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This week Collected Wisdom addresses the issue of why the produce sections in grocery stores and supermarkets are no-fly zones.
THE QUESTION: Writing from Collingwood, Ont., Erin Orsztynowicz asked why grocery stores never seem to have fruit flies raiding their produce.
THE ANSWER: "Fruit flies seek out rotten fruit to lay their eggs," writes Frances Clee of Toronto. "Produce stores and departments don't have any rotten fruit lying around if they can avoid it — hence no fruit flies."
True enough, but there appears to be a bit more to it than that.
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"Most likely this would be related to ambient air temperature as a result of air conditioning," writes Sue Ness of Wolfville, N.S.
"Stores tend to have a cooler overall temperature, below the optimal breeding temperature for fruit flies — around 25 degrees."
Meanwhile, in Victoria, Penelope Hagan-Braun has been battling a fruit-fly infestation this summer.
"We tried everything to get rid of our proliferating friends, including honey and fruit-juice traps. They finally perished in a frying pan of olive oil we accidentally left out overnight -- they couldn't resist the smell of sautéed smoked salmon."
Hey, there's worse ways to go.
THE QUESTION: "I frequently heat up coffee in my microwave, which has a rotating platter, and I find it curious that sometimes the platter rotates clockwise and other times it rotates counter-clockwise," wrote Ozzie Boswell of Burlington, Ont. Why?
THE ANSWER: "You may also notice that if you put a casserole in there that is a little too big, it turns until it hits the side of the microwave and then reverses direction," says Michael Wilson of Thunder Bay.
"It will keep switching back and forth each time it can't turn any more. This allows at least some movement when full rotation is not possible. Every time you turn on your microwave, it will turn in the opposite direction from the way it turned last time due to this safety feature."
FURTHER NOTICE
Following our discussion of why hatchbacks and minivans have rear-window wipers and sedans don't, David Staines of Calgary offers this historical footnote: "In the early 1950s, Packard offered a rear-window wiper as an option on its sedans. There were few takers, however."
HELP WANTED
Speaking of cars, Susanna Austin of Mississauga writes: "Why is the storage compartment in a car called a glove compartment? I don't know anyone who keeps their gloves in there."
Ted Reesor of Burlington, Ont., writes: "We often read reports of species that are accidentally introduced into Canada, often with a negative impact." But he says we never seem to hear about other countries dealing with invading species from Canada. "Are there any?"
How does one measure one ton of the gas carbon dioxide? asks John Sweet of Toronto.
And finally, back to fruit: "It takes a sharp knife to slice a tomato skin, and I don't think slugs have teeth, so how does a slug eat into my tomatoes?" asks Neil Patterson of Arnprior, Ont.
Maybe slugs get tips from fruit flies?
Send answers (and questions) to wisdom@globeandmail.com. Please include your name, location and a daytime phone number.
