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House Fly
(John Obermeyer, Purdue University)
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Common Name: House Fly

Order: Diptera

Family: Muscidae


Pest Status: House flies are filth-breeding insects and can transmit diseases that adhere to their bodies.

Appearance: Adults are 1/2-inch long and have gray thoraxes with four dark longitudinal lines on the back. The undersides of their abdomens are yellow, and their bodies are covered with hair. They have red, compound eyes.

Life Cycle: Females lay their eggs singly in moist environments. The larvae develop over two weeks and the pupal stage lasts less than one week. Adults live for two months during warmer months.

Where to Collect: During daylight hours, house flies will rest on floors, walls, and ceilings indoors. Outdoors, they will rest on plants, the ground, fence wires, and garbage cans. In all situations, they prefer edges or thin objects such as wires and strings.