Flies migrate globally and pollinate more than we think
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- Flies undertake vast seasonal migrations each spring, with some born in Iran and ending up in the UK, while others hatch in India and travel to Mongolia, China and Siberia.
- More than half of the 108 families of flies found in the British Isles include pollinator species, according to the article, and even biting midges (Ceratopogonidae) pollinate the plant from which chocolate is made.
- Hoverfly larvae recycle organic waste and prey on species that damage flowers and crops, with some camouflaging themselves to resemble bird droppings.
- Punk flies (Tachinidae) parasitize oak processionary moth caterpillars — an invasive species that arrived in 2006 and causes rashes, conjunctivitis and, in severe cases, anaphylaxis.
- Phoridae flies have been deployed in the US against invasive fire ants that arrived from South America, targeting them with species-specific precision while leaving native species unharmed.
- Bee flies (Bombyliidae) pollinate flowers as adults while their larvae feed on other immature insects, with the article noting their presence signals a healthy, balanced ecosystem.
Why it matters: Reframing flies as pollinators and natural pest controllers — rather than just disease vectors — could change how gardeners, farmers and conservationists value them; the article cites specific cases (punk flies curbing an invasive moth, Phoridae suppressing fire ants) where fly species already deliver measurable ecological services that humans otherwise pay to replace.
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