# why a fly lands on a ceiling at what point does it turn upside down? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 23, 2003, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-a-fly-lands-on-a-ceiling-at-what-point-does-it-turn-upside-down/220747 "2003-12-23T23:21:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Zaphod7](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/df788c/32.png) [@Zaphod7](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zaphod7)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2003, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-a-fly-lands-on-a-ceiling-at-what-point-does-it-turn-upside-down/220747/1 "2003-12-23T23:21:32Z")
I am not sure if anyone has pondered this before, I did a search but was unable to find anything. Being from the land downunder, we frequently have hordes of flies in the summer and on the extra hot days where laying on the couch staring at the ceiling is about the most strenuous activity one can muster, i have often been baffled as to what point it is that the fly flips over in flight to land on the ceiling. Do they fly upside down and how is that done? Do they flip just before, if so how do they handle such a miraculous precision move? Zaphod7 ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2003, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-a-fly-lands-on-a-ceiling-at-what-point-does-it-turn-upside-down/220747/2 "2003-12-23T23:23:45Z")
My understanding is that they are “upright” until just before they wish to land, when they extend their front legs, grab the ceiling and then flip over. I seem to remember seeing a slow motion video of this at some point. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2003, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-a-fly-lands-on-a-ceiling-at-what-point-does-it-turn-upside-down/220747/3 "2003-12-23T23:33:47Z")
[This](http://www.coolquiz.com/trivia/explain/docs/flies.asp) page describes the maneuver in a bit more detail. Still no photos, I’m afraid. ---
**Author:** ![Zaphod7](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/df788c/32.png) [@Zaphod7](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zaphod7)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2003, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-a-fly-lands-on-a-ceiling-at-what-point-does-it-turn-upside-down/220747/4 "2003-12-23T23:36:06Z")
a slow motion video of this would be awesome to see, some people have the best jobs (the filmakers)… strange how the movie “The Fly” offered me know answer on this, i mean if i were a human who turned into a fly my first action would be to find the answer to this ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2003, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-a-fly-lands-on-a-ceiling-at-what-point-does-it-turn-upside-down/220747/5 "2003-12-23T23:36:27Z")
[Cecil’s article](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a5_043.html) on the subject. ---
**Author:** ![Zaphod7](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/df788c/32.png) [@Zaphod7](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zaphod7)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2003, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-a-fly-lands-on-a-ceiling-at-what-point-does-it-turn-upside-down/220747/6 "2003-12-23T23:40:20Z")
brilliant cheers