Flies are major pollinators, second only to bees and their Hymenopteran relatives. Flies may have been among the evolutionarily earliest pollinators responsible for early plant pollination.
Flies are a common pest around the world – with more than 120,000 kinds of flies found globally, and 18,000 of those found throughout North America. Although flies have short lifespans, they are able to quickly reproduce in large numbers and are also capable of spreading various dangerous diseases, including malaria, salmonella and tuberculosis.
Flies first appeared on Earth over 200 million years ago during the Upper Triassic Period. Today, they live everywhere except the Polar Regions and are among the most successful insects on our planet. More than 120,000 fly species have been identified so far. They include robber flies, crane flies, flower flies, soldier flies, and fruit flies.