Why Does Flies Land on You?
WouterFlies don’t bite humans but they do like to land on people. They are attracted to the oils and sweat on our skin. These substances provide them with a source of nutrition. Despite the fact that we don’t like the idea of flies landing on us, we shouldn’t be afraid of them.
Flies don’t have mouths but they do have taste receptors on their feet. This means they can tell if a particular food is nutritious or not. That’s why you’ll notice that flies will rub their legs together while getting ready to eat. They also groom themselves to clean their taste sensors on their feet.
This behavior is beneficial for the fly. As an ant, a fly’s brain is relatively small. It’s not easy to sneak up on you. However, their compound eyes allow them to fly away from danger in less than a millisecond. Hence, flies don’t perceive humans as a danger but as a clumsy smorgasbord.
Flies are attracted to carbon dioxide in our breath. Hence, when we exercise, we expose ourselves to the air. Moreover, their mouth parts are designed to slash skin, which gives them the power to attack people. Flies also have eyes that are designed to pick up light horizontally, but unlike the eyes of vertebrates, flies’ eyes are designed to react mechanically to light.
