The summer season will soon be upon us, and that is generally good news. The days will be getting longer, the weather will be getting warmer, and you can enjoy all manner of outdoor activities.
Unfortunately for you and your summer activities, the summer season also comes with a significant downside. When the weather warms up, the flies come out in earnest, making a beeline for your food, ruining your backyard barbecues and otherwise getting in the way of your outdoor enjoyment.
You already know that flies are troublesome insects, always buzzing around your head and bothering you at the most inopportune moments. But did you also know that flies can carry some pretty horrendous diseases, and that for this reason you should never let them near your food.
There is a reason your Aunt Gertrude has a full set of those little net things to cover up the paper plates at her cookout. She knows that protecting outdoor food from flies is essential, and that failing to do so could make her guests very sick. Here are some of the best reasons to keep flies far away from your food.
- Flies produce a sticky substance that they use to stick to things, including your food. When they fly away, they leave that stickiness behind. Think about that the next time you pick up an uncovered deviled egg.
- Flies have poor eyesight but a great sense of smell. They can detect the aroma of roasting hot dogs and hamburgers from very far away.
- Flies love sugary liquids. If you leave your soda or glass of lemonade uncovered, you can expect a visit from these winged germ factories.
- Flies carry some pretty scary diseases, including the germs that cause gangrene, dysentery, tuberculosis, anthrax and even the plague.
- Flies poop every couple minutes. That means they will probably be defecating as they walk across your food. That is enough to make even the hungriest party guest lose their appetite.
- Flies live for only one or two months, but their rapid lifecycle and prodigious reproductive habits mean there will always be more where they came from.
Whether you are hanging out by the pool, hosting a back yard barbecue or just hanging out, do yourself a favor and cover your food. Flies and food simply do not mix, and you do not want to take a chance on your health and the health of your family.
