How High Do Flies Fly?
WouterWhile flying, flies can reach a height of 20,000 feet. They may do so in order to escape competition or human predators. Flies are extremely adaptable creatures and have evolved to fly at various altitudes. They can adjust their flight to compensate for the rapidly expanding and moving world around them. In addition, flies can adjust their altitude by veering upwards to avoid crashing.
In 1926, entomologist C. H. T. Townsend calculated the maximum speed of a fly flying between mountaintops. His estimate of 818 miles per hour was a widely-cited figure for decades. Another study by French zoologist Antoine Magnan in 1934 measured the speed of bumblebees flying at different distances.
Most flies are unable to reach altitudes higher than three hundred feet. However, some species of flies are capable of achieving up to five thousand feet. This means that if their surroundings are not ideal, they will not be able to fly up as high as they would like. Generally, flies prefer to feed close to the ground.
Other insects are more adaptable. A bumble bee colony was discovered at the top of Mount Everest in 2008, at a height of 5,600 metres above sea level. This is the highest known elevation for an insect. However, most flies don’t reach this altitude, and flies can be found flying at lower altitudes. One species of mosquito has been found breeding in treeholes 40 feet above ground level and in apartment buildings twenty-one stories high.
