Why it's so hard to swat a fly...
By coffeebreak
@coffeebreak (17797)
United States
August 31, 2008 3:42pm CST
And researchers spent alot of money to figure this out. Just think about all the time you will now be able to save!
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080829/od_nm/fly_dc
"In response to a threat from the front, the fly moves its middle legs forward, leans back and raises its back legs for a backward takeoff. If the threat is from the side, the fly leans the other way before takeoff"
Now that you have been informed of this extremely important, isn't this world a MUCH better place to live?
1 person likes this
4 responses
@arkaf61 (10881)
• Canada
9 Sep 08
Now that is quite interesting. I will make sure I remember this.
I usually catch them with my hand and I don't even need to be that fast. Just patient and attentive.
I got used to do this when I was a kid and there were lots of flies in my aunt's old home. One day she told us that she would pay us a few cents for each one we caught LOL
@goldeneagle (6743)
• United States
31 Aug 08
because the way their eyes are positioned on their head, they can see pretty much all the way around them. They can see the movement. They are also extremely sensitive to changes in the air pressure around them, so they can often feel the swatter (or newspaper or whatever you are using to try to kill it) as it approaches their bodies. That split-second warning is often all the warning they need to get out of the way.
1 person likes this
@coffeebreak (17797)
• United States
31 Aug 08
Well, I'm just a normal fly-swatting person (as many of us are) and I could have told them that if they'd asked, instead of spending lots of time and money to figure it out!
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
14 Sep 08
To bad you didn't join in my discussion...for awhile there I was completely inundated by flies..my two cats are not ferocious fly catchers, in fact all they did was watch them buzz around with amusement. I have since learned the skills and could be considered a professional top-notch fly swatter with nothing more than a rolled up newspaper...LOL...The true technique is no sudden movements...creep up on them slowly..than SWAAAAAAAATTTTTT--Works every time now for me
@coffeebreak (17797)
• United States
14 Sep 08
Exactly my point. We have been swatting flie for generations and as with anything, you do it long enough you get to be a pro! We didn't need for these scientists to spend ton of money and time to tell us something we all ready knew! SLow, quiet, and steady - the element of surprise!
@skinnychick (6905)
• United States
3 Sep 08
LOL
Yeah, but flies are no match for the fly zapper! :)
