How Good Are Flies?
WouterMost flies have no teeth, so they can’t chew food solidly. This means that their mouthparts resemble spongy straws, and they ingest their meal with digestive juices. Some species also live on a liquid diet and regurgitate the contents of their stomachs as vomit bubbles. However, some species of flies have the ability to ingest concentrated food that they then regurgitate to their next meal.
While only a few species of flies will bite humans, most are harmless, and the vast majority of flies are beneficial to our ecosystem. They provide food to insects higher in the food chain. So, while flies may be annoying, they are still worth protecting, and in many ways, they’re better than their bad reputation. Regardless of whether or not you’d like to keep them around, you should always remember that the benefits of these tiny creatures far outweigh their negatives.
While flies can be irritating, they do serve an important function in the ecosystem. Not only do they pollinate plants, they also help humans get the nutrients they need for the body. Using a dish towel or swatter won’t get rid of flies. Unlike electronic traps, fly swatters and tape won’t do much to control them. They need to remain around in the environment, where they can serve their purpose in the ecosystem.
A fly’s vision is five times better than ours, allowing it to track movement five times faster than ours. It uses a system of tubular membranous cells called microvillar photoreceptor cells. Each facet has a bristle-like structure, and is connected to the fly’s brain by nerves. In addition, the fly has pigment cells that give its eyes a rich red color.
