Having trouble swatting flies? Here’s why
August 29, 2008
Earlier this month my roommates and I moved into a new home and for some reason, there were tons of flies living there too. Trying to sleep, eat and shower with flies buzzing around your ears gets annoying very quick. We did have some trouble destroying them and new findings by scientists at Cal-Tech, support our difficulties.
Michael Dickinson, an expert on the biomechanics of insect flight has presented some astounding information on the complexity of a fly. Using high-resolution, high-speed digital imaging of fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) Dickinson observed flies impending a swat, mentally diagraming their position and forming an escape plan. Dickinson also observed flies impending an attack from any side, changing it’s stance to navigate the escape path. For example, If the fly sees the attack coming from behind it will move its middle legs a “tiny bit” backwards before it jumps and flys.
So what’s the best way to swat a fly? Dickinson’s research suggests, “It is best not to swat at the fly’s starting position, but rather to aim a bit forward of that to anticipate where the fly is going to jump when it first sees your swatter.”
