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It is a sunny afternoon and you are just enjoying a meal with your family or friends. Suddenly annoying flies start buzzing around you and try to taste something from your dishes. Although you try to shoo them away in every possible way, they eventually find their way onto the plate anyway. Regardless of how unpleasant the situation is, have you ever wondered what happens when a fly lands on your food?
They transmit various diseases
According to scientists, flies are twice as likely to transmit pathogens as cockroaches. This happens because flies also feed on things like feces, garbage, and decaying carcasses. In addition, flies are not able to chew their food. To feed, they must release enzymes that dissolve in the food. A fly landing on the dish you are about to eat is therefore a cause for serious concern.
Bacteria and viruses that remain in the bodies of flies can be the source of many illnesses. They transfer them to food simply by touching it with their bodies or legs. Among the main diseases that flies transmit are cholera, dysentery, and typhoid. So if a fly lands on your food next time, it’s better to set the contaminated piece aside.
They lay eggs in it
Besides contaminating food, flies can also lay eggs in it. According to biologists, although flies prefer materials that ferment similarly to feces or garbage, your food can also help them reproduce. Cover food that stays on the table for a longer time (for example desserts) with a net, because flies can lay up to 120 eggs at once, from which small larvae hatch in eight hours.
If you accidentally eat fly eggs, the larvae can hatch in your intestines and begin feeding on tissue, causing health problems and various infections. This phenomenon is medically called myiasis. In addition to food, fly larvae can also infest parts of the human body, for example in open wounds on the skin.
