It’s on!! Did you read that somewhat disturbing novel in high school by William Golding? Well, this post doesn’t really have anything to do with this literary gem, other than the fact that it’s about flies.
It’s that time of year when the flies are in all their obnoxious, buzzing glory! I suppose it wouldn’t be too horribly bad if they would stop trespassing in my house. However, they have all but a welcome mat from my two little boys who aren’t always that mindful when going outside and frequently our tattered screen door is left open.
However, even when it is closed, a bullet proof barrier it is not considering the toddler abuse it has sustained over the past several years. I suppose it is time to break down and repair the darned thing. Until said repair takes place, I am left armed with a flyswatter or dishtowel or other weapon to destroy the enemy.
Whilst waging this battle against these wing-ed creatures, I decided this was an opportunity to teach my kids about this species (An excellent 60 Second Parenting moment!). Though I may detest the little bugs, they were created for a purpose (other than to annoy me and get my counters dirty).
Okay, so what are flies good for? Here ya go, kids!
- They are an excellent source of food – not necessarily for humans (though I guess you could eat them if you were in a pinch. Some find maggots to be quite the delicacy though it makes me squirm thinking about it). Spiders, dragonflies, frogs, bats, lizards, and fish to name a few feast on these flying insects. Think of all the fly fishermen – where would they be without ties flies for bait?
- Their babies act as winged garbage men – yeah, this is pretty gross, but it is a very necessary job. Young flies (also known as maggots) feast on all things decomposing. This may be the trash in your trashcan, or it may be the remains of animals whose little spirits are no longer occupying their bodies. Remember the oft used quote from the Bible, “Ashes to ashes, dust to dust?” Well, these guys are a major player in the “returning to dust” part of the cycle. In some cultures, maggots are used to treat open wounds. Rather than using disinfectants and other treatments common in Western Society, they use maggot therapy to clean up a wound that is not healing. Weird as it sounds, it’s been an effective treatment for hundreds of years.
- They have enriched our culture – What? Really? Well, think about it. The fly has inspired many authors, artists, and musicians through the years. Both U2 and The Dave Matthew’s Band have songs titled “The Fly.” And then there was that sci-fi film The Fly where a scientist accidentally exchanged some of his body parts for a fly’s. And of course, William Golding’s “Lord of the Flies” we mentioned earlier.
So there you have it. Three very good reasons why flies are upon the face of the earth today, making their way into houses and aggravating people world wide.
FYI, there is a very cute kids’ book on a fly that received the Theodore Seuss Geisel Honor Book Award. Look it up. It’s called “Hi, Fly Guy!”
