It’s easier to catch a fly than you think: You just need to know its weakness

Flies can make a person’s life very unpleasant. They buzz around your head, sit on your food, avoid your hands when trying to dispose of it. We often don’t want to reach for a swatter in a hurry, we avoid sprays because they are unnecessary chemicals. The good news, however, is that catching a fly in your hand is relatively easy. But you need to know how its body, senses and reflexes work.

Although flies are annoying insects, they are not difficult to get rid of. In summer, they are simply everywhere and we often kill more of them in a day than we realise. If you don’t have a swatter handy, just wave your hand properly. You can get rid of insects very easily.

How a fly sees and why it reacts so quickly

Flies have compound eyes. These give them an almost panoramic view. So they see movement much earlier than we do. They also react very well to changes in light. According to research, a fly can register movement before your hand even gets close. The fly’s nervous system triggers reflexes in a fraction of a second. So it’s very easy for a fly to slip away if we marry it.

If you want to weaken this advantage, you must learn to move slowly and smoothly. A sharp gesture immediately alerts the fly, while a calm approach stays outside its threshold of perception. Another weakness of flies is their reaction to changes in airflow. In fact, the antennae of these insects can detect even the slightest whiff. Therefore, it is better to bring your hand over the fly and hold it still a few centimetres above its body. Once you’ve minimised the air vortex that would scare it away, you can attack.

Patience and practice

A fly takes off straight up from where it is sitting when it escapes. If you hold your hand carefully over it and then make a nimble and precisely timed movement, it will fly right into your trap. Jeremy Ames on his blog describes this move as very clever – you don’t chase the fly, you simply wait for it to catch itself.

The best way to catch a fly is to observe. After that, it’s just a matter of practice. Flies sit in warm, well-lit places. They’re less observant at those times, so you have the best chance of catching them. Approach them slowly, hold your palm over them for a moment, then wave your hand at the right moment. It’s very easy to catch the insect and lock it in the palm of your hand.

It’s not rocket science. There’s no need to keep a swatter handy or use expensive chemical repellents. Simply with a little practice you will catch flies in your hand like a pro. You just need to remember that, like any animal, flies have excellent defense mechanisms that can nevertheless be circumvented.