Flies are annoying little pests that make unwelcome landings on food and crawl around your home. That’s essentially all we know about flies. But most of us have also noticed that we don’t see flies after sunset. So, where do flies go at night? Do they sleep like other animals?
If so, do they have a hiding place for sleeping or do flies just sleep anywhere? Keep reading to find answers to all these questions and more!
Flies: An Introduction
Belonging to the order Diptera, flies are common two-winged insects. There are thousands of species of flies across the world, such as house flies, fruit flies, and horse flies. They have a relatively short life span of approximately 5 to 30 days, from the larva to the adult stage.
Despite being a huge annoyance to humans, as they also spread diseases, flies actually play an important role in the ecological food chain, such as pollinating plants and helping with decomposition.
Do Flies Sleep?
Yes, flies sleep. And most of their kind sleep throughout the night and stay active during the day. They also take naps during the day to re-energize after buzzing around.
Several studies have also shown that some flies share the same sleep cycle as humans and that they sleep in different stages that have distinct brain activities.
Why Are There No Flies At Night?
Most flies like the common house flies, flesh flies, and bottle flies are active and buzzing around during the day but nowhere to be seen once night falls.
Plenty of species of flies become inactive during the night as these insects depend on polarized light — which is only available during the day — to visually guide them.
Additionally, the temperature typically drops at night, and cool or cold temperatures make flies lazy and slow. So, flies tend to look for a place to sleep and spend the night sleeping.
Where Do Flies Sleep?
By the end of the day, flies will look for a place to land and spend the night.
Of course, flies will ideally choose a sleeping area away from potential predators. But, flies can sleep anywhere, from under grasses and leaves to on branches and tree trunks. They may also take refuge on your curtains, walls, or floors if they are inside your home. Flies will sleep anywhere they can land and rest. And you can expect these flies to sleep until sunrise when they start their day.
Flies also sleep alone. They don’t have a colony and don’t need a nest or a particular sleeping area.
Do Flies Fly In The Dark?
Most flies sleep during the night, but the more nocturnal flies like mosquitoes can stay up all night to find some blood to suck on. That’s because mosquitoes have super-sensitive antennae and eyes that allow them to see in the dark. Their night vision allows them to annoy you when you’re sleeping. But most types of flies don’t fly during the night and are deep in slumber.
5 Interesting Facts about Flies
#1. Flies are cold-blooded insects, which means that they cannot keep themselves warm. Their body temperature is impacted by the temperature outside; that’s why you’ll see more flies during summer than in the cold seasons.
#2. Flies need more sleep during summer than in winter.
#3. Compared to adult flies, baby flies need to sleep more so that their brains can develop properly.
#4. Caffeine can hinder the sleep cycle of flies.
#5. Flies can sleep for up to 12 hours at a time.
