Bluebottle fly

While I’m terrified of daddy longlegs (even learning that they’re completely harmless hasn’t helped), I’m a bit more tolerant of spiders and flies.

There’s one exception, though. I do not like it when bluebottles sit on my windowsill, rubbing their creepy legs together like they’re plotting my downfall.

Of course, that won’t be the real reason behind the movement. But to be honest, I had no idea what was – until recently.

Why do flies rub their legs together?

Speaking to The New York Times, Dr David Grimaldi, entomologist and curator at the American Museum of Natural History in Manhattan, explained they’re actually strategically grooming themselves.

“Flies have chemical receptors not just on their feet, but on their legs, as well,” the expert said.

This means they can literally taste the surface they’re on ”with their feet, and so they have to keep them........

© HuffPost