What do houseflies really like?

[Joseph C. Tallon]

Rick form this we can conclude that these flies are not
attracted to natural unoderized gas leaks like landfill methane
collecting systems or natural leaks in the oil field business. Is anyone aware
of this being a problem ? I am personally aware
of having a blu/greenbottle fly problem in a residence and discovering a gas
leak. They are somewhat rare in So. Cal as
urban pests...Joseph Tallon
 
rjb wrote:
 
> Joseph C. Tallon wrote in message <379898FD.8AB3DCE4 at Netxn.com>...
> >Thank you Steven If I know the source of the adults (rotting tissue not
> >garbage)  and the source of what is attracting
> >the adults (rotting tissue or gas leak) then I can eliminate the
> >infestation by removing these.
> (deleted stuff)
> >"Steven M. Cohen" wrote:
> (deleted lots)
>
> >> 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.
>
> Well, I am no expert on this, but speaking as a chemist, my guess is that
> the flies are detecting sulfur compounds.  Decaying protein often develops
> odoriferous (to us humans) sulfur compounds from the sulfur-containing amino
> acids (eg. cysteine).  Natural gas and propane have sulfur compounds added
> to give them an odor that humans can detect.  It is possible that the
> bluebottle flies associate the mercaptans and sulfides that we added to the
> propane with their favorite foods.
> Rick