Why Do Flies Bite?
Any person that regularly goes outside has been bitten at least a dozen times by some kind of a bug. It’s just a give – you go outside, you run a risk of attracting pesky little buggers, and while some bites can be nearly unnoticeable, some can be seriously annoying.
Avoiding bug bites outright is near impossible, but there are some things you can do to minimize the chances of getting bitten.
Let’s do a little rundown to avoid being bitten:
First and foremost: do flies even bite?
Depends on what kind of fly we’re talking about (there are a lot of fly species flying around). If you’re asking about a normal housefly – then no, they don’t bite. This is because they have a sponging or lapping mouthparts, which aren’t designed for biting.
But houseflies aren’t the only flies around – their close relatives, stable flies do bite. So do black flies, horse flies, and sand flies – female sandflies to be exact.
The most popular fly species to bite? Mosquitos. Yup, mosquitos are actually flies.
So why do flies bite?
There are a few reasons why a fly – or any insect really – might bite you. But the 3 major reasons why flies bite are the following: nutritional value (they need to eat), reproduction support (it will help them multiply), self-defence (they perceive you to be a threat and the threat is too close to peacefully get away from).
How do flies choose who to bite?
Some people are more attractive targets for insects than other ones.
One thing most scientists seem to agree upon is that insects’ – including flies’ – attraction to us are caused by the carbon dioxide and heat we emit. Certain types of people – like pregnant women, for example – who emit are more appealing targets for biting, because they emit more carbon dioxide and heat.
People who like to exercise may also experience being bitten more frequently than people who don’t – not because they spent more time outdoors (though this certainly plays a role), but because of increased levels of lactic acid odors that are attractive to insects.
And sometimes even what we wear may play a role: for example, scientists have found that mosquitos are more attracted to darker colors, such as black and blue.
How do I avoid flies biting me?
First and foremost – personal hygiene is the key. Less strong the body odors, the better the chances of flies not perceiving you as food.
Keeping your home area clean and tidy is another way of minimizing the fly bite chances – they can’t bite you if they’re not around.
Alas, when in an environment you can’t control, such as out camping in the wilderness, quality bug repellants are a must – there’s hardly anything else you can do.
Interestingly enough…
Stress also plays a factor in how attractive a target you are. Some scientists believe that people who are stressed might be less likely to attract bugs, mosquitos in particular since some of the chemicals produced due to stress are unattractive to them.
Guess every cloud really does have a silver lining.
Now you know why flies bite, the next step is to get rid of these pesky animals altogether.
Here at the fly killer guide, we have written many articles which can help you get rid of them for good.
The good news is that nearly all flies in your home will not bite you!
However just because they don’t bite doesn’t mean they are not dangerous to you and your family.
Flies are carriers of many diseases such as typhoid, cholera, and other infections.
They carry bacteria on the surface of their mouths, and on the pads of their feet.
Whenever they land on an object-or people- or food – in your house, they transfer these diseases onto that surface.
How To Get Rid Of Flies?
When it comes to getting rid of flies you can use any of the following methods:
- Indoor and outdoor fly traps.
- Homemade DIY Traps.
- Sonic repellents.
- Fly killer guns.
- Essential oils.
- Insect killers.
- Swatters & more.
If you want to try making your own traps and repellents we have written this article – Natural Fly Killer Recipes.
You may also find non-toxic fly traps a useful read.
Related Articles:
Best Electric Fly Swatters Reviewed.
References