# What do flies want?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-flies-want/310026
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [June 27, 2005, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-flies-want/310026 "2005-06-27T12:01:41Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)
#### Post date: [June 27, 2005, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-flies-want/310026/1 "2005-06-27T12:01:41Z")
I spent the weekend out in the garden, alternating between actually working in the garden and kicking back in a shady spot with a cold drink and a book. (Yes, it was the most delightful way imaginable to spend three days).
Yesterday, during my sitting-in-the-shade-reading periods, I was constantly bothered by a fly. It would land on my leg, I’d shake my leg or brush the fly away, and it would come right back and start walking up my leg again. Or the other leg. Or my arm – but mostly my legs. It was darned annoying (I was forced to retreat inside when naptime came).
Almost as annoying as the sensation of a fly crawling on me was my inability to figure out what the blasted thing wanted. Do flies need salt? I was definitely covered with a film of dried sweat (it was 90 and moderately humid yesterday). If not salt, then what?
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### Author:  [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)
#### Post date: [June 27, 2005, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-flies-want/310026/2 "2005-06-27T13:12:06Z")
Did it look like an ordinary fly or was the appearance somewhat different about the head? Could you hear him crying, _Help me!?_ 😉
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### Author:  [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)
#### Post date: [June 27, 2005, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-flies-want/310026/3 "2005-06-27T13:19:59Z")
When you get this one solved, let’s get back to work on Freud’s version of this question.
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### Author:  [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)
#### Post date: [June 27, 2005, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-flies-want/310026/4 "2005-06-27T13:21:17Z")
IIRC, non-biting houseflies just want what we all want… food, and a nice quiet place to lay eggs and raise maggots. I mean offspring. I guess you give off a smell that the flies find either tasty, nurturing, or both.
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### Author:  [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)
#### Post date: [June 27, 2005, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-flies-want/310026/5 "2005-06-27T13:42:23Z")
> [@Brain Wreck](#):
>
> IIRC, non-biting houseflies just want what we all want… food, and a nice quiet place to lay eggs and raise maggots. I mean offspring. I guess you give off a smell that the flies find either tasty, nurturing, or both.
I thought of this – one of the things I was doing yesterday was spreading compost, and, since I was barefoot, there was definitely a thin layer of rich organic matter on my feet and ankles – but the fly was higher up, mostly around my knees and thighs.
(And **pseud** – thanks for getting my joke. 😉 )
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### Author:  [@chaoticbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaoticbear)
#### Post date: [June 27, 2005, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-flies-want/310026/6 "2005-06-27T14:02:18Z")
> [@twickster](#):
>
> (And **pseud** – thanks for getting my joke. 😉 )
Whoosh! 😕
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### Author:  [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)
#### Post date: [June 27, 2005, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-flies-want/310026/7 "2005-06-27T14:07:24Z")
Freud famously asked “What do women want?”
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### Author:  [@chaoticbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaoticbear)
#### Post date: [June 27, 2005, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-flies-want/310026/8 "2005-06-27T14:39:08Z")
Oh. :o
I took sociology. 😛
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### Author:  [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)
#### Post date: [June 27, 2005, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-flies-want/310026/9 "2005-06-27T14:53:48Z")
> [@twickster](#):
>
> there was definitely a thin layer of rich organic matter on my feet and ankles – but the fly was higher up, mostly around my knees and thighs.
It probably found you attractive and wanted to carrion.
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### Author:  [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)
#### Post date: [June 27, 2005, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-flies-want/310026/10 "2005-06-27T15:01:01Z")
Do flies like sweat?
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### Author:  [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)
#### Post date: [June 27, 2005, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-flies-want/310026/11 "2005-06-27T15:12:20Z")
> [@chaoticdonkey](#):
>
> I took sociology. 😛
So did I. 😉
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### Author:  [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)
#### Post date: [June 27, 2005, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-flies-want/310026/12 "2005-06-27T18:28:21Z")
According to the increasingly powerful fly lobby, they want a flat tax, a sensible energy policy, and a pro-shit eating constitutional amendment.
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### Author:  [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)
#### Post date: [June 27, 2005, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-flies-want/310026/13 "2005-06-27T18:32:01Z")
> [@Smeghead](#):
>
> According to the increasingly powerful fly lobby, they want a flat tax, a sensible energy policy, and a pro-shit eating constitutional amendment.
Thus spake Earl Butz.
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### Author:  [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)
#### Post date: [June 27, 2005, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-flies-want/310026/14 "2005-06-27T19:42:02Z")
> [@Smeghead](#):
>
> According to the increasingly powerful fly lobby, they want a flat tax, a sensible energy policy, and a pro-shit eating constitutional amendment.
here, here! I fully support the Fly Girls on whatever position they want to take! mmmmm Rosie Perez… 😃
Bo
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### Author:  [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)
#### Post date: [June 27, 2005, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-flies-want/310026/15 "2005-06-27T19:43:09Z")
:smack: errr, I could do without the scat, tho
Bo
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### Author:  [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)
#### Post date: [June 27, 2005, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-flies-want/310026/16 "2005-06-27T20:24:19Z")
Is your middle name Beelzebub?
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### Author:  [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)
#### Post date: [June 27, 2005, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-flies-want/310026/17 "2005-06-27T20:27:56Z")
> [@chaoticdonkey](#):
>
> Oh. :o
>
> I took sociology. 😛
Not to mention that the whole question of what women want is slightly irrelevant in your case…
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### Author:  [@BarnOwl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarnOwl)
#### Post date: [June 27, 2005, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-flies-want/310026/18 "2005-06-27T20:36:44Z")
Read less Freud and more **Crossworld**. It ain’t bad.
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### Author:  [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)
#### Post date: [June 27, 2005, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-flies-want/310026/19 "2005-06-27T20:40:56Z")
It wanted to be told its human wasn’t unzipped… 😃
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### Author:  [@One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/One_And_Only_Wanderers)
#### Post date: [June 27, 2005, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-flies-want/310026/20 "2005-06-27T20:41:59Z")
I really wish i knew the answer. Me and the wife went for a walk yesterday, and I swear this one little &&% of a fly was circling my head the whole way. I know I’m not slim, but I shouldn’t be attracting smaller masses into orbit!
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