
Why it's so hard to swat a fly - mattmaroon
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080828/sc_nm/fly_dc;_ylt=At_Xbl3i.2zfKzxY_75xbFCs0NUE
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rob
I seem to have no problem killing them when they fly on my windows and stop
moving. I swat their ass and bury them before they even know what happened. My
record is 262-12 (been keeping track for three years).

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raganwald
Matt, thanks for the great post. What's our legal liability if we maim or kill
the fly?

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mattmaroon
Ask a lawyer. I'd recommend one specializing in criminal cases involving
insect injury. Should have their own category in any Yellow Pages.

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beaudeal
try this out: with your hands fairly far apart (so as not to alert the fly),
clap very hard (and quickly) about 4 inches above where the fly is -- whether
their escape route is front/back/left/right it almost certainly involves going
up...this works great, seriously.

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mattmaroon
What if you don't want to smash a fly in your hands?

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yamil
If you use only one hand you can catch the fly (alive) inside your hand (need
some training) then you open the window and let it go.

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dkokelley
I always get a mystic sense of pride when I manage to capture a fly alive with
my hand. It's like I'm a ninja of some sort. Of course the worst part is
figuring out if you caught the fly without letting it go. I can never tell if
it's in may hand or if it got away until after I open my hand.

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fauigerzigerk
My girlfriend was slightly distraught the other day because she had swatted
two flies while they were having sex. I guess researchers have some more work
to do analysing how various movements contribute to life and death :-)

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kingkongrevenge
It's because they can detect the tiny air pressure changes from nearby moving
objects. The trick to swatting a fly is simply to swing hard and fast. If you
half-ass it they sense the incoming palm/magazine/swatter while they have
plenty of time to react.

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mattmaroon
Compound eyes help a lot too.

