Home
Creators
Search Recent Random
Posts
Search DMs Popular Hash Lookup Tags Random
Importer
Import FAQ
Register Favorites Keys Review DMs Logout
Community
Telegram ThePornDude
Home Creators Posts Import Register Favorites Logout

Call for questions: FLIES. Yes, flies. (Patreon)

Published:
2022-06-08 22:35:13
Imported:
2026-06

Content

Let's ask Bry the Fly Guy, aka Dr. Bryan Lessard, some dipterology business.

Perhaps we will begin to...appreciate flies? We can do this. We can love flies. Ask your questions below, and if I've never read your name on an episode let me know with a ** before your question or by just straight up telling me. Also if I've mispronounced your name,  feel free to add a phonetics note! Hella sorry!

Flies flies flies (yeah),

Ol Ward

Comments

Kelly Shaver

Why do they exist?? Do they serve some purpose besides being food for spiders and frogs?

gumi

why do they rub their grubby little hands every time they land on my food

Mia Manzer

Is there truth behind the saying “you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar?”

Sh4rkH4ts

**How long have true flies existed and what is a true fly? What are flies main predators?

Paul Smith

I had to breed fruit flies for a genetics class and can you tell my why Flynap smelled so good?

Mallory Skinner

I studied biology in university and apparently biological research is all about drosophila! I got sick of hearing about them 😂 why are they studied so often?

Alex Minor

How many types are there, and how many only live for one day? I swear I’ve had pesky flies on my house for days buggin me.

Anna Thompson

I don't have giant swarms of flies outside my garage door. But if I leave it open for any period of time there ends up with at least 1 fly in my house bashing against the window to get out. Where are they coming from?

Sarah king

Do they really leave poop behind on you?

Tayte

**Do we call a fly a fly because it flies or did we call flying flying because flies fly? Which came first fly or fly

Hannah Nuest

Why do they seem to just land on humans without any fear? What do they gain from this, and why aren’t they more afraid of us given how large we are compared to them?

Amy Narimatsu

What's the best way to catch a fly without a fly swatter? I've heard flies can't see white so you can come after them with a paper towel like a sneaky ghost (tbh it worked for me before) but I need a professional opinion. Pls, it's for science (and also the flies in my apartment)

RJ Doidge

Is their depth perception oddly good? Any time I’ve tried to swat them away they’re gone like a tiny little acrobat. Is it the wind from my hand? Are they little cirque du soleil wizards?? Or are they genetically made for this?

Sarah king

How do their eyes work?

Reuben Clamzo

Lots of insects can fly but why are the flies the group called "flies"? And are there wingless or non-flying flies?

Anna Thompson

Drain flies. I need answers and prevention techniques. Picking up a wriggling dish sponge one time scarred me for life

Olga

when I was a kid, I heard that flies throw up every time they land on you. Is any of this true? if not true, where does this myth come from?

Orion McCullough

How can we come close to understanding the sensory world of a fly? How would it feel/look to see a massive hand beginning to move to swat your little abdomen?

Casey Broughton

Do they actually spread germs? Or is that just anti-fly propaganda?

Alex Glow

As a kid I was always told flys immediately vomit on everything they land on in preparation to eat, is that true?

Michelle Head

hello first time question asker Alec (they/them) here! Flower flies, flies that mimic wasps and bees! what are they? why do they do it? are they good at it? Ive been finding tons of different species in my garden, my favourite ive found so far has been Ceriana tridens a wasp mimic!

Margo

Do they really transfer a bunch of nasty germs and stuff when they land on your food?? Also why do they look so maniacal with rubbing their little front legs together all the time??

Anika's Cat Arya

Flies seem annoying to humans, but I'm sure they have some uses/purposes other than a fun thing for my cat to chase. What is their place in their ecosystems? Do they have any interesting symbiotic relationships?

Emma Luck

Are kelp flies attracted to boats?! I worked on a whale watching boat in Alaska, and THOUSANDS of them would swarm the boat every single time we stopped at a nearby island to view seabirds. Nothing we did ever kept them off of the boat!

Colt Tegtmeier

**Why is it that Venus fly traps have "fly" in their name when they consume a lot more than flies? I realize this isn't carnivorous phytobiology but I figured a fly expert might know 😁

Sarah king

Do you think flies can feel pain in their wings?

Nicole Losurdo

I am currently working on my PhD in neuroscience working fruit flies, I just need to ask why do larval fruit fly brains look like penises?! Its something me and my lab mates joke about, but like why?

Jessica Kleist

What makes a fly a fly? I’m assuming it’s more than just flying. There are these fly looking creatures in my yard most mornings. They like hover 3-5 feet in the air, always facing the same direction and just chill??? Sometimes there are two and are a few feet apart both hovering at the same height,are they sharing secrets? They always seem to face due south? Is this nature or a government drone?!?! Please, I need answers 😂

Deli Dames

1) how big is the largest fly? 2) is it ok to eat something a fly has landed on? 3) what percentage of a fly's life is spent having sex?

Louis Buehling

First time question asker! A southern tale I grew up with is, to keep flies out of the house even when the door was open you fill a clear plastic bag with water and tack it to the door frame. The THEORY was that the water and any light hitting it would confuse the fly and they would turn away. It SEEMED to work? Was it real? If so, is the theory accurate?

Zathrynn

** (First time question asker) What’s up with their eyes? Does it help them see more colors than we do and/or is it a survival trait?

Jenna Catalano

** How far do flies travel? Do they travel far distances or do they stay in the same area for most of their life?

Unorthodox Studios

Dude: I swear flies were smaller 20 years ago. I’m genuinely not sure if it’s because I was a child, so I interpreted them as smaller beings. I swear now in 2022, they’re like flies on steroids. Have flies gotten beefier, or stronger, or live longer as time flies by?

Kelsey lore

How do I actually avoid Horse Flies? They are around for like 2-3 weeks where I live during the hottest time of the year but I hate them so, so, much. Other than living inside and keeping everything closed is there a way to repel them?

Reuben Clamzo

WTF is with those tiny flies that swarm around your head in the summer (I live in Connecticut for context) and launch themselves into your eyes and mouth?

Vanessa Frey

How do I get them to leave when they become trapped in my house? Trying to direct it to the open windows is futile.

AnAbundanceofGnomes

Are deer flies and horseflies more attracted to a certain color? I've heard blue tends to attract them... ?? Also, do they prefer a particular blood type like misquitos?

Lynn Reid

Why do flies do the little evil hand rub thing?

Angela Clark

the other day I had the misfortune of smashing what must have been a pregnant fly. It was very large and spewed maggots throughout the splash zone. i was mortified and may never stop disinfecting my counter every time i think about it (which is often). do flies usually run around with maggots in their stomachs? I thought they laid eggs

Lorri Klamm

**My husband doesn’t believe that houseflies bite. Which ones bite and can you get a disease from a fly bite?

Erica Vernersson

First time question asker: I live in the countryside, and my closest neighbors are literally cows, which also means a lot of flies. Is there a good, non-toxic way to keep flies out of the house? I have kiddos running through the doors constantly, and since we have a double set of double doors, insect nets are very tricky to mount.

Lesa Giesbrecht

**Is it true that house flies carry more diseases than cockroaches?

Erica Periandri

Drosophilist here to say that they're valuable for the genetics tools we can use in them & for their similarities in behaviors & molecular mechanisms compared with humans :)

Lee T.

Do they really poop every time they land?

Kate Watters

**Okay, so, I know flies have compound eyes and can see (or not see?) colours we can't; but what exactly can they see and what benefits/drawbacks come from it compared to, say, our eyesight (OR THE MANTIS SHRIMP)? And a second question: How small are insect pinning needles? I assume a fly specialist has some pinned bugs???

Lauren Legg

Of all the fly species why is drosophila the go to for experiments and research? Coming from an ecology student that is bored of doing and researching experiments on them

Emma Seidler

How gross are they really? Is our aversion to them totally valid?

Tony Vessels

How many flies are there? Like, grand total number of flies on earth across all species? Is that measurable?

Victoria Sill

** im from the US where id say flies generally leave you alone. if you were to walk towards some flies, they’d all scatter. but i now live in australia, where the flies will literally do ~anything~ they can to fly into your eyes, nose, ears, they’ll even sit on the back of your shirt in packs of like 50 as you try to run away. what’s up with this?? why do the australian flies have no concept of personal boundaries? thanks!!

Doug Pettepier

** Do flies add anything positive to the world?

Quinn West

Hi yes hello how does one catch a fly. Not to kill it but more so to impress others. We had a camp counselor at my summer camp that could catch a fly in his hands like 70% of the time. How. I have always aspired to be as cool as that. (The flies were unharmed and usually released back outside)

Chris Brewer

Is it true you can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar?

Graceanne Read

Why do they have to fly right around me when the whole house is empty?? What do they WANT

Malorie Albee

HOW DO YOU GET RID OF FRUIT FLIES. My sister is plagued by them. She's removed any fruit or juice access, cleaned everything, tried all the online tips, and they keep coming back. She even found them in her fridge! HELP

Miranda Panda

When Dr. Kristen Wickert came in to talk about forest entomology, she said flies are the most underrated insect because they pollinate really well but we never really see it because they do this more at night than bees. Can you talk more about flies' role in pollination and why folks should love them more?

Tony Vessels

There was an episode of Brooklyn Nine-Nine where Dr. Ronald Yee tried to pass off his flies as blood detecting flies to help solve murders. In the show, it was revealed that this was false, but is that an actual possibility for real? Could flies be trained to detect blood for murder-solving purposes?

John Worster

Is there a good way to get rid of a fly that happens follow you into your house? Is the old fly swatter the best method to terminate the fly?

Erica Periandri

Drosophilist here- TONS of genetic tools have been made available in Drosophila melanogaster, so I'd say that's the #1 reason :)

Erica Periandri

The enable tons of useful genetics research ;)

30.004861 cm of fun!

Not an expert but i once did a microbiological plating of a fruit fly by trapping it in a petri dish and pouring agar over it and let me tell you there was some grosssssss stuff that grew. Candida, lactobacillus, acetobacter, some coliforms, molds, etc.

Kyle Cunningham-Rhoads

Is it true they taste with their feet? How? Why? Can I get implants?

Deacon Raid

This is actually a question for Alie: I have a friend who is doing her doctorate in Mosquito Ecology. I suggested that she’d be good on Ologies and she was open to it if you want to do a Mosquitology episode!

Erica Periandri

Can you or Dr Bryan read The Fly by William Blake? :)

Casey Fox

** If you haven't already, can you talk about flies that mimic other insects? They are so cool!!!

Karen Burnham

Are flies ever territorial? Sometimes it seems like there will be a single fly, and I get rid of it, and quickly a new, single fly takes its place.

Sonja Jarosek Cooper

Why do groups of flies hover in the same spot on my patio year after year? They swirl around, these little flies, flying in a little group, every spring through fall in the same area like clockwork. My son, Finn Cooper and I would both like to know. Best, Sonja Cooper (Please don’t bother trying to pronounce my maiden name, I wouldn’t even know how to write it phonetically anyway.)

Chris Curious

**Living in an old house, I was always told there were so many flies in the spring because they hibernated in the walls during the cold months and woke back up in the spring? Is this true and if so, how long can flies hibernate?

Deborah Bell

I have a cat that actually catches and eats them. It's there any chance they might carry something that could hurt her?

Naomi Jane

Bluebottles. Are they actually really smart? Because they're the only winged little fiends who can actually find their way out of my windows once they're trapped indoors!

Jess_Lin

Why do we need flies? A.k.a. How are they benefiting the ecosystem and why should I not despise them as much as I do?

Deacon Raid

I would like to know more about Beeflies. They are extremely cute but they are parasites? I’d like to know more about flies as parasites such as bot flies and bat flies and fleas.

Evan Davis

What is the best way to keep flies away from me? I just wanna sit outside without having these little dudes land on me :,(

Amelia Heins

Why do they insist on flying around my head when I'm at my cottage in the Muskokas? I don't have this problem anywhere else, and it's not even the bitey flies like deer flies. Just regular a-holes doing donuts around my head forever.

Naomi Jane

There is one park near me where I seem to get bitten more and more frequently. (In the UK, I'd just call them midges) Is that just coincidence, or is there some sinister plot against my ankles?

30.004861 cm of fun!

My girlfriend wants to know: how fast would a human have to move to have the reaction time of a housefly? Like if a human swatter was coming down for you, how fast would you have to run to get away?

Timmy H.

Is it true they vomit 🤮 everytime they land?

Timmy H.

Do they bite?

Amy Zucker Morgenstern

First timer (Zucker rhymes with looker) . What is with flies and shit? Why do they line up on it like retirees at an all you can eat Chinese buffet? Seriously, now. Maybe the answer can help me to perceive the hidden beauty of both shit and flies.

Naomi Jane

Should I be asking for a different slice of brownie at the coffee shop if I've just seen a fly stomp around on the one they want to give me? 😬

TommyGoLucky

First time questioner here - I love all insects, and nature in general, but why do flys seem have a tendency to fly directly in my face just begging for an Oscar worthy slap to the face? They have the whole, wide world to fly around, what is it about my face that is so appealing?!

Timmy H.

Who came up with these names?

Timmy H.

Can we really get rid of all mosquitoes?

Haile Hullings

What is the cutest fly? There has to be at least one

Beck

I've heard rumors they taste with their feet....why? They don't consume food with their feet so why have taste receptors down there?

Melanie Lee

Are house fly populations elevated in cities? How did industrialization affect fly populations ?

Timmy H.

Was the movie “The Fly” just an atrocity or was it p good?

Specs Owl

Why are keds so annoying? They get into your hair and clothes and don't wash off in the shower, yet they don't bite, they just sit there tickling and itching you, and jumping away when you try and catch them! What's the point in them doing that?

Kendall Hargis

** When I was a child I use to spend too much time trying to make friends with flies by holding my hand out for them to land on. They would and would usually stay longer each time they landed. We're the flies my friends?

Kristin McFarland

**Why are flies so obsessed with my horses? And why, when I spray them with fly spray, do the flies just shake it off like a kid who ran through a sprinkler? Why is my fly spray worthless?!

Christine Ann

First time question asker! I love the Australian hats that have little pieces of cork hanging from the rim. Do you have a favorite product that keeps flies from becoming a bother?

Naomi Jane

I had about 18 months of this, they'd burrowed into my plants. I let the soil get super dry and eventually they disappeared. May have been a coincidence though 🤷🏻‍♀️

Popita

Have there been any recent scientific breakthroughs using fruit flies. I know that they are still very commonly used in studied.

Beth Fetterley Heller

If Dr. Fly Bry doesn’t talk about halteres, please ask how they work. My understanding is that these former hind wings are like a gyroscope on a plane. If a gust knocks the fly off balance, the halteres help them level again. Is that an accurate way to describe these fascinating little structures?

Melanie Pringle

First time questioner - Do blue bottle flies carry disease? If so, how? And is their rate of disease transmission to humans greater or less than that of common roach species?

Specs Owl

One time I accidentally stepped in a wee bit of dog poo, and wiped it on the outside door mat. In a matter of seconds, dozens of large sparkling metallic green flies that I'd never seen before just appeared out of nowhere to eat it. How did that happen - how did I not notice them before? They couldn't have all been hiding inside this one wee bit of poo on my shoe, because there were too many of them for such a small splodge! Where would they have been hiding that meant that I couldn't see such shiny noticeable beasties?

30.004861 cm of fun!

Alcohol industry here: fruit flies are attracted to volatile esters, ethanol vapor, and carbon dioxide. Avoid "natural" cleansers which may include ethyl alcohol which will just attract them, or just check the ingredients. I find Meyer's does not work well, prob for this reason. Straight isopropyl and bleach work very well. If you can find it, quarternary ammonia is the absolute best for repelling them, but it doesn't smell great and is very toxic to living organisms including pets and humans if ingested.

Micah Delman-Allen

this feels like a stupid question but that’s what we do here so…do they actually puke on their front legs and rub it on their face or did someone years ago pull my leg?

Josh Silberg

What's the most surprising habitat where flies are found?

Meghan McLean

When I visited Peru I was bitten by sand flies. I was told they bite you, then pee on you. Is this true? If so, whyyyyyy??

Erin Campbell

**How many times a second does a fly’s wings flap? (From my smologite Caroline)

Jason Zatkovich

** Do we call flies, flies because they fly, or do they call if flying, because flies, fly.

30.004861 cm of fun!

@naomi those are fungus gnats most likely. An equally evil foe. Mosquito soaks are an effective pesticide for those - just get some and put them into your watering can!

Emmalee Jones

There’s an old saying about being a fly on the wall (so that you can see/hear what’s going on without being detected). How much info can flies actually process/appreciate? Also what about cyborg flies?

Ellie Cooper

**whyyyyy does Australia have such an ungodly amount of them at times? It feels like a plague.

Marxe Orbach

**I know that blowflies were the main pollinators of American wildflowers before bees were introduced. Do they prefer flowers to dead things or is it just whatever they can get their hands on? Also why do they rub their little feet together like they're scheming? (Also phonetics note: Marks Or-back)

Average_pi

How many types of flies How can I get rid of the flies in my house. What’s the best way? My dad keeps trying to sway flies and it’s failing. Is there a better way? I get mysterious house flies. We also have pet rabbits that poop in our house. How and why do they breed because my dad keeps swatting the flies into my food and it’s gross.

Sydonie S.

(Sydney) What are the characteristics or requirements that make a fly a fly? What is a "true fly" and do we call things flies that aren't truly flies?

Megan Dawe

For deer and horse flies that suck blood, can they taste it? Do we all taste different?

MB

Are botflies innately dangerous or is it just the risk of infection? Is it an urban legend that house flies poop every time they land? I'm assuming it is, right? Or are we really eating that much fly doody?

Your New Favorite Animal Podcast

My mom always said you could tell it was going to rain if the flies were biting and I feel like I do notice more flies biting when it’s about to storm. Is there any truth to this old wives tail? (And can we call fly bites “bites” even though they don’t technically bite?)

Xavier Fleischood

Which fly bite hurts the most? I've been bitten repeatedly by black flies at my family's cabin in Ontario and it feels like a form of medieval torture! Respectfully, fuck those flies.

sam Holm

Fruit flies. They seemingly appear out of no where. Are they coming into the home, or are they already on the food and don't "hatch" until the food starts to spoil? I.e. are we eating fruit fly larva???

Patty S

ok well, when I was a kid we went on a long road trip and I remember this fly that was hanging out in our van for like two days. I became very attached to this fly and even named it ("Fly"). I talked to it, sang it songs, and I'm telling you, this fly was my pal! I cried so hard when it left the van at a rest stop one afternoon. My question is this: do we have any reason to think flies have anything resembling emotional lives? Could it have known how much I loved it? Anyway, I'm glad you're doing a show on flies!

GreenBriar

**Do houseflies bite before it rains? I am a horse person, and sometimes the regular flies bite... or at least, it hurts when they are on you. The rumour is that they do this before it rains. What's up with that?

Alex Parrish

Is their evolutionary purpose just to bother me? Why are they here?

Becca Christensen

Why do they maniacally rub their little hands together like that? Also someone told me that they vomit every time they land. That can't be true right?

Omennik

Has Bry the Fly Guy ever hosted a bot fly. I heard Erica McAlister admit she was a bit jelli of a co-worker who did.

Kieran C.

**I know that flies are some of the most important pollinators around after the Hymenoptera (bees, wasps, etc), but do you see the kind of specialization in flies that you see in bees/wasps? Are there certain flies that only pollinate certain flowers, or are they more generalist? (Technically multiple questions but I’m working on a phenology & pollinator grant rn so I’m curious!)

Omennik

And moth flies and beetle flies are too adorable!

Laura Salisbury

What, in your expert opinion, is the cutest fly?

Elizabeth Jimenez

Why are flies so cute!?! Also should I be afraid of them? And are they vomiting on me every time they land???

Brooke Fitchett

What does the size of a fly population tell us about ecosystem health?

Celeste Rousseau

Can you please talk about sticky traps? I have heard of some people using them outside and how it can trap precious babies like bats and is pretty inhumane. What are you thoughts for inside use for fruit flies? Oh and apple cider vinegar - thoughts?

Omennik

Why do bee flies like to hang out with me like a fuzzy little buddy?

Joe Porfido

What are flies digestion processes like? How can they eat garbage and other smelly things?

Celeste Rousseau

If a fly lands on one's food, should one feel immediately grossed out and not eat said food as some people do? Do they really barf all over instantly? Does the common house fly carry diseases that can be transmitted to us? If a restaurant has a fly or 2 buzzing around, is that representative of the overall sanitation of the establishment or is it not concerning? I have so many questions. Thank you!

Jacob Bowman

Can you please talk about their eyes? In my college entomology class, we briefly touched on them but I forgot a lot of it. :(

E-Veh-Lease Sanchez

Do we really have to immediately toss out our food if a fly lands on it?? Annnnd…..the real question….how accurate was the portrayal of flies in the movie “THE FLY”

NanoNaturalist

Tell your dad to grab the flies with a vacuum hose!

Damsel Cosplay

yessss, opinions on The Fly are requisite

Peter West

Can they fly backwards?

Peter West

Can they be trained into an army of flues to do your bidding as long as they are trained for that bidding? Are they smart?

Peri

Why do houseflies bite sometimes? I've been told they sometimes bite before rain (guessing this is more folk wisdom rather than science).

Kathleen Sachs

Why does mosquito repellent work on mosquitoes and not on other biting flies such as horse flies and “no-see-ems”? Are there other things you can do to avoid being bitten?

Kathleen Sachs

Mosquitoes spread yellow fever, malaria, West Nile, Dengue, and Chikungunya. Can other biting flies cause disease in humans? If so, what diseases can they spread?

zombot

What do you think of the sci-fi/horror movies titled The Fly (1958, 1986) and their sequels, Return of The Fly (1959) and The Fly II (1989)?

zombot

Are houseflies toxic? Is it safe for a cat to catch and eat a fly?

Lani Bouwer

What’s with the flies that float around in a cloud above my table but never land so I can never get them out?

Sammy Baker

I know they are very important pollinators and do not get the appreciation they deserve!!! But what are the stats on this? Do we know what % of things are pollinated by flies?

Lani Bouwer

how do maggots end up in my compost bin even when there are no flies inside?

Dana Hiett

How much fly poop is actually on our food?

Anna C

I'm from New Zealand, and over there I would wave away a fly that landed on me and it would fly away. But now I live in Australia, and when I wave the fly away it immediately comes back and lands on me again. Why?!

zombot

Talk about bot flies. On what continents are they found? I heard they lay their eggs in the skin of equines & bovines, and the larvae have spiky anchors to prevent them from being removed. Does this happen to humans?

zombot

Do flies vomit stomach acid on solid food so that it liquefies and then slurp it up to ingest it? 1986’s The Fly suggested that they do.

zombot

How do flies stick to walls, ceilings, and even smooth glass?

zombot

Besides in name, does the zipper on a pair of pants have anything in common with the insect, as far as you know? What about the removable flap on the top of a tent?

Francesca Huggins

I don’t have a question but my mom bet me $2 when I was 10 to eat a fly. I got the $2.

Chandler Witherington

Are plants that are pollinated exclusively by flies less evolved than those pollinated by butterflies/moths/bees/non-flies?

zombot

How far back in the fossil record do flies go?

Sydney

Is there a fly large enough that it could be kept as a pet and ridden like a horse?

zombot

Got any fly jokes? I omly know the garbage truck one and the soup one,

fullmetalknee

Those little razer face dudes (sheep and horse flies) Please tell me flies are good for something in my garden specifically. I know they're decomposers and food for other critter but they seem to only bother me and my dog poop can

Jesse Hurlburt

Do house flies really vomit on food to taste is or is that just flim flam.nonsense

Emily Krieger

Are flies like wolves/dogs and crows, hanging out with people over the millennia eating our scraps and developing a relationship of sorts (co-evolving?) with us? Where AREN'T there flies in the world? Suddenly, I feel I know very little about flies. I appreciate you digging in like a fly on a pie at a picnic.

Jesse Hurlburt

Where do flies fall in the hierarchy of necessary animals? Why are they here, besides to entertain my cats?

Alyssa Ranker

Are diptera and hymenoptera still battling for most derived insects? Which side are you on? What about hymenoptera being eusocial? Do flies form any social relationships amongst themselves?

Caitlin Corrigan

Why do flies seem to hang around some people more than others? Living in Australia during summer can show they definitely have favourites.

Jesse Hurlburt

What's up with horse flies, why does their bite hurt so much more? Why do they never leave you alone? They can't be good for anything right?

Jesse Hurlburt

Where do fruit flies come from? I feel like I don't want to know but I need to know and how can I make them go away!

Christopher Go

Do they have any other benefit or contribution to the ecosystem in this earth other than contaminating our food with their germs or just being a pain in the butt every waking day of our lives?

Laura Springer

What is your favorite species of fly and why?

Ana

Hypothetical, but what would be the effect on the world if flies were to go extinct?

Budd

Is it true that they poop every 3 seconds? It makes mesmerising them on your hand a little gross.

Lisa St

They do have such a bigar$3 proboscis...

Lisa St

plus they reproduce relatively quickly and you can learn loads of stuff... they're small, easy to breed....

Jeanne Blue

**Swatting flies- some seem to have esp to escape, some seem lethargic and sitting ducks, and some just annoy and endlessly avoid my dog. Different species or different circumstances?

Lisa St

It's those damned compound eyes...

Lisa St

Depends on the species, the weather... it's pretty fascinating!

Jeffrey Bradshaw

Does the bag of water with a penny in it at restaurant patios work to deter them?

Jeffrey Bradshaw

Are there a ton of species of house flys or do I mainly see the same species every time

Lisa St

OMG! Also, hilarious. I had a fly land in a glass that I'd just finished a gin and tonic with lime in... and I put a card over the top and watched it lay its eggs, all in a very neat little pile, like logs (they were long and thin), the whole thing was kind of triangular shaped. They were pretty quick to hatch and become itty maggots.

zombot

How do you feel about electric fly zapping devices?

Lauren Cooper

Why do flies always try to fly into my mouth, eyes and nose?

Peta Luck

How do they go from zero to disappeared when you try to swat them? (Fonettik note, it's Peta like sweeter. But I was SO excited you mentioned me that I was not worried lol)

Lisa St

Correct, true flies are dipterans (two wings... so one pair, the other pair is reduced to basically a set of gyroscope-ish thingies) and mayflies have two pairs of wings. They coated my motorcycle helmet shield last night, was kind of gruesome...

Dave Schuster

My parents told me that if flies are biting that means a storm is coming. Any truth to this?

Lisa St

You're the second person to ask about this and now I want to know!

Logan M

** Where do flies go during they winter? Do they spread diseases when landing on poop and then landing on other surfaces, say like, a sprite that i was about to drink? Did A Bugs Life get it right with the flies at the circus?

Kylie M Smith

They say you attract more flies with honey than with vinegar, but what I can I use to keep flies as far away from me as possible?

Peta Luck

Maggots. Just tell me about them? They are so squishy and helpless yet they survive to become SO MANY FLIES. Yes, I'm an Aussie 😐

Peta Luck

I've heard that insects are a huge proportion of biomass and number of species on the planet. What are flies as proportion of insects?

Lisa St

I can tell you that black flies (and if you don't know these miniature jaws with wings, count yourself lucky) taste like a drop of sugar.

Nico Price

Why do they fly into my face. How can I tell them politely to fkn stop.

Lisa St

**(st for saint and then there's more) Question for Allie, Have you read A Fly for the Prosecution? I thought it was GREAT! Also, did Robin Kimmerer talk about flies spreading spores of some of the ephemeral mosses (the ones that grow on moose dung-clearly I haven't listened to it yet)? LOVE your podcast, only discovered you a couple months ago, working my way through past episodes and after each one I want to CHAT about this and that. You have great questions, great ologists, and a great following (I love the questions they're asking)...

Brian hiatt

If a fly lands on your food do the contaminate it? How useful are they really?

Deborah Kenley

**Can flies see glass? How come they can never find their way out? They buzz up and down the glass but don’t seem to see the opening.

Coleson Wrege

**(last name pronounced Reggee). Super interested in this talk! I’m an aquatic entomologist by training but have a general background in entomology and I’m always fascinated by oddball groups, such as the Hippoboscidae, Oestridae, Blephariceridae, or Nymphomyiidae and their life histories. Are there any other Diptera with super fascinating life histories or adaptations you have come across and would like to share?

Mie [me-ay]

why are they called flies? is it just because they fly? if that’s the logic then shouldn’t birds also be called flies?

Mie [me-ay]

also im a first time question asker !!

Becky Peterman

** So we've learned that butterflies are much more disgusting than we ever knew - please ask Dr. Lessard about the ways that flies are less gross than we think! Also, why is my dog obsessed with catching flies (and crickets and bees and spiders), and my brother's dog is afraid of them? Maybe something to do with the co-evolution of flies alongside mammals??

Mimz

What's with cluster flies?? We had them growing up on our farm in the house and there'd be soo many my Mom would just vacuum them from around the window sils. So gross yet fascinating, but ewww, gross

Mila P ✨

** What types of flies are the ones that form mating clouds you inevitably walk though in the summer? I always see them but somehow miss it until I’ve got a bunch of horny flies in my face

Ren Groves

I have other questions, but I want to second this one!

Ren Groves

** First time question asker! How far do flies roam? Do they have territories? Where do they SLEEP? Ah! I had no idea I wanted to know anything about flies and it turns out I want to know EVERYTHING about flies. Thanks, Dad Ward!

Siobhan

I love Syrphid flies and I found out last summer that some Syrphidae species have maggots that live underwater in the mud and breath through a tube that looks like a weird tail, and they are called rat tail maggots which is very fitting, but other fly species in the same family have terrestrial maggots that eat aphids... Are there any other flies with larvae that do weird things other than live in meat? (First time question asker, and my name is pronounced Shiv-on)

Ashley Curtin

Alright, I feel there's a lot of fly flim flam out there. Do they really poop on something as soon as they land? Are their eyes like in the 90s movies and just a bunch of little pixels? And lastly...(not flim flam but just a question) WHY do they immediately fly into my house as soon as my door is cracked open. Is it the AC? The light? Does our house smell?? (last ft. Aug 2020)

Victoria Reed

**The place where I keep my horse (Freedom) has a lot of biting flies. Why do these flies need to feed on blood and why does it hurt so much when they bite? Both Freedom and I thank you!

Gina Woolsey

**why do they have to keep bothering me, especially flying by my ears? Related question, how common is a phobia to flies?

Laurel Sindewald

Why do flowers like the corpse flower have such gross pollination syndromes?

Kasey Crouse

And how many plants need flies to pollinate? I have them all over my garden but I leave them be and let them do fly things

Elena Horne

Why do flies make a buzzing sound and what causes it?

Storm

**is it true that flies have rainbow wings in colours that we can’t see but they can?

Alice Rubin

How do some animals tolerate flies on their eyes, and is there some sort of beneficial relationship?

Alice Rubin

What's the best way to sneak up on a housefly to kill it. They can see so many angles! If only I could improve my fly swatter aim! lol!

Alice Rubin

Is it possible to catch a fly with chopsticks a la Karate Kid?!

Scott Hanley

Tons of great questions already. If a fly is loose in the house and a person is sleeping is it possible for the fly to leave larvae on such person unawares? My true fear but I don’t have basis for it. Small aside I’m still dealing with three different types of ants in the house since I heard the Ant episode. Not looking forward to fly time.

Beth Letts

**Where do flies lay their eggs? I’ve seen magnets in animal poop, animal’s wounds, compost. Where else is prime for fly larva hatching?

Danae DeJournett

Two questions: do flies actually poop on everything they land on? How fast are their digestive tracts to even be able to do that?! And also, do flies not realize that they’re landing on people? I’ve had a fly run into me and then sit in my lap like it was stunned. I escorted it outside after we hung out for a bit. Maybe it was looking for some place nice to rest before it passed away?

Amanda Ramirez

Are invasive flies a huge issues for any particular parts of the world?

Squirrelfriend

Is there a kind, non-destructive way to usher them out of my home without killing them? Are they repelled by anything?

Lucian Stern

Why are flies so hard to squash? Do they just have better reaction time?

Jarred Abrahams

** What are they doing when they rub their arms (or whatever you call them) together?

Nicole Kleinman

Do they throw up on their food before they eat it?

Nicole Kleinman

Why do they keep coming back, even after shooing them away?

Nicole Kleinman

Flies seem to hang around horse’s eyes- is that normal? Why?

Mitchy

**Other than fodder for other creatures in the food chain...what purpose do flies serve?

Nicole Kleinman

What’s the best way to keep flies away?

Curious

Fly poop? Is it the little black specks on window sills? Is it bad to eat food that houseflies have landed on/pooped on?Asking for my unborn child😜)

Cassafrass

Why are they so loud???

Curious

I’ve heard flies are so hard to swat because they don’t know where they are going so flight patterns are hard to predict? Is this true

Evan Villavicencio

** I literally saw a fly doing this and thought to myself: “I hope there’s an Ologies episode on flies soon so I can ask this question,” and then boom. Dipterology. Thanks Dad Ward! Anyway, my question is why do they always fly in circles around me? Is it to rub it in my face that they can fly and I can’t?

Julia

Why do they annoy us so much? Do they really eat poop? How many different kinds of flies are there? Do flies serve as pollinators? What's your favorite fly and why? How do flies mate? Does the male do anything special to attract females? Are gnats considered flies? What are they doing when they rub their hands/legs together and then rub their face?

Maité Huerta

**Is there a good way to catch and release flies? I don’t want to kill the flies in my house but I also don’t want them flying around.

Jeanné Lewis

**How long do they live? If I see one in my house and don't feel like dealing with it can I expect it to die in a day or so? (Name pronounced Ja-Nay)

Allison D.

We used to tease our dad about his pet fly because it seemed that when there happened to be a fly at any restaurant we visited, it would fly around him more than it did the rest of us, like it was happy to see him. 😂 Is it possible for flies to be attracted to something specific in certain human bodies? I’ve since moved from Ohio to Las Vegas and I DO NOT MISS THE FLIES!

Jeanné Lewis

**How long do they live? Can I reasonably ignore one on my house and just expect it to die in a day or 2?

Kyla C (KAI-luh, rhymes with Myra or Lyla)

1) Can you talk about flies and pollinations? 2) What have we learned about humans from fruit flies given our genetic similarities? Any metabolic pathway nerdery is very welcome here!! 3) Do flies migrate? Do they hibernate? Where the heck do they go during the winter and then they explode when the weather warms?

Nicole

**I never appreciated flies until I saw one taking a moment for itself on my windowsill, and it was caressing itself so slowly and meditatively that it was really beautiful. (I wasn't even on drugs at the time, although I was at the height of pandemic loneliness.) My partner insists it must just have been cleaning itself, but I swear it was different. I think it was giving itself the equivalent of a fly spa day. On a scale of 0-10 just how bananas am I? Do flies feel pleasure?

Kyla C (KAI-luh, rhymes with Myra or Lyla)

4th question!! Mosquitoes are the bane of my existence and a big reason why I am hiding from them on the West Coast. Can we decrease their population please? They transmit so many diseases! I can't tell if that's ecologically responsible to wish for :(

Seth

Is it true that flies can dodge rain while flying? If so how?

ariel.vanzandt

How do you feel about Jeff Goldblum?

ariel.vanzandt

What makes a fly unique from other flying insects?

Matthew Whitman

Dipterologist views on soldier flies (or other flies) as a source of protein for livestock feed, or in aid of industrial composting operations?

Jose Blondet

**Why does it seem like flies tease/play with dogs? Dogs definitely enjoy going for them, but do the flies enjoy the chase? (JOSE “BLON-DETT”)

Michelle Rowe

**I was enjoying the fruit at the end of a delightful summer cocktail, only to discover that a sudden unfamiliar texture was not a blackberry, but a dead fly. I BIT INTO A FLY!! What did I eat? What sort of nastiness gets released when you bite into a fly?

Wendy Westerduin

My first question! When a fly is stuck in a room, why does it fly in triangles (not circles) ? They always seem to fly straight and then make a sharp turn, straight and turn and so on.

Melanie Ang

** Why do they like to fly at your face so much?

Ted Vician

What parts of the spectrum do flies see in? Regular visible ROYGBIV and/or others like UV?

David Červínek

** How to make it easier for them to find the wide open window instead of then smasing their heads to closed side? :D

Emily Layfield

**why do flies seem to have an exponentially more annoying and loud buzz than any other insect I've run across? What is making the buzzing sound, is it their wings? Does the buzz have some kind of benefit to them or is it a side effect of how they fly?

Anja Neudert

** In summer, how do they seem to find the food my dog left in his outdoor bowl 10 seconds after he leaves it? Do they just hang around eeeeverywhere all the time so that they can invade at a moment's notice? Specifically talking about those big, shiny, noisy flies.

Alex

So many questions! 1) Why do they engage in the cute lil face cleaning behavior, 2) what attracts flies to sweet/acidic substances (I regularly use a vinegar trap to combat fruit fly infestations), 3) is it known whether flies are stressed out by enclosed spaces (they seem to fly so erratically when they get stuck in my apartment, kinda seems like they're freaked out but maybe that's just me anthropomorphizing), and 4) any tips to better guide house flies back outside after they've mistakenly wandered into my home?

Melindi Jenkins

My first question! This episode couldn't have come at a better time. How do I keep the dang buzzy buzzers away from my cats food? The slightest little drop left and they are all over it. Also, is there something about the frequency of their buzz that makes it THE MOST ANNOYING sound ever? It really really bothers me when one is stuck in a room with me.

Wemily

** why do they come into a room and then fly in circles instead of leaving the way they came????

Euan Munro

I know they have tiny brains, but do they learn anything in their short lives or is it all programmed by genetics?

Hannah Fraser

Why do they rub their grubby little hands together like an evil genius?

Mo

**Do flies like the smell of some humans more than others like mosquitoes or do they just enjoy annoying me? They follow me from room to room and keep landing on me immediately after I swatted them away. I'm not stinky, I swear!

Alena Litin

Maybe this question is too niche but I would love to hear the ologist‘s opinion on the research infecting mosquitos with Wolbachia bacteria for malaria control. Is it justified or will this have major implications on the ecosystem if they are released?

David Ruscalleda Gómez

Why do they spend so much energy flying to nowhere? Always in circles, always moving.. what are they doing?

Mallory Nettleton

How can flies positively effect the environment? Are there any beneficial aspects to flies, or are they doomed to always have a bad wrap?

Marie

How important are files in the ecosystem? Often people say they wish files would go die out, can you help with a good argument for me here against that

Val McKelvey

Am I valid in feeling dirty after a fly lands on me?

Charlotte Fjelkegård

This is a brilliant question and now I too need to know the answer.

Charlotte Fjelkegård

Hover fly migration. How can we follow them to see where they come from and where they're going? Do scientists use radar or do they do it strictrly by sight? Also - please tell us about the most metal of all flies, the robber flies. Can a robber fly catch and kill an adult hornet?

AussieColin

In Western Australia there was a campaign started in the late '80s to indroduce dung beetles to the South-West of the state where the level of fly infestations of cattle and sheep was terrible (and not fun for the people either!!). They buried the animal poop and largely stopped the flies from breeding. I would estimate that the number of flies in Perth now is no more than 5% or so of what it was when I was living in the '80s and life is far more pleasant for outdoor activities, particularly for BBQs. Are we the only place that has done this or have others imitated (or preceded) us?

Jeremy Roszko

**Why can flies never make it out of an open window or room for that matter? Why do they fly in such an erratic pattern? Are they as covered in disease as I've always been told they were?

Kimberly Hoffman

What do they love/hate and how can I keep them in my garden but out of my face (asking for a friend)

Scott Duncan

Why don't we see the flies Gil Grissom uses to find time of death when there are no dead bodies around?

Jeanette-o-saur

Why do flies like scented products so much? Shampoo doesn't really smell like anything in nature so what's the attraction?

Sara VanDeventer

I live in Maine and we have these teeny tiny black flies aka noseeums and they ALWAYS fly right into my cornea! Why are they like piranhas?!?!? What can I do to keep them off me and my dogs so I don’t have to later up in OFF bug spray?

Michelle Everst

What's the deal with fruit flies?? How does an food become a million teeny flies? 🤔

Some Random Frog

What are flies doing when they land on something and move their hands? Are they cleaning them for eating?

Meghan Matthews-Adair

UGH YES TO THIS ONE!! I hate them so muuuuuch (though I’ve always called them gnats??)

Kate Zirpolo

MUST they exist? **shiver** I had a repetitive maggot/fly problem in an old apartment. I am forever changed.

Purple4Parasites

**Screwworm (Cochliomyia). It was gone. It came back. Is it gone again? Should we be worried about Key deer going extinct by being eaten alive by maggots??

Kirsten Kinder

I have "attic" flies at an old farmhouse? It is crazy- they are small, slow and die in droves near windows. It looks like a horror movie scene. Like creepy. What are they doing? What is their purpose? They don't come downstairs and swarm around food like regular flies. And I read somewhere the larva comes from worms? Ew. And how do I get rid of these odd creepy things?

Kirsten Kinder

And what is up with horse flies? Are they flies? Is there anything redeeming about these flying bastards? I am hoping birds love to eat them. Why must they bite? WHY WHY WHY.

Kirsten Kinder

And like they aren't there one day, and the next, a gazillion and they don't leave till like winter!! My partner loves his beer and I love to recycle and the cans.... fruit flies love the empty cans, even if I rinse them. I am a broken record each summer PUT THE CANS IN THE OUTSIDE BIN!! Don't make me hurt you!

Matt Ceccato

Frogs and spiders will eat flies. But what do flies eat? Do they eat anything that would be considered a threat? How do they fit in the foodchain?

Sophia Seifert

When I was a kid, I was told that when a fly lands on you it pukes, lets the pukey spot fester, then comes back later to eat your puke tenderized flesh. Is that true? What is a fly bite and why do they hurt so much???

Laura Fitzgerald

**First time question asker! What’s up with the “flies have a 24 hour lifespan” myth? Is there any truth to it? Where did it come from?

Laura Fitzgerald

**Yes! I think the green head flies found along the east coat shores are a type of horse fly as well, and the biting is the worst! Any tips for keeping them away other than smelly bug spray and hope?

Kai Kishimoto

I believe this comes from may flies. Their full lifespan is a week or two, but they only live in their winged forms for 24 hours

Amy Bumford

1. Is a black fly in my chardonnay really ironic? 2. Why do they love my ankles in the summer?

Marena Rene

I took a forensic biology class last semester and kinda unexpectedly fell in love with entomology, but calculating ADDs (accumulated degree days) to find time since death was HARD because I try and think TOO logically. How accurate are ADDs in forensic cases and how often is it actually used?? (Also have you heard of Dr. Erin Watson-Horzelski because she was my professor and she’s a badass forensic entomologist… in case there was ever an opportunity to have a whole episode on that!)

Nikki DeMarco

Do flies really throw up every time they land? Are they just leaving a trail of vomit and always hungry?

Nikki DeMarco

Do flies have nests where they lay eggs then hatch in the springtime? I swear I had a nest under my heat register and for 3 years straight had a fly infestation, but it seems to have stopped now.

Krista Jones

Are flies really blowing chunks on my food when they land on it, or is that just something our parents told us as kids so we wouldn't leave half-eaten sandwiches lying around the house?

Lyssa Mercier

Why can flies never find the way back after flying in through a window? And why do they sometimes fly in circles in the middle of the room? How do they navigate?

Celeste Tchu

How many types of flies are there? Are flies pollinators? How many eyes do they have? (Asking for Jayne who is 9 and grounded from her phone)

Kristina Meyers

Is it just my imagination, or are younger, smaller flies waaay more obnoxious and incessant about being in my space? Also, does the tone of their buzzing change at different temperatures?

Patricia Brewster

Okay, are NO SEE UM'S Flies? You know, the little bastards that eat your eyes, cheeks, ears, etc. The one that leaves volcanos on your head and love to attack your scalp. Seems like an answer no one has.

Dion Navarro

What’s up with those flies that you think are dead. Then suddenly they come to life the next day like the Thriller zombies. This seems to be a thing at higher elevation locations in Oregon that we stay at.

Aurora Sullivan

** Is the movie The Fly accurate to how fly and human anatomy would interact with each other? I found the process of him turning into a fly fascinating as we saw less and less of his human aspects and more fly aspects. Also, would he then have the life span/ metabolism of a large fly or a humanoid being?

Argiope17

Do you have any tips for doing ID with a dissecting scope? How varied is eyesight throughout the order? Can you explain the weird wing evolution a bit?

Christina Johnson

My husband despises flies and is completely disgusted when they land on anything- especially food. Do they really poop when they land? What are some of their redeeming qualities that will help him to be at peace with flies?

Pickles

Is there a better way to get rid of flies than fly tape?

Shelby Reardon

What are good things flies do? What are the ecological benefits of them?

Shelby Reardon

I second this! Are they more dirty than any other bug?

Sarah Korpan

When they sit there rubbing their little faces and butts with their little legs, are they cleaning themselves? Or does that behaviour serve a different function?

gg

What's the difference between the fly on my jeans and a fly that lands on my pants? Flys are the fan of genetics research (of the seventies) due to their abundance and short life so the scientists can diasect them though usually they were breeding eye color.

Daria Jane

** Do flies *actually* poop everytime they land on something, or is that just some childhood flim flam I heard? Asking for a friend.

Lauren Bell

Why in the world do flies take every possible opportunity to come indoors, yet try to escape by immediately bashing themselves against a window once they've made it in?

Richard Pruen

First time question asker, several questions. Are there any cultures where flies are a significant food source? How effectively do flies/maggots turn food into protein, how does this compare with other protein sources (eg. Animals)? Thanks in advance for any answers!

Daria Jane

Third, I asked this question too!

Sidney Barrett

First time question asker here! Is it true that flies only live for couple of days and if so, why aren't we all walking around knee-deep in dead flies? Where do they go?!

Stephanie Leské

** 1st time question asker. How are they making that noise? And why are they attracted to me when I sleep? & they seem to land on you while you're napping?

Penelope Adkins

Do flies barf on their food pls help I am both disgusted and intrigued

Average_pi

Or swatting them. That also is not ideal.

Porphyrin

**How fast do regular house flies …uh, make new house flies? As fast as fruit flies? Faster? Slower? …ugh, maybe I don’t want to know…

Bei Chen Liu

** Technically mosquitos are flies, do we know how mosquitoes evolved apart form the rest of the flies? Also, I have heard that there some medical procedures (maggot therapy?) that uses maggot to remove necrotic tissue in a non-invasive way, do you know more about that? It seems that flies occupied many ecological niches that we don’t generally associate with flies, what are some of those you find most surprising?

Jules Kingsland

I know that some flies live for like three weeks but how long is the Gestation period of a file

Ilse Van Meerbeek

As a kid, I was told that flies poop every time they land, so whenever they land on you, you’re getting adorned with fly poop. Fact or Flimflam?

Christy LaForce

Why is it that some flies keep buzzing around one person landing often and not flying far when shooed. My dad called them his pet flies and could even pet them.

Ruby Bray

Why do we get what my family calls "cluster fücks" or flies that circle in the middle of a room and how do you get rid of them

Estie Munro

What is the most effective and environmentally friendly way to deter/kill a large amount of flies? I live between many livestock and stud farms and I am losing my mind! I am inhaling flies at this point. Some less harmful methods I have tried has caused my cat to get tangled in fly paper and my dog to attack my fly swatter out of frustration. Help!!!

Lauren Bell

I once swatted a fat and slow fly in my house and to my dismay, loads of white blobs splattered out. At first, I thought it was fat tissue, but upon further inspection, found it was larvae. When do flies 'release' their larvae, and how long from that time do they become flies?

Vero Tavares

**(first time question asker). Why do flies keep craving the same shit?... Is it like carbs for them? How well do they see? How well are they able to avoid a swat? Should we all dress as zebras? Do fruit flies only actually live for one day? How does Dr Lessard feel about the film "the fly"? Is Jeff Goldblum on his shit list? App'ologies, first time participating and annoyingly curious.

Liliana Ramirez

Have flies evolved around humans at all? Like, do our eating habits and lifestyle affect the way that they live and reproduce around human-populated areas?

Jakin Yang

Hi, I’m a tree planter way up in the true North strong and free (Canada). Right now we have a lot of fies. Not the house fly variety, but black flies, horse flies, deer flies, no-see-ums, etc. How on earth did we get so many varieties of blood sucking flies and are they related to the normal garbage loving variety?

Sunday Kessig

**Why do some flies clump in swarms, and some fly solo? Do they have bigger social structures, or do they just agree on what smells like a good corpse?

Alaina Mooney

**Why are horse flies the biggest assholes of the animal kingdom?

I am Nrobnas

**Best way to get them out of the house that isn’t necessarily stalking them from room to room with a swatter?

Jesse Moyer

**Do flies die when it gets cold and then come back to life? I always see them waking around like zombies when it starts to get warm. Or were they just hatched/transformed?? Gotta know, thanks bye

Breann Sanders

How can you get rid of cluster flies on your patio?

Jacob Leonard

First timer here, but why do flies feel the need to just be an annoyance in my life?

Stephanie Coombes

Two questions for my kids: how many species of flies are there worldwide? And what are flies main predators?

Jamie Quinn

I am also a tree planter currently planting in northern Alberta and was wondering the same thing today as I had horse flies and black flies swarming nonstop all day

Jess.jp

How many maggots are produced from just 1 egg thingy? How long does it take fly eggs to mature? Can mammy flies tell all their maggots apart and can they work out who’s theirs in places there are multiple fly parents?

Elizabeth Warren

How do we feel about the 1986 cinematic masterpiece The Fly?

Willow Hall

Are house fly populations increasing due to heat waves associated with climate change? I have noticed a significant increase in the number of flies I have to deal with in my house in recent years and I was wondering if there was a connection. Also, how do I resolve said house fly problem without using fly paper and the like?? I don't want to hurt them but I am hitting a breaking point with the shear amount.

Allison Muller

OMG Alie, you have to sift through all this?? Amazeballs... Finally a patron of such a loved project - - If there's a 'black fly in your chardonnay' should you not drink the chardonnay anymore for potential health risk reasons? Or one falls into your fry oil and you don't get it out until the next day, should you reuse the fry oil? (happened to me over the weekend...)

Ed Matesevac

Ok, so please spill the tea on biting midges a.k.a no-see-ums. Why do they bite and how did they learn there stealthy ninja ways

Ed Matesevac

What type of flies are pollinators? Also, how did their PR team fail them so bad that they generally don’t get credit for this positive contribution to plants we eat ?

Living it Up

sex? do they just live to buzz, sex, eat, vomit, shit, and die ???? what is their purpose ???

sophie Trinacty

I’ve always been told that flies eat dead cells on your skin when they land on you, would be interested to know if that’s flimflam too?

Petr Kubik

Isn't that more or less what we do as humans? 🙂

david faulk

Hi Allie, Brand new patreonaut here, thank you for this hilarious and informative podcast, which i listen to while sewing patch jackets out of all my old tshirts and textiles and crap so i need to be entertained. you're the funniest thing since Covid began, from my point of view. Possibly the only thing. My question is: How do all the flies know that I died?(phone tree? Because I'm old). And do they know i'm dead, before I do? Rude.

david faulk

Also, Why do flies like to hang out in little clouds in the same weird locations? Are these Ladyflies that get along with each others in a supportive manner, or dudeflies bragging about hooking up with egg mamas they obviosly haven't even? Or is it something like Speed Dating? Because Jeff Goldblum, obviously.