Are flies dirtier than other insects?

1. 60

   Bamboo Frogposted 14 years ago

   Are flies dirtier than other insects?

   replyreport
2. 59

   Dark knight ridesposted 14 years ago

   Not really. They all tend to be filthy and carry a variety of disgusting bacteria and virus on them . Mosquito's are probably dirtier, in that they carry more diseases on them and since they bite, they are more likely to pass it on.

   replyreport
3. 62

   bvencillposted 14 years ago

   Sort of.  Flies don't necessarily carry more diseases than other insects, if fact they carry far fewer than many, such as mosquitoes, but they are much better at transmitting them than most.
   
   Flies eat by vomiting on food, which dissolves it outside their bodies so that they can suck it up like a straw.  Because of this, they leave residues on whatever food they land on.  So if the fly is carrying a disease, it could be on there too.
   
   For comparison's sake, roaches are actually relatively clean.  They have mouths and are highly unlikely to leave anything harmful behind if they get into your food.  Like most insects, they usually contaminate food only if they walk through something harmful, then walk through something that you would consume.
   
   Flies are also much more common than other types of insects that are actually better at passing on disease.  Mosquitoes need standing water in order to reproduce and are rarely found in arid climates.  Tics are found mainly in wooded areas, which is not where most people live.  Flies can be found practically anywhere.
   
   As far as kitchens are concerned, forget the roaches and spiders.  Flies should be your biggest priority.

   replyreport