, which are thoracic appendages located behind the wings.

The fact that a fly flies up instantly is known to everyone who has tried to catch it at least once. The fly does not pick up speed gradually, but starts immediately at full speed, starting its motor at full power. How does she manage to do this? The halteres of flies are constantly swaying. When the fly sits, they constantly shake the muscles of the wings, keeping it in constant readiness for a high rhythm of contractions.

In flight, the wings of a fly describe a complex trajectory forward - down, then back - up. At the same time, they themselves are constantly changing their profile and flexibility. It is known that the relative speed of a fly, that is, correlated with body size, far exceeds the speed of modern aircraft. The maneuverability of the fly is also beyond praise. They perform aerobatic maneuvers with ease. There are flies that can hover over one place, while others fly with their backs down without difficulty.

Sensitive hairs on the wings also provide the fly with reliable flight. The halteres mentioned above are balance organs; they help the fly to precisely control its flight.

The fly does not land anyhow. The body is usually located in the north-south or west-east direction. When falling atmospheric pressure the fly shows nervousness and tries to hide in any shelter, even in the cabin of a car. Obviously, it is equipped with both a compass and a barometer.

The buzz of a flying fly is created by its wings. They can make over 300 swings per second! How durable should a material be that works in such conditions?
Live taste and smell locator

The ability of flies to capture the finest odors, inaccessible to our nose, is also worthy of all admiration. Everyone has been convinced more than once that a fly’s “smell” is perfect. As soon as you loosely cover the lid of the dish with compote or jam, these parasites are right there. Moreover, others immediately fly after one. Perhaps this is not only a matter of smell, but also of vision. Scientists suggest that when several flies are circling in a room, they constantly keep each other in sight. And if suddenly one of the flies finds a source of food, then the whole friendly company immediately flocks to it.

Flies are very big-eyed. They can distinguish different colors, even ultraviolet light. Their eyes are large and very complex. Each eye consists of 4000 elements - facets. Objects of the surrounding world appear to the fly in mosaic view. The fly does not see a clear image, especially at a considerable distance. But she doesn't need it. Any approach of a light, unclear shadow is already a danger for her, and she, without tempting fate, usually immediately takes off.

A fly sees “faster” than a person. In cinema, we do not notice the flickering of 24 frames per second: for our chapter they merge into a continuous picture. To a fly, our films would seem irritatingly choppy. In order for the image to be smooth for a fly, the frame rate must be at least three hundred per second.
Uninvited guest

Flies are very voracious and usually cannot withstand hunger for more than an hour. Having discovered something edible, they immediately straighten it and apply their proboscis. Oh, this proboscis is small, but bold! “In no other oral apparatus do we encounter such complexity of structure and such a subtle division of functions!” noted the famous entomologist B.N. Shvanvich. We will not dwell in detail on the structure of this wonderful device. Let's just say that a fly can equally successfully suck up liquid food, filter liquid from a mixture, and nibble off pieces of solid foods. Everything that a person eats is quite suitable for these insects. Flies like their food to be slightly warm.

At our table the fly behaves like an unceremonious, gluttonous guest. But it can be understood. After all, it is vital for her to replenish the body’s costs of intense work of the muscles of the wings and from laying eggs. Well, prepare for procreation. Many relatives of the housefly feed on blood. Their proboscis can easily pierce the skin of a person, a cow, a horse, even a hippopotamus!

As you know, after a hearty lunch you can relax. Unless the fly is preoccupied with laying eggs, it finds a warm place and settles there. Since warm air rises, the flies' favorite place to spend the night is the ceiling. Here they sit “upside down above us.”
Legs with a secret

Why don't flies fall? Or the law universal gravity discovered by Newton not for them? It turns out that flies have sharp claws at the end of their legs, with which they cling to uneven rough surfaces. But even if the ceiling were perfectly smooth, this would hardly bother the flies - there are also suction pads between the claws, which ensure movement even on a glass surface. On their front legs, flies also have tiny hairs - taste organs. They distinguish what we do - sweet, bitter, sour, salty, but they do it much more sensitively than our tongue.

By the way, flies have six legs, like all insects. It’s hard to believe, but the famous Aristotle wrote in one of his works that a fly has eight legs. The authority of the great Greek and his disregard for experience were so great that they believed it for almost two thousand years.
So summer has passed...

You probably noticed at the end of summer - in the fall the flies become somehow angry, biting, they, as people say, “flies go crazy.” The fact is that when the weather changes and the temperature outside begins to drop, warm homes another fly flies up - the autumn fly. Until this time, she drinks the blood of animals. And an ordinary housefly has absolutely nothing to do with it. Autumn is a very difficult time of year for her. Epidemics of fungal diseases are spreading among flies. On the windowsill you can often find houseflies covered with mold.

Sensing the approach of winter, the fly seeks shelter. IN rural areas There are more suitable places - a barn, a barn, a farm, an attic. In cities, things are more complicated. It is even believed that flies fly to warmer areas for the winter and return in the spring. There is nothing incredible about this. Experiments with tagging flies have shown that kilometer-long travel is not the limit for them, and champions can make 20-kilometer flights.
All means are good

Used against flies different means struggle. Unfortunately, on this moment the most common, chemical, gives only a temporary effect. Flies quickly develop resistance to poisons. During the period of mass infatuation with DDT, flies developed immunity to it within 2-3 years, and according to some reports they could even feed on it.

Traditional Velcro, mesh, and compliance with hygiene rules have not been retired either. To get rid of flies, it is recommended to line the places where garbage and sewage are dumped with bird cherry trees. These are simple preventive measures can give good results.
According to legend, Virgil made a copper fly and, after a mysterious ceremony, placed it on the gates of Naples, which protected the city from flies for eight years. Did this help? Hardly. But human ingenuity has no limits, just as the adaptability of flies has no limits...<

“Ah, red summer, I would love you if it were not for the heat, dust, mosquitoes and flies...” Apparently, these annoying creatures really irritated the poet if they were reproached in poetry. And who would like being next to a swarm of flies? Carriers of infection, inhabitants of garbage dumps, molesters! They won’t let you take a nap in the shade, they’ll fall into your food, they’ll leave marks on cleanly washed glass... It would seem that from the point of view of signs, the appearance of a fly shouldn’t bode well. However, superstitions are unpredictable things.

If a fly flew into the house

One fly by itself does not make any difference and does not foreshadow anything significant. It is simply impossible to imagine a summer in which at least a dozen or two of these annoying creatures did not sneak into the apartment! But if an impressive company of flies scurries around the ceiling day and night, it’s unpleasant and alarming: why would it happen all of a sudden? Experts in superstitions in such cases console the owners with the sign: “Many flies - a lot of money.”

Of course, if you can’t correct the situation, you can put up with the dominance of the flies and prepare a wallet for the promised wealth. But it’s still wiser to check the area for any unregistered garbage dumps nearby. This is especially true for the private sector, where you are closer to the land and the risk of encountering unscrupulous neighbors is higher.

If flies buzz loudly, rush about and behave especially violently, the belief suggests that you should expect a quarrel between households. And nothing surprising! No one knows how to fray your nerves like a housefly, and we usually take our irritation out on those closest to us.
If winged insects stick to a person and bite, bad weather and cold weather are coming. Or the summer heat has taken its toll and you need to hurry to the shower and wash off the sweat.
If a fly appears in a house in winter, it means someone’s death, a dead person. Perhaps, in a cold and dark peasant hut, an insect resurrected in the middle of January really seemed like a miracle, and an unkind one at that. But in our time this phenomenon is not so rare that one rushes to write a will. The fly just warmed up next to the warm radiator and emerged from its winter hibernation earlier than expected. If you want to be on the safe side, knock on the window glass and say clearly: “This trouble is not for us.”

There is no house that a fly cannot enter

A fact to note for those who do not want to endure a buzzing swarm in their apartment. Our ancestors were sure that there was no better remedy against flies than... worn pants. It is not known to whom and with what fear this idea first came to mind, but in many parts of Russia they believed that an insect that was kicked out of the house with this piece of clothing would under no circumstances come back.

sat on a person

If there is a fly in the house, sooner or later you will find it on you. And this will mean absolutely nothing, since the human body is covered with a thin layer of sebum, sweat and emits an appetizing smell for insects. However, signs ignore this fact, and a completely different explanation is found for the fly’s behavior.

Got tangled in my hair

There is a version that this sign predicts separation for lovers. True, without specifying, forever or temporarily, so there is a way to get rid of a bad omen. Spend the evening apart, and the fly's prediction will come true painlessly for both of you.

Got in the eye

If a fly gets into your eye, you will cry. The sign is 99% true, since our eyes are very sensitive to irritation, and after meeting an insect rushing in low-level flight, tears will probably flow in hail. All the better! This means that you have already cried for yourself and there is no need to be afraid of troubles in the future.

Sat on my nose

Did the flyer land right on your nose? Signs remain silent, but the “Big Dictionary of Russian Sayings” (also folk wisdom!) convicts the owner of the desire to sip a glass or two.

In ear

There are two options for interpreting the sign:

People are gossiping about you. But there is no reason to be upset - if they gossip, it means they are jealous, and since they are jealous, it means there is something to be said.
Someone from the other world sees that you are about to stumble and is trying to let you know about it. Just in case, remember all the offers that you have received recently, and think about each one three times before giving an answer. The habit of weighing everything once again will not let you down, even if the insect did not get close to your ears.

In the mouth

Whoever swallows a fly will vomit. Can not argue with that. True, popular belief explains this by special mercy towards annoying insects of higher powers, and modern medicine explains it by disgust. But the result is the same in any case.
Metaphysically, you are advised to pay closer attention to what comes out of your mouth. Remember how often you say unnecessary things and then regret what you said?

Sometimes a fly is a sign of good luck

Contaminated with food or drink

They always tried to present the presence of an insect in food as a good omen. Apparently, so that a person who had to share his portion with an insect would be less upset, and the food would not have to be thrown away. Even if the trick looks naive, why not play along with the old belief? Pulling an insect out of a cup is always more enjoyable if you know that for this you are promised some kind of prize!

For tea

A fly fell into a mug of tea - expect a gift. Necessarily material, good wishes and wise advice are not considered a gift.

In coffee

Coffee lovers can count on any gift from a small amount of money to good impressions. An insect drowned in a cup of coffee also portends success.

In milk

Did you catch a fly from a glass of milk? Guests are approaching, think about how you will entertain your visitors.

Into the wine

If a fly lands in a glass of wine or a glass, its owner will experience success with the opposite sex. And if this happens to a woman at a party, then even before it ends the lucky woman will meet the man of her dreams.

In the soup

A fly in the soup is a sign of profit that will be received in the very near future. Moreover, if the “drowned woman” is found floating in a plate, the income should be average, but if it falls straight into the spoon, it should be stunning.

It’s a pity, but this sign does not apply to solid food. A fly in a plate with potatoes or porridge is just a sign of germs.

If there are many of them

An abundance of flies indicates a hot summer

We have already mentioned the first sign in this regard: the number of flies in the house, the owner has so much money. But that’s not all that the invasion of buzzing pesters can tell you about.

If hundreds of flies break into the house, bad weather is ahead.
If you stick to the glass from the inside, the weather will be sunny.
If they buzz loudly, a thunderstorm of extraordinary strength will break out.

If there are small fruit flies in the house, the signs foretell a rich feast for the owners with many guests. Although the situation may be exactly the opposite! If you are chopping salads for the upcoming holiday, throwing the remaining vegetables into a bucket, there will definitely be a cluster of fruit flies.

It seems that superstitions have not spared anyone. Even small flies ended up as messengers of fate! Should you listen to what they tell you? That's your business. But if you want to keep your nerves, and your health in order, leave weather forecasting to insects - they are definitely better at this. Make changes in your personal life yourself. What if you manage to accomplish something grandiose without flies in your wine and ears?

As soon as we get sick, we immediately go to the doctor for a prescription, or to the pharmacy for medicine. But do we even sometimes think about how people are treated where there are no pharmacies or qualified doctors? Which treatment is more effective? The “recipes” described below will probably surprise you, and you may have come across some of them without knowing their benefits.

There have already been a large number of photo collections with insects, where you can look at them in detail, for example, The World of Small Animals and Insects, or Photo Post “The Kingdom of Insects”. Here we will talk about how insects can be used for treatment. So, let's begin…

Green fly larvae

Helps treat wounds and infectious bone diseases. When a green fly lands on an open wound, it, like all flies, lays larvae. But the larvae of this fly are special. These larvae contain a medicinal element known as allantoin. Increasingly, doctors are using allantoin (extracted from fly larvae) to treat osteomyelitis. This type of treatment is very effective.

Larval therapy

Some doctors don't bother extracting allantoin. Instead, they inject the larvae into the affected areas. As the larvae develop and grow, they absorb infectious bacteria, damaged and already dead cells.

Bee venom therapy

Bee venom is rich in enzymes, peptides, glucocorticoids and other medicinal components. Effective in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis. But remember that it is still poison. Abuse of natural medicine leads to dire consequences.

Ant venom for the treatment of arthritis

Ant bites contain poison. Ant venom reduces swelling and eliminates pain.

Green tree ants are used for medicinal purposes by Aboriginal people in Australia.

Australian Aborigines make green ant tea to relieve headaches. This “miracle drink” also promotes wound healing. The cocktail, terrible at first glance, tastes like green tea.

Stray ants. Scar removal

In the jungles of South America and Africa, some natives use stray ants to heal open wounds. After the ant bites the flesh, its body is torn off and the head remains in the wound and speeds up healing. After this procedure, the scars from the former wound are almost invisible.

The cockroach brain as an antibiotic

Cockroach brain contains a powerful antibiotic that will easily eliminate pain and mild infection. But to achieve this result, you need to eat or drink it. Doctors who distribute this medicine usually do not talk about its components.

Treatment of Syphilis with the stings of Malaria mosquitoes

Malaria can kill a person, but syphilis is much more dangerous. This is the reasoning of people who agreed to such a strange treatment. What is the effectiveness? The fact is that malaria “feeds” on syphilis bacteria, without harming the owner of the disease. A doctor only needs to cure a patient of malaria in time when she cures a patient of syphilis.

Treatment of cough with cochineal beetles

Cochineal beetles are one of the ugliest insects on the planet. However, several handfuls of these beetles, in alcoholic form, very effectively treat whooping cough and asthma, as well as mild infections.

Insects as Food Additives

If you don't like broccoli or Brussels sprouts, but you need to quickly replenish copper, iron, thiamine, zinc, riboflavin, you can eat insects that feed on these foods. Fried termite or silkworm larvae are suitable for replenishing iron.

Be healthy, but do not forget that not all insects can be useful, there are even some that can kill - for example, lonomia, the most dangerous caterpillar on Earth