When rain begins, flies often disappear from the outdoor environment. This sparks curiosity about where these small creatures go and how they survive overwhelming weather. Understanding their strategies reveals fascinating aspects of their biology and behavior.
Rain’s Impact on Tiny Flyers
For a fly, a single raindrop represents an enormous obstacle, often weighing more than the insect itself. The impact force can be compared to a human being struck by a bowling ball. Beyond the sheer force, water’s surface tension also poses a significant threat. At their tiny scale, water can deform around insects and potentially trap them, making escape difficult. The added weight of water also makes flight more energetically demanding and can cause wings to stick together, reducing agility.
Seeking Shelter: Common Retreats
Flies primarily deal with rain by seeking immediate shelter. They commonly retreat to natural havens such as the undersides of leaves, providing a canopy from direct rainfall. Other natural shelters include crevices in tree bark, hollows, or beneath rocks and undergrowth. These locations offer protection from both direct impact and strong air currents that accompany storms.
Flies also frequently utilize man-made structures for refuge. They can be found sheltering under the eaves of buildings, on window sills, or in other sheltered nooks and crannies. If an entry point is available, flies may even venture inside buildings to escape the elements, staying until the weather clears. Seeking cover is a key survival strategy during rainfall.
Built-in Survival Mechanisms
Beyond seeking shelter, flies possess inherent biological and physical adaptations for survival in wet conditions. Their exoskeletons are largely hydrophobic, repelling water. This property comes from microscopic hairs and structures across their bodies, causing water to bead up and roll off, similar to a duck’s feathers. This minimizes water contact, reducing momentum transfer and helping them stay steady if hit.
For smaller flies, their light weight and specific body mechanics allow them to “ride” a raindrop upon impact rather than resisting it. This non-resistance minimizes the force transferred to their bodies, allowing them to be carried along with the drop or quickly recover without significant injury. Their rapid flight capabilities and quick reflexes enable them to avoid many falling drops.