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Fascinating flies

© Dan Edwards

Flies aren’t first on many lists of ‘nature’s wonders’, but they play a very important role in the creation of ecosystems and habitats all around the world.

Let’s look at some of the benefits of our buzzing friends and why they are so important...

Brilliant pollinators

Your eyes do not deceive you, flies really are amazing pollinators! Though not as efficient as bees (with their sacs designed specifically for carrying pollen) they are the second most important pollinator in the world. 

What flies lack in their pollen- carrying ability they make up for with their sheer abundance- in the UK alone we see over 7,000 species of them! Most species of flies are covered in hairs and, as they feed, these hairs become covered in pollen, trapping the pollen on the head and thorax (chest area) of the fly. With larger flies, this method of pollen collection means they could be carrying thousands of pollen grains as they fly between flowers!

Chocolate lovers

On top of being top-class pollinators, some species of flies (biting midges) are a major part of a very small group of cacao pollinators. Cacao pollinators must be small enough to move into the flower’s petal hood where they brush against the plant, resulting in the sticking of pollen to the pollinator’s hairs, this can then be transferred to another flower when they move on. Cacao is a flowering evergreen tree and its seeds are used as a key ingredient to make chocolate. 

But even with the help of pollinators, cacao flowers only produce fruit (containing the seeds) 30% of the time!

Tasty snacks

And by this I don’t mean for you and I- though eating insects can have nutritional benefits for us- but for birds, frogs and lizards where flies are an essential part of their diets. 

Flies are high in protein which is important as an energy source for all organisms. Frogs, for example, need high amounts of protein- many species becoming sickly when the protein in their diet drops below 16%, though some species need as much as 45% (particularly for younger frogs).

 Cleaning superstars

We have flowers and food but what else do we need in a healthy eco-system? Decomposers! 

Decomposers ‘clean’ away organic matter, this includes: dead animal and plant matter as well as faeces. Some species of fly larvae may even be found in your local compost bin- working alongside the earthworms, beetles, ants and other decomposers.

Fly larvae feed on dead animals and plants, breaking them down overtime. In good conditions, the compost produced by these larvae can be high in nitrogen phosphorus and potassium as well as calcium and protein.

Wound Surgeons

Fly larvae can be used in ‘maggot therapy’, under the supervision of professionals, to remove damaged or infected tissue from a wound (though this can sometimes be a painful experience for the patient).  

During treatment, the larvae are placed onto the wound site by one of two methods: free range or BioBag, from here they ingest the damaged tissue and remove bacteria/ infections by breaking them down during digestion.

While there is some evidence to suggest it has higher success rates in removing damaged tissue than more common methods, this is not agreed upon by all studies. 

There are, however, many widely-accepted benefits of this method of treatment, to name a few: 

  • Larvae are widespread and so can be transported from place to place with relative ease.
  • Side effects of the treatment (particularly long-term side effects) are minimal.
  • Healing of wounds treated with larvae was often earlier than with usual methods
  • Overall quality of life of patients receiving maggot therapy was better
  • Decreases the need for amputations.

So, next time you see a fly buzzing around your garden, just think of the amazing role it has in the health and wellbeing of not only the natural environment but also through the treatment of people globally.

 

Written by Rose Blackburn

 

References:

Pain, S. (2021) How much do flies help with pollination?, Smithsonian.com. Available at: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/how-much-do-flies-help-pollination-180977177/ (Accessed: 20 May 2024). 

Fly finder (2022) Natural History Museum. Available at: https://www.nhm.ac.uk/take-part/monitor-and-encourage-nature/project-archive/fly-finder.html (Accessed: 20 May 2024). 

Hendry, L. (no date) The compelling case for why flies are actually fabulous, Natural History Museum. Available at: https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/compelling-case-why-flies-are-fabulous.html (Accessed: 20 May 2024). 

(2022). Youtube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSE87jTdJDI (Accessed: 20 May 2024). 

Pokorny, K. (2022) Don’t worry, maggots help break down compost pile, Life at OSU. Available at: https://today.oregonstate.edu/news/don%E2%80%99t-worry-maggots-help-break-down-compost-pile (Accessed: 20 May 2024). 

Maggot Therapy (2024) Maggot therapy - Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. Available at: https://www.chelwest.nhs.uk/your-visit/patient-leaflets/tissue-viability/maggot-therapy#:~:text=What%20is%20maggot%20therapy%3F,considered%20prone%20to%20re%2Dsloughing. (Accessed: 20 May 2024). 

Arabloo J, Grey S, Mobinizadeh M, Olyaeemanesh A, Hamouzadeh P, Khamisabadi K. Safety, effectiveness and economic aspects of maggot debride-ment therapy for wound healing. Med J Islam Repub Iran 2016 (20 January). Vol. 30:319.

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