Do Flies Really Puke When They Land?
WouterIf you’ve ever watched a fly landing on your sandwich, you might be wondering, “Do flies really puke when they land?” This is not a surprising question, as many species of flies don’t have teeth and therefore cannot chew solid food. Instead, their mouthparts are spongy, so their digestive juices liquefy their food into a slurpable liquid. This allows them to regurgitate a concentrated meal once the water has evaporated.
While it’s impossible to know for sure what exactly makes flies vomit, it’s safe to assume that they do. The digestive juices that fly swallows help break down their meal, and they do this by regurgitating the contents onto solid food. Despite their inability to chew solid food, flies will still eat your food, and they’re also able to taste it with their feet.
While flies don’t have teeth, they can still transfer pathogens that can affect your health. The best way to prevent this is to throw away any food that flies have touched. While they won’t harm you, they will make you sick for a day or so.
It’s important to note that flies don’t have a separate urine system, so you shouldn’t worry about ingesting one. However, you should keep your kitchen clean and free of flies. Keeping your kitchen clean will help reduce the chance of flies transferring the bacteria to your food.
