Household Flies: Household Flies: Biology, Behavior, Biology, Behavior,

and Controland Control

Dr. Richard M. HousemanDepartment of Entomology

University of Missouri

Flies

• Order Diptera– Have two wings– 110,000 species

worldwide– Aquatic and terrestrial– Medically important

• Complete Metamorphosis– Egg, maggot, pupa, adult

• Motivation– Food, light, sex,

temperature

Fly Development

• Life Cycle

Egg Larva Pupa Adult-Feeding-Growing

-Feeding?-Mating

Fly IPM

• Inspection• Identification• Mechanical (exclusion, traps)• Cultural (sanitation)• Chemical (baits, aerosols)

Fly Identification

• Three groups– Small flies

•Less than ¼” in length•Various breeding sites

– Filth flies• Infest indoors

– Nuisance flies• Invade from outdoors

Small Flies

Fruit Fly

• Drosophila spp.• Several species• 1/8 inch long• Tan in color• Red eyes

Fruit flyDrosophila sp.

Fruit Fly

•Life Cycle•7-10 days•Eggs laid on fruit

– About 500 eggs per female– Hatch after 24-30 hrs

•Larvae feed on fermenting sugars– 5-6 days

•Pupate in drier areas near food

Fruit Fly

• Breeding sites•Ripened fruits and vegetables•Moist organic matter in cracks,

crevices•Mops, Drains•Garbage

• Inspection•Often multiple breeding sites•Adults not always near breeding sites

Phorid Fly

• Megacelia scalaris– 1/10 inch long– Arched thorax– Dark brown– No red eyes

Humpbacked flyPhoridae

Humpbacked flyPhoridae

Phorid Fly

•Life Cycle•14-37 days•Eggs laid on surface of DOM

– 40 eggs over 12 hr period– Hatch after 24 hrs

•Larvae feed on moist DOM– 9-16 days

•Pupate in dry areas close to food

Phorid Flies

• Various Breeding Sites•Decomposing plants or animals•Organically enriched soil under slab•Dirty floor drains, disposals, drip pans•Trash containers•Crevices at base of kitchen equipment•Potted plants, terrariums•Feces•Cadavers

Phorid Flies

• Inspections•Need to be very thorough•Often multiple breeding sites•Masking tape method for drains and

slabs

Moth Fly

• Psychoda alternata– 1/8 inch long– Pointed, hairy wings– Long, drooping antennae

Moth flyPsychoda sp.

Moth Fly

•Life Cycle•8-24 days•Eggs laid on gelatinous lining or moist

DOM– 30-100 eggs per female– Hatch after 48 hrs

•Larvae feed on algae, bacteria, sludge in gelatinous film

– Utilize breathing tube– 10-15 days

•Pupate for short period

Moth flyPsychoda sp.

Moth Fly

• Breeding sites•Gelatinous organic matter•Sink/sewer drains, sump pumps•Shower pans•Porta potties•Mops, brooms•Crawlspaces•Sewers/sewage treatment nearby

Moth Fly

• Inspections•Strongly attracted to light•Masking tape method for drains•Check spider webs in crawlspaces•Drill holes in wall behind shower pan

(light)

Mosquito

• Culicidae– Thin bodies– Long mouthparts– Scales on wingveins

MosquitoCulex sp.

Mosquito

• Life Cycle•Eggs laid singly or in rafts

– Hundreds of eggs per female– Female generally needs blood to make

eggs

•Larvae live suspended from water surface

– Breathe through air tube on rear end– Move about by wiggling– Feed on algae, bacteria, organic debris

•Pupae breathe through horns on head

Mosquito larvaeCulicidae

Mosquito larvaeCulicidae

Mosquito

• Breeding Sites• Ponds, lakes, ditches• Culverts, manholes• Bird baths, gutters• Pots, cans, buckets, other containers• Old tires

• Inspections• Breeding sites for larvae• Vegetation around structure for

adults

Filth Flies

House fly

• Musca domestica– ¼ inch long– Dull gray– 4 dark stripes on

thorax– Sponging mouthparts

House flyMusca domestica

House Fly

•Life Cycle•6-10 days•Eggs laid on fresh feces or garbage

– 750-900 eggs per female

•Larvae burrow into food material to feed

– 6-8 days– May migrate several hundred feet from

feeding site

•Pupate for short period

House flyMusca domestica

House fly

• Breeding sites•Wet garbage•Manure •Rotting grains

• Inspections•Focus outdoors primarily•Pet manure areas•Trash bins, decaying

fruits/vegetables

Blow Fly

• Calliphora• Phormia

– ¼ inch long– Metallic colors

Green bottle flyCalliphora erythrocephala

Blow Fly

•Life Cycle•4-12 days•Eggs laid on carcasses, feces, garbage

– 180 eggs per time (2400 total)– Hatch after 8 hrs

•Larvae burrow into food material– Feed for 2-7 days– Crawl short distance from food– Burrow into soil to pupate

•Pupate for 2-5 days

Green bottle flyCalliphora erythrocephala

Green bottle flyCalliphora erythrocephala

Blow Fly

• Breeding Sites•Dead animals•Feces•Garbage

• Inspections•Focus outdoors primarily•Dead animals, trash, feces• Indoors usually result of dead rodent

– 180+ flies from a single dead mouse

Nuisance Flies

Cluster Fly

• Pollenia rudis– 3/8 inch long– Golden/yellow

hairs on the top of the thorax

– Buckwheat honey odor

Cluster flyPollenia rudis

Cluster Fly

•Life Cycle•25-36 days (Four generations)•Eggs laid in cracks in soil surface

– One egg at a time

•Larvae locate earthworm– Burrow into worm– Feed for 14-22 days– Exit earthworm to pupate

•Pupate for 11-14 days

Cluster Fly

• Breeding Sites•Lawns and pastures

• Inspections•Locate exterior cracks/crevices•South/west surfaces best• Inspect attics/wall voids

Crane Fly

• Tipulidae– Large flies– Gangly looking– Very long legs– Mosquito-like

Crane flyTipulidae

Crane Fly

• Breeding Sites•Damp habitats with abundant

vegetation

• Inspections•Usually considered occasional

invaders•Open doors/windows likely source•Pose no threat indoors•No treatment recommended

Midge

• Chironomidae– 1/4 inch– Mosquitoe-like– No long mouthparts

Midge

• Life Cycle•Larvae live in bottom of still water

• Breeding sites•Pools, puddles, ponds

• Inspections•Strongly attracted to lights•Look inside light fixtures,

windowsills

Fly Control

• Sanitation– Breeding site elimination

• Exclusion– Reduce ability to gain entry

• Baits– Food-based – Sex-based

Flies

• Feeding– Food is the MOST important

motivation•Odors very attractive•Detect over large distances•Locate mates at feeding sites•FEEDING and BREEDING sites

Flies

• Sanitation critical•Regularly empty/wash trash cans•Use tightly sealed trash cans•Regularly clean drains•Regular rotation of fresh

fruits/veggies

Flies

• Temperature– Important attractant at short

distances– Prefer low 80’s

•Enter from outside during hot days•Attracted to warm walls when cold

comes

– Exclusion critical

Flies

• Light– Many flies are diurnal– UV Usually used to lure into a trap – Not all species attracted equally to UV

light• Invaders very attracted• Infesters not attracted as much

– Placement is critical

• Sex– Males to female pheromones– Used to lure into traps

Contact Info:

Dr. Richard M. HousemanDepartment of Entomology1-87 Agriculture BldgUniversity of MissouriColumbia, MO 65211

housemanr@missouri.edu