More than 100 pathogens are associated with the house fly including: Salmonella, Staphylococcus, E. coli and Shigella. These pathogens can cause disease in humans and animals, including: typhoid fever, cholera, bacillary dysentery, hepatitis, ophthalmia, polio, tuberculosis and infantile diarrhea. Sanitation is critical to controlling these pests, but accurate identification is essential for successful fly control.
BLOW FLIES
Blow flies belong to the Family Calliphoridae of flies under Order Diptera. To date, there are approximately 1,100 species of blowflies worldwide. Blow flies are often metallic in appearance, with feathery hairs on the terminal antennal segments. Adult blow flies have sponge-like mouth parts, while maggots have hook-like mouth parts.
Female blow flies typically lay their eggs on dead meat, where maggots hatch within six to 48 hours. These maggots undergo three stages within three to nine days, after which they leave their food source and pupate in soil. Within two to seven days, the puparium will be complete. Pupae remain inside it for another 10 to 17 days, at which point they emerge as adults.
Blow flies are attracted to fresh meat and are typically the first organisms to come into contact with dead animals. The meat of dead animals is essential for larval survival and growth. They are also attracted to plants that give off the smell of rotting meat and as such, are good pollinators.
CADDIS FLY
Caddisflies are not actually flies. Flies belong to the order Diptera. Caddisflies belong to the order Trichoptera. Adult caddisflies are terrestrial, while larvae are aquatic and can be found in lakes, rivers, streams and other freshwater sources. Caddisflies form a very significant part of freshwater food chains and the presence of these insects typically indicates that an aquatic ecosystem is healthy.
Like many other insects, the life cycle of the caddisfly is comprised of four stages: egg, larval, pupal and adult. After mating, the female caddisfly skims the surface of a water source and deposits her eggs in strand-like formations. These eggs are a bright green in color and sink to the bottom.
Eggs eventually hatch into caddisfly larvae. Caddisfly larvae are grub-like in appearance and feed on detritus within the bodies of water they inhabit. Caddisfly larvae create strands of silk from their salivary glands. After feeding, caddisfly larvae begin to form casings used in the pupal stage. These cases are constructed of small rocks, twigs and other gathered materials. Adult caddisflies are similar in appearance to moths. They have minimized mandibles and well developed compound eyes. Although they live on land, adult caddisflies typically inhabit areas near freshwater sources in order to ease breeding processes.
DRAIN FLY
Latin Name:Family Psychodidae
Appearance:About 1/16-inch long with a light gray or tan body and lighter-colored wings. The body and the wings are covered with long hairs, giving the fly a fuzzy appearance. When at rest, the wings are folded over the body in a characteristic roof-like manner.
Habit:In homes, adults are found on bathroom, kitchen or basement walls. More active at night, do not bite and, surprisingly, do not transmit human diseases.
Diet:Organic matter and sewage.
Reproduction:
Eggs are laid in irregular masses almost anywhere decomposing organic materials are found. Under favorable conditions, the flies can go through one generation in as little as one week. Two to three weeks is more typical.
FRUIT FLY
Latin Name:Family Drosphilidae
Appearance:
Adults are about 1/8-inch long, have red eyes and a tan thorax. The abdomen is black on top, gray underneath.
Habit:Adults are strong fliers and have been known to travel as far as 6 1/2 miles within a 24-hour period. Populations tend to build during the summer, becoming very abundant at harvest time. Indoors, fruit flies are frequently active at all times of the year.
Diet:Ripened fruit and vegetables. Fermenting products.
Reproduction:Larvae develop in moist areas where organic material and standing water are present. The entire life cycle lasts 25 days or more depending on the environmental conditions and the availability of food.
Habit:Adults are strong fliers and have been known to travel as far as 6 1/2 miles within a 24-hour period. Populations tend to build during the summer, becoming very abundant at harvest time. Indoors, fruit flies are frequently active at all times of the year.
Diet:Ripened fruit and vegetables. Fermenting products.
Reproduction:Larvae develop in moist areas where organic material and standing water are present. The entire life cycle lasts 25 days or more depending on the environmental conditions and the availability of food.
HOUSE FLY
Latin Name:Family Muscidae
Appearance:Usually gray, less than 1/4-inch long with four black stripes on the thorax.
Habit:They prefer corners and edges or thin objects to rest on. Indoors, they rest on floors, walls and ceilings during the day. Outdoors, they will rest on plants, the ground, fence wires, garbage cans, etc. Night resting places are usually near sources of food and 5 to 15 feet off the ground.
Diet:Wide variety of food, including human food, animal food and carcasses, garbage and excrement.
Reproduction:House fly eggs are laid in almost any warm, moist material that will supply suitable food for the larvae. The female begins laying eggs a few days after hatching, laying a total of five to six batches of 75 to 100 eggs. In warm weather, eggs hatch in 12 to 24 hours.
