Flies flying in centre room

Micilin Muc

Why do flies hang around in the centre of a room?!

An office I used to work in always had flies flying around right under the lights (switched off) in the centre of the room.

I noticed it in a friend's flat today as well, flies flying around in the exact same spot.

Why?!

PirateShampoo

Some flys have a defective wing, where one is bigger than the other.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

They don't. As many fly at windows as do in the centre of a room.

Getting there

I have to agree, not all flies can be counted on to stay in the centre of the room. Iv had the most annoying fly in my sitting room that tends to zooom past the door into that room. he has hit the side of my face twice now and im not going to be until hes dead....

MB Lacey

Great question- I've always wondered why they fly round and round in the middle of my lounge too.
Under a hanging light thats turned off.
Maybe its only the ones with the defective wings who do this..

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

I found the following on answers.google.com
Summary: The three-dimensional flight paths of male Fannia canicularis underneath prominent indoor landmarks were filmed and reconstructed for analysis. The flies patrol well-defined airspaces (of about 50x50 cm horizontal, 25 cm vertical extent) underneath landmarks like lampshades. Their flight paths have a distinct structure: they fly straight for on average 400 ms and an average distance of 20 cm; they change flight direction by abruptly turning through on average 95° and continue to fly straight. the sign of changes in flight direction is kept constant for periods of 2–20 s and changed at irregular intervals. Male flies approach a landmark from below and, in the absence of other flies, settle to patrol an airspace close to the landmark. A second male approaching the same landmark chases, or is chased away by, the patrolling fly when it comes too close and may eventually settle to patrol 10–30 cm below the airspace occupied by the first fly. A dummy fly presented to a patrolling fly between the airspace he patrols and the landmark is vigorously attacked from below and prevents the fly from regaining his former patrolling station. By trapping flies on sticky ribbons suspended from the ceiling, which served as landmarks, it can be shown that males and females approach and land on landmarks. It is suggested that male flies establish a lek-type mating assembly underneath landmarks to intercept approaching females. The position of male patrolling stations relative to the landmark suggests that females might arrive at landmarks from the side (and not from below, as males do), thus crossing the dorsal visual field of patrolling males.

The flight would, to me, appear to be more hexagonal than circular.

MB Lacey

Thanks Srameen.
So the male flies are cruising in hexagonal flight paths under my lampshade?!
:eek:

recedite

Alayah Late Archer wrote: »

I found the following on answers.google.com
Summary: The three-dimensional flight paths of male Fannia canicularis underneath prominent indoor landmarks were filmed and reconstructed for analysis. The flies patrol well-defined airspaces (of about 50x50 cm horizontal, 25 cm vertical extent) underneath landmarks like lampshades. Their flight paths have a distinct structure: they fly straight for on average 400 ms and an average distance of 20 cm; they change flight direction by abruptly turning through on average 95° and continue to fly straight. the sign of changes in flight direction is kept constant for periods of 2–20 s and changed at irregular intervals. Male flies approach a landmark from below and, in the absence of other flies, settle to patrol an airspace close to the landmark. A second male approaching the same landmark chases, or is chased away by, the patrolling fly when it comes too close and may eventually settle to patrol 10–30 cm below the airspace occupied by the first fly. A dummy fly presented to a patrolling fly between the airspace he patrols and the landmark is vigorously attacked from below and prevents the fly from regaining his former patrolling station. By trapping flies on sticky ribbons suspended from the ceiling, which served as landmarks, it can be shown that males and females approach and land on landmarks. It is suggested that male flies establish a lek-type mating assembly underneath landmarks to intercept approaching females. The position of male patrolling stations relative to the landmark suggests that females might arrive at landmarks from the side (and not from below, as males do), thus crossing the dorsal visual field of patrolling males.

The flight would, to me, appear to be more hexagonal than circular.

Interesting... I assumed they were keeping their distance from the walls (for aviation safety reasons). So if the ceiling light was off-centre, the flies would be too?