What do houseflies really like?

[Steven M. Cohen]

I am not up on my calliphorids, so hopefully a real expert will add more
useful info.  I can tell you that these flies are attracted to carrion -
they are the first to find road kill - and fecies [the expression "attracted
to it like flies to s _ _ _ " applies to the bottle flies to the extreme] -
and their larvae love corpses of all kinds.  On an interesting note, their
lavae, or maggots, are used medicinally to clean up festering wounds.  They
only eat dead tissue and leave healthy tissue alone.  Their range is very
wide, but I cannot give you the parameters.  I know I have seen them
throughout the northeast, from Maine to Pennsylvania, but I haven't paid
very close attention.  I would guess they were nationwide, at least.
I am only guessing here, but decaying flesh gives off gasses [odors] which
calliphorids probably use to home in on their meals.  These bugs most likely
detect fuel gas in much the same way, and expect a nice ripe carcass near
gas leaks.  All gasses of the type we are talking about have several
elements in common, including hydrogen, oxygen and carbon.  It's been too
long since I've looked at organic chemistry, so I'll stop here before I
mis-classify something.  Hopefully a chemistry buff will come to the rescue.
Let me know what your research uncovers.  Good luck.
 
Joseph C. Tallon wrote in message <37973B9F.E849880A at Netxn.com>...
>Where do these two species of flys lay their eggs and develop
>their larva in an urban environment? What is the range of the adults? Why
are
>the adults attracted to these gases and what
>would be the common element in these gases?  I hope I don't
>seem too lazy by not following your suggestion on a search
>Steven but thought I'd ask first and if you didn't have it on the top of
you
>head I will research and post the answers.. Thanks
>Joseph Tallon , Bakers field Ca.