Are flies following a strategy when they keep hitting windows? Part 4

When wasps, bees and flies repeatedly slam into windows in my conservatory, are they employing a strategy? (continued) Reg Price from Hinckley, Leicestershire, UK has observed dragonflies enter large, heavily-glazed buildings. On both instances, the dragonflies appeared to survey the area for several minutes before exiting through an open window.

Neither of these dragonflies struck the glass or anything else during their visits. Reflecting on all flying insects, James Fenton from Oban, UK has noticed that those colliding with his car have become less frequent. In the past, he had to clean insect debris from his windscreen frequently during long drives, but now finds only occasional traces.

Additionally, when insects enter his illuminated room via an open window at night, the number of arrivals has dropped from dozens per hour to just one. Fenton wonders if the shift to LED lighting might have influenced this change. Age 79, Fenton has been noticing these patterns for over 60 years. The smaller houseflies that invade a home tend to persistently try to penetrate closed windows, eventually succumbing.

However, larger houseflies adopt a different approach. They attempt a particular window for a brief period, then abandon it and try another, eventually succeeding if they locate an open window. This suggests a higher level of intelligence.