Just spent too many (unsuccessful) minutes hunting a fly in my kitchen. I tried to encourage it out the door but it clearly wants to stay.
It’s goading me and it’s bloody massive. Like bumblebee size.
I went at it with a magazine, kitchen roll and dishcloths but all were fruitless.
I read they perceive time differently so is it that they see me in slow motion? How does something operate in the world around them at a different ‘base speed’ if that is the case?
EDIT/UPDATE: thanks for all the comments. Some very cool and interesting things said that I’m going to follow up on. Not sure if it was the same one but a little while ago approached another behemoth of a fly with a white kitchen roll super slow and successful smushed it. Almost felt bad. Almost.
In: 145
A smaller body means nerves and the brain can communicate and carry out directions faster. Nerves are fast but all signals have a travel time, and then a processing time in our brains, before sending out another signal to respond. A lot of insects also have a more decentralized nervous system, which also helps them instinctively react to stimuli like incoming objects very quickly.
The other factor is the compound eyes of many insects, while not great for detail, are exceptionally well designed for detecting movement in a wide range around them. They don’t really know whats coming at them, but they see you moving very clearly.
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