The Flies in Winter

A house fly swooped by me just a moment ago. It brought to mind a question that has lingered with me since I was a little kid. Where do flies go in winter? After a graceful stumble through high school biology, I figured they somehow hibernate or cryogenically seal themselves off from the wintry world, waiting for some glorious spring buzzing. But this guy was already dizzily buzzing about a few months too early.

Wikipedia offered an answer (as it always does -- the question is always in the veracity): the fly was pupating indoors, which accelerated its growth and caused it to hatch early in a warm environment.

I might have to use another tidbit I learned from Wikipedia about flies. If you clap your hands a few inches above a fly, it will trigger its flee reaction and likely send it right into your closing hands.