Why Does a Fly Like Poop?
WouterIt may sound strange, but flies actually like poop. The odor of feces is highly attractive to flies, a fact that has been confirmed by entomologists. When flies move upwind, they are attracted to the smell of animal excreta. In one study, multiple species of flies were drawn to the smell of feces.
Since house flies are flying insects, they have taste receptors on their legs and feet. This makes them very flexible when it comes to food, and they can wander around a lot after they have eaten something tasty. The flies are not picky about where they defecate, and they will defecate on almost anything as long as it contains something tasty. The poop that they leave is very messy, and it is also full of pathogens that can be harmful to humans.
A fly’s mouthparts are spongy, so they cannot chew solid food. In addition, their mouthparts are not adapted for chewing food, so they end up regurgitating it into bubbles. This makes flies highly unsanitary, and they spread a variety of diseases. A fly’s droppings may contain bacteria that cause diarrhea, dysentery, and typhoid.
Dog poop is another source of flies’ food. Many of these flies lay their eggs in the excreta of a dog, and the larvae will thrive there. Adult flies may also choose to feed on the decaying organic matter that is in the dog’s poop.
