FLIES

The Fly Life Cycle:

House Fly
The common house fly (Musca domestica) is a nuisance as well as being a carrier of disease to man and domestic animals. In just two weeks, one fly may lay more than 1000 eggs in animal excrement, garbage, kitchen refuse, piled lawn clippings, or other decomposing plant and animal matter. In warm weather, the life cycle (egg to adult) usually takes about eight days. Warm or protected environments may permit fly production year round. Besides the grayish-black house fly, several other kinds of flies are found in the home.

Blow Fly
Blow Flies are larger than common house flies. Several species are characterized by shiny, metallic colors. They make a loud droning buzz and will lay eggs on exposed meat ("flyblown flesh"). The larval development of green or copper blowflies, most commonly found in garbage and pet droppings, is completed in less than a week.

Little House Fly
The Little House Fly (Fannia cannicularis) characteristically flies to and fro in the middle of the room. Seldom landing on human food, these are much less likely to contaminate human food than the common house fly. Maggots are laid in well-decayed vegetable matter or in animal excrement. Their life cycle requires 24 days.

False Stable Fly
The False Stable Fly (Muscina stabulans) is slightly larger and stouter than the common house fly and is generally dark grey in appearance. It cannot bite like the true Stable Fly but will enter the house and lay eggs on slightly spoiled foods. Maggots are frequently seen in animal excrement and decaying vegetable matter. Their life cycle is normally 14 days.

Black Garbage Fly
Black Garbage Flies (Ophyra species) are small, slender, black, shiny flies about 1/5 of an inch long. They develop in great numbers in garbage wastes but are not usually found in homes in large cities. They are especially prevalent in rural areas, particularly those without routine refuse collection. The life cycle is about 10 days.

Stable Fly
The Stable Fly (Stomoxys calcitrans) resembles the house fly but has a slender pointed beak with which it pierces the skin and sucks blood. It is normally an outdoor fly, feeding on domesticated animals, but may enter the house during inclement weather. To control stable flies, manure must be disposed of on a weekly basis. Other breeding sources are urine-soaked straw, as well as any moist decaying vegetation such as plant clippings or plant masses cast upon the shore or beaches (i.e. Seaweed).

Flesh Fly
Flesh flies (Sarcophagidae species) look like overgrown house flies. The more common have checkerboard patterened abdomens. They deposit living maggots rather than eggs in decaying flesh or animal excrement. This allows the Flesh Fly to complete its lifecycle in only eight days.

CONTROL OF FLIES
GOOD SANITATION IS BETTER THAN CHEMICALS!!!

During warm weather, lifecycles of some domestic flies can be completed in as little as 7 to 10 days, so sanitation of likely breeding sites is the most effective control for flies. All garbage should be disposed of at least twice a week and cans should be scraped and washed out to prevent future infestations. Cans should be in good repair (no holes) and sport tight fitting lids. Areas surrounding rubbish collection sites should be washed clean and kept clean. Organic waste from pets or plants should be disposed of with a local trash collector or buried in a pit covered with at least one foot of compacted soil.

Once a problem has arisen and chemicals become necessary for the control of flies, there are several "over the counter" products made by pesticide companies which can help.

WARNING: PESTICIDES ARE POISONOUS. PROPER SAFETY PRECAUTIONS ARE A MUST WHEN HANDLING ANY PESTICIDES. READ AND FOLLOW PRODUCT LABELS CAREFULLY WHEN HANDLING PESTICIDES.