Play Dead!

It is summer now. The flies are getting in, and being pests. For such a small brain, they have some very interesting behaviors.

• It seems like they can recognize flyswatters. When I pull my swatter out, the flies a hard to find. Then when I do find them, they can feel the air rushing as I swat, and they fly away.
• If I hit one, it will sometimes play dead. If I wait more than about 10 seconds, the fly often seems to come back to life and fly away.
• They have a fondness for black lights. I used to let them get on a black light, and then use a cigarette lighter to burn their wings. They would just buzz in circles on the floor. OK, that was cruel. I don't do that anymore. I just smash them.

Another great way to get a fly is with a vacuum cleaner. They try to take off, and go right in the nozzle.
Maybe later they wake up and come back out.