Why Are Flies Attracted to Water?
WouterWhether it’s a puddle or a stagnant pool, moisture is a natural attraction for many different insects. Mosquitoes, for instance, like to lay their eggs near water. Mosquitoes are known for spreading diseases, such as West Nile virus and eastern equine encephalitis. Cockroaches also prefer moist areas because they can hide in them.
House and fruit flies lay their eggs in places where there is standing water and soluble food. They can also lay their eggs in your garbage bin. Make sure you keep these areas clean by removing food and water sources that attract them. Once you’ve eliminated these areas, you’ll have a much easier time controlling your fly population.
House flies are the most common flies found in homes. Their short life spans enable them to breed quickly, resulting in a large infestation. Flies are also attracted to warm air currents, which is why they can easily invade your home. Fruit flies can also be a common nuisance.
Scientists have just begun to discover the mechanism behind this attraction. While we are not completely certain why we’re attracted to water, scientists do know that flies are drawn to sugar. So it stands to reason that if the beer has residual sugar, flies would also be attracted to it. Dahanukar and her colleagues conducted a two-choice experiment in which flies were forced to choose between a beer solution and a sugar-water solution. The results were quite surprising.
