Houseflies

Houseflies are one of the most common insects in the world. They are found everywhere people live. Houseflies have large red eyes and can fly very fast. They are attracted to food, garbage, and animal waste.

Amazing Flyers

Houseflies beat their wings about 200 times per second. They can fly up to 5 miles per hour. Their eyes have thousands of tiny lenses that help them see in almost every direction. This makes them very hard to swat. They can take off and change direction in a split second.

How Flies Eat

Houseflies cannot chew food because they have no teeth. Instead, they spit digestive juices onto food to dissolve it. Then they suck up the liquid with their sponge-like mouth. Flies taste food with their feet! When a fly lands on your food, it is actually tasting it.

Fun Facts

• A housefly beats its wings about 200 times per second.
• Flies taste food with their feet before they eat it.
• A housefly can see behind itself because its eyes cover most of its head.

Did You Know?

A single pair of houseflies could produce millions of offspring in just one summer if all of them survived! Luckily, most do not make it to adulthood.