Where are all the flies.....Not that I want them. (Tampa: home, live)

[The Villages Guy]

We are foodies and love trying new places to eat. We love eating outside when it is not cold or raining. Everywhere we have lived the one drawback to this has been flies. They were always flying around the outdoor area and as soon as food came out they would pounce. It was very annoying. The one odd thing we have noticed here in the Tampa Bay area is we can sit outside for a meal at a restaurant and there are never any flies.

So this may seem like an odd question, but has anyone else noticed the lack of flies? What is the reasoning for this? I'm wondering if the constant breeze around here keeps them away. Keep in mind we are almost always dining out within five miles or less from the gulf.....as the crow flies (pun intended).

[Ken E]

It may have to warm up a bit. Sooner or later they'll be around. Wherever theres food theres flies. I dont think the breeze bothers them a whole lot. A bunch of us rode the bikes down to one of the popular spots on Johns Pass a few years ago which is always real breezy and one of the ladies in the group found a fly in a ice cube in her soda. The management was real nice and charged no one for their meal. Pest control is real big business down there.

[Not_liking_FL]

It is probably the cooler weather. I always see plenty of flies when I'm grilling and I've seen flies inside of restaurants.

[algia]

This is ONLY because of the cooler weather...wait until summer, or high temps hit...you will not know how to get inside faster....in Clearwater we not only had flies to deal with, but also lovely mosquitoes, and squirrels!!!!! There are not many outdoor places I would eat outside these days, and those that are places I would consider it are in Disney, and in Europe....LOLOL

[The Villages Guy]

Originally Posted by Ken E

It may have to warm up a bit. Sooner or later they'll be around. Wherever theres food theres flies. I dont think the breeze bothers them a whole lot. A bunch of us rode the bikes down to one of the popular spots on Johns Pass a few years ago which is always real breezy and one of the ladies in the group found a fly in a ice cube in her soda. The management was real nice and charged no one for their meal. Pest control is real big business down there.

Originally Posted by Not_liking_FL

It is probably the cooler weather. I always see plenty of flies when I'm grilling and I've seen flies inside of restaurants.

Thx Ken and NLF. Maybe that is it. However when a select few were complaining about the nice warm 80's in January, we did not see any flies either. Maybe they will show up later. In any event, it's been nice all this time we have been here not seeing them. If it is only half the year or less, that is way better than what we are used to. We love love eating outside and the flies were the only drawback. Nice to see that we have at least half the year and probably more (as they have yet to show up) that we can enjoy without those pests.

[Roscoe Conkling]

It's funny how nature proves to be a constant source of complaint on these forums ( not that the OP was complaining ! )
It never ceases to amaze me how people move to somewhere hot surrounded by natural beauty and then wonder why bugs and animals invade their lives.
They then try to hermetically seal themselves from the very things they moved to be among.
It is us who are intruding on their lives not the other way round and you can either drive yourself demented trying to defeat nature,which you never will, or learn to co-exist with it.

[algia]

Originally Posted by Roscoe Conkling

It's funny how nature proves to be a constant source of complaint on these forums ( not that the OP was complaining ! )
It never ceases to amaze me how people move to somewhere hot surrounded by natural beauty and then wonder why bugs and animals invade their lives.
They then try to hermetically seal themselves from the very things they moved to be among.
It is us who are intruding on their lives not the other way round and you can either drive yourself demented trying to defeat nature,which you never will, or learn to co-exist with it.

Thank you. Very well put.

Interestingly enough, "flies" (of all things) can be found in EVERY climate! There were plenty of them back home in Europe, and all over Pittsburgh, and Asia! hahahahahaha

[algia]

Originally Posted by Roscoe Conkling

It's funny how nature proves to be a constant source of complaint on these forums ( not that the OP was complaining ! )
It never ceases to amaze me how people move to somewhere hot surrounded by natural beauty and then wonder why bugs and animals invade their lives.
They then try to hermetically seal themselves from the very things they moved to be among.
It is us who are intruding on their lives not the other way round and you can either drive yourself demented trying to defeat nature,which you never will, or learn to co-exist with it.

But also...how bored does one have to be to pay attention to flies? especially when our sunsets, and calming landscapes are so beautiful.

[The Villages Guy]

Originally Posted by Roscoe Conkling

It's funny how nature proves to be a constant source of complaint on these forums ( not that the OP was complaining ! )
It never ceases to amaze me how people move to somewhere hot surrounded by natural beauty and then wonder why bugs and animals invade their lives.
They then try to hermetically seal themselves from the very things they moved to be among.
It is us who are intruding on their lives not the other way round and you can either drive yourself demented trying to defeat nature,which you never will, or learn to co-exist with it.

Actually I LOVE nature. I love having alligators and such right outside my door.

Please note that the thread was noting the "lack" of flies, compared to other places I have lived.

[The Villages Guy]

Dining outside at restaurants a ton now that the temps are coming up. Still no flies. This is awesome!

Not to mention basically no bugs of any kind anywhere. I guess all those rumors I heard were false....as usual.