We are all plagued by these nasty little creatures throughout the world. A fly
has only two wings and their scientific name (Diptera) means precisely that. There
are around 100,000 kinds world wide and form the largest part of the insect family.
Their eyes are made up by thousands of lenses, so you cannot escape their gaze.

These creatures are among the most dangerous pests known to
man, carrying germs that cause serious diseases such as malaria, sleeping sickness,
filariasis, and dysentery. These dirty insects that feed on us and our food
outnumber the human race many-fold. The mouth of a fly is almost funnel shaped. The
thickest part is near the head, and the tube-like section called the proboscis thins
out to a point. It feeds by using its proboscis like a penetrating straw.

Midges are certainly among the smallest (about 1.3 millimetres in length)
and the Mydas flies (found in South America) are one of the largest, growing
up to 7.5 centimetres long.

House flies which irritatingly buzz around our house & kitchens beating
their wings about 200 times a second, live about 21 days, unless you get
them first with a spray or the deadly fly swat.