How Flies Escape Our Swats

Yes, I know that's a bee. I didn't have a photo of a fly.

I've always wondered how flies are able to escape death by hand, magazine, newspaper or anything else within reach. We've probably all tried...sneaking up from behind, trying not to cast an alerting shadow, etc.

According to an article in today's L.A. Times, flies are the ultimate gold medal gymnasts. 200 milliseconds before
the death attempt, "the fly's tiny brain calculates the location of the threat, then manuevers its legs into the optimum position to jump out of the way." Depending on the direction of the threat, the fly moves its legs and then leans in varying directions before leaping away from death's door.

What does this mean to you and me? The article suggests that if you want to kill a fly, you should lead it as trap shooters do, trying to anticipate the fly's jump. Personally, I try to grab them with one hand mid-flight thus taking their legs out of the equation.