Irritating reason summer flies circle your living room and won't leave through open window

The sunny days of are finally here, and any big coats can now be - tentatively - placed back in the wardrobe. But the joys of the warmer also come with a few frustrating guests, with being a particular irritant.

Even after the most thorough of spring cleans, it sometimes appears that flies love nothing more than circling round and round your living room, their endless buzzing cutting through any conversation you might try and have.

Naturally assuming the flies would find the outdoor more suited than a stuffy lounge area, many of us will try and offer these cheeky intruders a helping hand by opening a window, only to find they simply won't budge.

So why is it that flies prefer to continue their ceaseless circles rather than make a bolt for the great outdoors, even if you've got the big light turned off? Here, an expert has addressed this mystery, while explaining why these repetitive patterns are anything but aimless.

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As previously reported by the Irish , flies will intentionally make a beeline - or indeed 'flyline' - well-defined airspaces beneath "landmarks", as a means of marking their territory. This is as per neuroethologist Jochen Zeil, who explained that, in the absence of other flies, these insects will start their patrol, making sharp right-angle turns, and chasing away any competitors.

Once warned away, competitors may dip to another spare space just 10 to 30 cm beneath, beginning their own patrol. A tiny distinction to us, but still significant to the little fly. As explained by Zeil, who hold a PHD in the Sexual Dimorphism in the Visual System of Flies from the University of Sussex, lady flies approach landmarks from the side, catching the attention of the males.

And the more male flies swarm the landmark, the more the females will head on over to check out this popular meeting spot, much to the annoyance of the giants sweltering away below. Unfortunately, once the party is over, these flirtatious flies may find it tricky to make their way back outside.

This is due to their compound eyes which - while being excellent for allowing them a 360-degree view of any room - allow them a very poor visual range of just a few short yards. Even if you do fling open your window, the chances are, they may not be able to perceive it.

We humans are fortunate in that our pupils allow us to regulate how much light we let into our eyes, but flies, who have difficulty discerning colour, have no such luck. The best way to help a fly to freedom would be to turn off your lights, including your telly, at nighttime, giving them the chance to be drawn to outside lights beyond the open window.

Do you have a story to share? Email me at julia.banim@reachplc.com

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