The Fly

The Fly 167/365

The Fly, one of nature’s most unappealing insects. Their beauty lies in their purpose. They are important because they break down and decay material. If there were no flies, there would be no top soil for plants to grown in. They digest dead trees, dead animals and animal waste. Like bees, some flies also play a role in pollinating flowers. They eat nectar or lay eggs as they travel from flower to flower carrying pollen on their feet.

Flies can be found in every part of the world except North and South Poles. They play a critical role in ensuring the food supply isn’t eaten up by other insects by feasting on those very insects, such as beetle grubs, moth caterpillars and aphids. Some farmers will go so far to introduce various flies, like fruit flies, into their farms rather than rely on pesticides.
The fly maggot is especially essential to the breakdown of organic matter, providing nutrients for molds, fungi and plants. Adult flies, such as the one in this photo, provide food for insect eating animals, such as frogs, bats and fish.

Because of their feeding habits on waste and decay, they are considered transmitters of disease such as dysentery, typhoid fever and cholera. One variety of fly, the Housefly, is a single species that has adapted to living off human waste and waste of their animals. They are not considered as playing a role in the natural ecosystem and are considered pests. So it’s a good idea to shoo the out of the house. But not a good idea to use pesticides as they may kill off all kinds of insects that are necessary to our ecosystem.

And let's not forget how much the cracker dislikes flies. For this reason, it's very important to keep our house fly-free!