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Household Flies: Biology, Behavior, and Control

Household Flies: Biology, Behavior, and Control. Dr. Richard M. Houseman Department 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

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Household Flies: Biology, Behavior, and Control

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  1. Household Flies: Biology, Behavior, and Control Dr. Richard M. Houseman Department of Entomology University of Missouri

  2. 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

  3. EggLarva Pupa Adult • Feeding • Growing -Feeding? -Mating Fly Development • Life Cycle

  4. Fly IPM • Inspection • Identification • Mechanical (exclusion, traps) • Cultural (sanitation) • Chemical (baits, aerosols)

  5. Fly Identification • Three groups • Small flies • Less than ¼” in length • Various breeding sites • Filth flies • Infest indoors • Nuisance flies • Invade from outdoors

  6. Small Flies

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

  8. Fruit fly Drosophila sp.

  9. 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

  10. 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

  11. Humpbacked fly Phoridae Phorid Fly • Megacelia scalaris • 1/10 inch long • Arched thorax • Dark brown • No red eyes

  12. Humpbacked fly Phoridae

  13. 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

  14. 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

  15. Phorid Flies • Inspections • Need to be very thorough • Often multiple breeding sites • Masking tape method for drains and slabs

  16. Moth fly Psychoda sp. Moth Fly • Psychoda alternata • 1/8 inch long • Pointed, hairy wings • Long, drooping antennae

  17. 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

  18. Moth fly Psychoda sp.

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

  20. 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)

  21. Mosquito Culex sp. Mosquito • Culicidae • Thin bodies • Long mouthparts • Scales on wing veins

  22. 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

  23. Mosquito larvae Culicidae

  24. Mosquito larvae Culicidae

  25. 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

  26. Filth Flies

  27. House fly • Musca domestica • ¼ inch long • Dull gray • 4 dark stripes on thorax • Sponging mouthparts

  28. House fly Musca domestica

  29. 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

  30. House fly Musca domestica

  31. House fly • Breeding sites • Wet garbage • Manure • Rotting grains • Inspections • Focus outdoors primarily • Pet manure areas • Trash bins, decaying fruits/vegetables

  32. Blow Fly • Calliphora • Phormia • ¼ inch long • Metallic colors

  33. Green bottle fly Calliphora erythrocephala

  34. 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

  35. Green bottle fly Calliphora erythrocephala

  36. Green bottle fly Calliphora erythrocephala

  37. 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

  38. Nuisance Flies

  39. Cluster Fly • Pollenia rudis • 3/8 inch long • Golden/yellow hairs on the top of the thorax • Buckwheat honey odor

  40. Cluster fly Pollenia rudis

  41. 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

  42. Cluster Fly • Breeding Sites • Lawns and pastures • Inspections • Locate exterior cracks/crevices • South/west surfaces best • Inspect attics/wall voids

  43. Crane fly Tipulidae Crane Fly • Tipulidae • Large flies • Gangly looking • Very long legs • Mosquito-like

  44. 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

  45. Midge • Chironomidae • 1/4 inch • Mosquitoe-like • No long mouthparts

  46. 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

  47. Fly Control • Sanitation • Breeding site elimination • Exclusion • Reduce ability to gain entry • Baits • Food-based • Sex-based

  48. Flies • Feeding • Food is the MOST important motivation • Odors very attractive • Detect over large distances • Locate mates at feeding sites • FEEDING and BREEDING sites

  49. Flies • Sanitation critical • Regularly empty/wash trash cans • Use tightly sealed trash cans • Regularly clean drains • Regular rotation of fresh fruits/veggies

  50. 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

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