# How flies fly?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-flies-fly/509868>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 13, 2009, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-flies-fly/509868 "2009-09-13T00:47:31Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Parly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9adbd/32.png) [@Parly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Parly)\
**Post date:** [September 13, 2009, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-flies-fly/509868/1 "2009-09-13T00:47:31Z")

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I make no apologies for being sad enough to have even clocked this in the first place, but I’ve clocked it nevertheless, so must find the reason behind it.

Why is it that flies appear to particularly enjoy flying round underneath ceiling lights / fans? They regularly buzz about underneath them, sometimes with a couple of buddies for company.

Also, when they are buzzing about under the said light / fan, they always seem to change direction very sharply - never in a smooth, curved pattern.

Why is this? 😕

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**Author:** ![janeslogin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@janeslogin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/janeslogin)\
**Post date:** [September 13, 2009, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-flies-fly/509868/2 "2009-09-13T15:26:32Z")

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This site [http://www.nurseminerva.co.uk/adapt/insect.htm](http://www.nurseminerva.co.uk/adapt/insect.htm) states

> [@](#):
>
> Unlike the relatively steady-state aerodynamics experienced by conventional aircraft wings, flapping wings such as insect wings experience rapid changes in airflow as the wing beats up and down - unsteady airflow.