h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I'd like to report an observation about European house flies compared with Australian house flies. The European ones are annoying, but in general don't tend to home in on a person and constantly try to land on them - they just buzz about in the air. Contrast this with the Australian variety, which persistently land on you, and once they have chosen their spot, will return to it again and again until you are driven totally mad. The "Australian Salute" will be familiar to anyone who has seen this taking place. Another contrast: European flies are quite hard to kill by swatting - they seem to have smarter reactions and you need to be determined! Aussie flies on the other hand, are very easy to swat, being slower and tending to fly in smaller circles, and landing back on the same spot, so you can be ready for them! The question is, why should this be? I think it's down to evolution alongside mankind. In Europe, the fly has lived with man for many thousands of years, and has evolved to avoid being killed by irritating him too much - it leaves us alone most of the time and will evade us smartly if required. In Australia, this has not happened - man is a recently introduced species (I discount the aboriginals not out of racism but because they were always very thinly spread over a vast area - and also possibly more accustomed to the ways of the fly) so the fly treats us like any other animal - good for a meal, let's check him out. Their strategies have also not evolved to avoid being actively hunted down, hence the much simpler flying in circles behaviour and slow reactions.

Well Noted Graham

Sorry to take so long to answer as I am busy IRL and not on site as much as I would like to be.

All the best
vegiman

i can catch an american fly with my bare hands!