How Far Can Fly Fly?
WouterMost people aren’t aware that flies are able to fly far. The average flier can travel up to 5,000 feet, but it’s possible to observe flies reaching higher altitudes in the wild. Some species have been known to fly as high as 6,000 feet. That’s more than twice the distance that the average person can travel in a single day. In fact, flies can fly farther than some migratory birds.
In the winter, a fruit fly may spend weeks or months in its larva-pupae stage. After emerging from the pupae stage, the adult fly begins its reproductive cycle during the summer months. In fact, one pair of flies can travel up to 4,000 miles, which is twice the distance that a human can cover in one flight.
In addition to wings, flies have drumstick-like organs called halteres that act as gyroscopes for flight. In fact, the halteres actually measure the torque and angular momentum around the body to determine the direction of flight. In addition to the wings, flies use a complex set of muscles and mechanisms to fly.
Flies’ olfactory sense can detect odours from up to seven kilometers away. Their antennae, which contain olfactory sensory nerve cells, have a high sensitivity to volatile chemicals. This is why carrion flies can detect odours from far away.
