Leslie Massey
Australia is home to over 30,000 species of flies, with some estimates placing the number at over 250,000. While most are too busy doing good, some are a recurring annoyance and are attracted to human food, decaying waste, excrement, and even humans themselves. The Australian bush fly, for example, slakes its thirst on the sweat and tears of mammals and lingers around our heads, shoulders, and faces. House flies, on the other hand, are more interested in unprotected food scraps and waste. Other fly species in Australia include blowflies, cluster flies, drain flies, fruit flies, boatman flies, and biting flies.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Scavenging | Flies are attracted to decaying wastes, excrement, and human foods. |
| Breeding | Flies breed in dung, sewage, rotten fruit, and unclean drains. |
| Feeding | Flies are attracted to the eyes, mouths, and wounds of animals and humans. They feed on sweat, tears, saliva, blood, serum, pus, and faeces. |
| Pest control | Flies are known carriers of disease and can transmit eye infections and other enteric diseases to humans. |
| Vision | Flies have large compound eyes and light-sensitive organs called ocelli that respond to changes in light intensity. |
| Behaviour | Flies are attracted to light and warm places to hibernate. |
| Species | There are over 30,000 species of flies in Australia, including bush flies, house flies, blowflies, march flies, mosquitoes, sandflies, blackflies, and more. |
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What You'll Learn
Australian flies are attracted to human bodily fluids
Australian flies are attracted to a variety of substances and odours, and some species are more drawn to human bodily fluids than others. The Australian sheep blowfly, for example, has a taste for certain human body fluids, though it is not blood. In a crime scene experiment, these flies were offered blood, saliva, and semen, and they showed a preference for semen. This may be due to the higher levels of certain proteins in semen, or its sulphur-based aroma, which flies find alluring.
Flies are attracted to human bodily fluids for several reasons. Some species, such as parasitic flies, are attracted to human blood. The carbon dioxide we exhale, as well as lactic and carboxylic acids, are odours that flies are naturally attracted to. Human skin, covered in sweat and oils, also attracts certain flies, which can lick up the carbohydrates and proteins found in these fluids.
Flies are also attracted to other human bodily fluids, such as tears and saliva. They can transmit eye infections to humans and may carry other diseases. The female flies are particularly attracted to decaying bodies as they provide the perfect temperature, moisture, soft tissue, and nutrients for their offspring. The blowfly, for instance, is known as the "fly of death" due to its ability to appear suddenly at the first sign of blood or the smell of decay.
The Australian bush fly, native to Australia, is another species that is attracted to humans. These flies are a well-known pest for outback travellers and are often found buzzing around outdoor activities. While most flies are not interested in ruining your barbecue, their presence can be annoying and they can spread illnesses.
In summary, Australian flies are attracted to human bodily fluids for nourishment, egg-laying, and other reasons. Their highly developed sense of smell and ability to detect movement make them adept at locating these fluids. While they can be a nuisance, they also play a role in decomposing organic matter and recycling nutrients within ecosystems.
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Dung and faeces attract flies
Flies are attracted to dung and faeces because they are a source of nourishment. Faeces contain large amounts of dead and alive bacteria, fats, proteins, indigestible carbohydrates, minerals, and trace amounts of other nutritious substances. While these substances are waste to humans, they are valuable to flies and other organisms.
Flies are also attracted to dung and faeces as ideal locations for mating and laying eggs. Fruits covered in the faecal excretions of flies are especially attractive to other flies. This is possibly because the faeces contain pheromones, and the fruits are more easily digestible after many flies have fed on them.
In addition to cattle dung, flies are attracted to the faeces of other animals, including pets and grazing animals. They are also drawn to human dwellings with poor sanitation, such as uncovered garbage cans and unclean drains.
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Flies are drawn to human food and waste
Flies are attracted to human food and waste for a variety of reasons. Firstly, flies are attracted to the scent of food, as they have a highly developed sense of smell. They can detect odours from miles away due to their advanced olfactory receptors. Flies are drawn to strong scents, especially those resembling the chemicals produced during the fermentation process, which they mistake for potential breeding grounds.
Flies are also attracted to visual cues, as they possess excellent eyesight. Brightly coloured or high-contrast foods can easily catch a fly's attention, even from a distance. In addition, flies are attracted to sweet and sugary substances, such as ripe fruits, syrups, and desserts. These foods provide flies with the energy they need to survive, and their sweet scent is irresistible to them.
Some types of flies, like the common house fly, are attracted to decaying organic matter such as faeces and rotting meat. When food begins to decompose, it releases gases, including ammonia, which attract flies. Decomposition also generates heat, which flies rely on to regulate their body temperature as they are cold-blooded.
In addition to human food, flies are attracted to waste products such as garbage, animal carcasses, and drains. They breed in rotting food, unclean drains, and even cleaning utensils. Flies are also known carriers of disease, transmitting eye infections and other enteric diseases to humans and livestock.
Overall, understanding the behaviours and attractions of different fly species is crucial for implementing effective prevention and control measures to keep our living spaces fly-free.
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Dead animals and carcasses are attractive to flies
Australia is home to more than 30,000 true fly species (Diptera), most of which are yet to be named. Flies are attracted to a variety of things, including pet faeces, decaying wastes, human foods, and dead animals and carcasses.
Flesh flies also compete with blowflies for food and typically arrive at a carcass after the blowflies. Other flies that are attracted to dead animals include the Australian sheep blow fly (Lucilia cuprina) and the Oriental latrine fly. The latter was spotted feeding on the body of a dead alligator.
In addition to dead animals, flies in Australia are attracted to a variety of other substances. For example, bluebottle flies (also known as blow flies) are often found hovering around dustbins, while cluster flies seek out warm places to hibernate during the winter, such as attics and wall voids. Drain flies are associated with sewage beds, where they feed on sludge-like organic matter.
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Flies are drawn to light on sunny winter days
Flies are attracted to light on sunny winter days due to their vision systems and light-sensitive organs called ocelli. When exposed to bright light, flies will walk and fly faster. Cluster flies, for instance, are commonly found in quiet, undisturbed parts of homes, and they are attracted to light on sunny winter days.
Flies have large compound eyes and three ocelli that respond to changes in light intensity. When all three ocelli are exposed to bright light, flies accelerate their movement. Conversely, when darkness falls or their ocelli are covered, flies become stationary.
The attraction of flies to light can be attributed to several theories. One theory suggests that bright light sources serve as emergency beacons for insects. Instinctively, they head toward light sources, which are typically positioned higher than the hazardous environment they occupy. Light can also function as a safety signal, similar to how air bubbles guide other creatures to the water surface.
Another popular theory proposes that insects use light as a navigational aid. For example, an insect travelling north can maintain its direction by keeping a natural light source, like the sun or moon, on its right. This method is effective as long as the light source remains constant and distant.
Additionally, some researchers have suggested that nocturnal insects are drawn to the brightest spot in their field of vision, mistaking it for the sky. Other hypotheses include the idea that insects are attracted to light to warm themselves or that they become disoriented by the glare of artificial light.
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Frequently asked questions
Australian flies are attracted to a variety of things, depending on the species. Some common attractants include dung and other decaying waste, human food, sweat, tears, saliva, blood, and wounds.
Only one species of Australian fly is attracted to humans—the bush fly (*Musca vetustissima*. *Musca domestica*), however, is attracted to human dwellings.
There are over 30,000 species of flies in Australia, most of which are unnamed. Some common species include blowflies, cluster flies, drain flies, fruit flies, hoverflies, and tachinids.
Australian flies are not attracted to darkness. Covering their light-sensitive organs or turning off the lights will stop them from moving.
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