House Fly
Pest Description
1. Musca domestica
2. Musca nebulo
House fly is the most common of all domestic flies. Adult is 5-8 mm long with grey thorax and four dark longitudinal lines on the back. They have hairy legs and spongy mouth parts which makes them to feed on liquid or semi-solid food.
Risk
House flies do not discriminate between food and filth. They feed on human food and garbage and breeds in human waste or cattle manure. They are carriers of large number of disease causing germs/ pathogens of humans and animals. Flies are known for transmission of several enteric infections such as dysentery, diarrhea, typhoid, food poisoning, cholera and parasitic worms.
Behavior
House flies are active only in daytime and rest at night. House flies cannot feed on solid food and therefore take up the liquid or semi-liquid substance which has been softened by saliva or vomit. Because of their frequent intake of food, they deposit feces constantly.
Where to find them?
Indoors, house flies can be seen resting at shaded locations e.g. corners of rooms, walls, hanging electrical wires, ropes, ceiling hangings, inside cattle sheds, etc. whereas outdoors they are found to rest on plants, grounds, trash cans, near garbage dumps, etc.
