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2023 / 12 / 25
Fly is the common name of the insects from the order Diptera. The "flies" mainly seen at home include from the families Calliphoridae (blow flies), Sarcophagidae (flesh flies), and Muscidae (house flies).
Flies are insects that undergo complete metamorphosis (eggs → larvae → pupae → adults). Fly larvae are also known as "maggots". Female flies lay their eggs on rotten, damp substances. In warm climates, eggs can hatch into maggots in just one day. After three molts, they will pupate and emerge as adults within a week. Therefore, flies can reproduce rapidly and in large numbers in a suitable environment and affecting environmental hygiene. Female flesh flies can lay maggots directly on food instead of laying eggs. As a result, there have been many disputes in which restaurants have been accused of food hygiene by consumers. It was later proved through appraisal that the restaurant stuffs had not been negligent in the food preparation process.
Flies are insects that undergo complete metamorphosis (eggs → larvae → pupae → adults). Fly larvae are also known as "maggots". Female flies lay their eggs on rotten, damp substances. In warm climates, eggs can hatch into maggots in just one day. After three molts, they will pupate and emerge as adults within a week. Therefore, flies can reproduce rapidly and in large numbers in a suitable environment and affecting environmental hygiene. Female flesh flies can lay maggots directly on food instead of laying eggs. As a result, there have been many disputes in which restaurants have been accused of food hygiene by consumers. It was later proved through appraisal that the restaurant stuffs had not been negligent in the food preparation process.
Generally speaking, the main problems caused by household flies is that adult flies often rest and feed on rotten objects, corpses and feces. As a result, their feet, mouthparts and body hair carry a large number of pathogens. When flies stay on our daily necessities, tableware and food, in addition to being disturbing, they are more likely to mechanically transmit pathogens and cause diseases. In addition, maggots always appear in rotten and dirty places, which makes people feel uncomfortable when they see them.
Common fly species can be distinguished by simple appearance features:
Flesh fly: The body color is grayish black, with three obvious longitudinal dark brown stripes on the mesothorax.
House fly: Similar in appearance to a flesh fly, but with four longitudinal stripes on the mesothorax, the two central ones being thicker.
Blow fly: The body has a metallic luster such as blue/green/copper.
In addition, the compound eyes of male flies occupy a larger part of their head and are almost closely connected on the left and right sides, while those of female flies are smaller and clearly separated.
Common fly species can be distinguished by simple appearance features:
Flesh fly: The body color is grayish black, with three obvious longitudinal dark brown stripes on the mesothorax.
House fly: Similar in appearance to a flesh fly, but with four longitudinal stripes on the mesothorax, the two central ones being thicker.
Blow fly: The body has a metallic luster such as blue/green/copper.
In addition, the compound eyes of male flies occupy a larger part of their head and are almost closely connected on the left and right sides, while those of female flies are smaller and clearly separated.
Fly control
Flies usually present from outdoor breeding sources and then spread and invade indoor environments using their powerful flying ability. Therefore, the focus of prevention and control should be to prevent adult flies from entering the house and to remove outdoor breeding sources as much as possible.
The breeding sources of maggots include garbage dumps, kitchen waste bins, cat and dog feces, etc. The indoor environment is unlikely to be dirty enough to breed flies unless there are species like flesh flies that directly lay maggots, or there are dead animals. These breeding sources must be removed, and if they are difficult to remove, such as compost or animal manure, they can be sprayed with a slow-acting insect growth regulator to control adults by inhibiting the maggots from successfully emerging.
The prevention and control of adult flies is different from many environmental pests that prefer to be active at night. Flies prefer to be active during the day and fly in well-lit places to find food. If it is a dark environment, they will not approach; at night, they will look for branch-like objects to perch on. In the early morning outdoors, they are often unable to fly because their wings are covered with dew, and they have to wait for the dew to dry before they can move. Therefore, one simple way to drive away the flies is to make the it dark inside the facilities and bright outside, and the most flies would not approach, unless there are good food resource that can lure them.
In addition, installing screen doors, air curtains, and thick, light-transmitting plastic sheets at entrances and exits are common and effective ways to prevent flies from flying into the house. If people come and go frequently and flies cannot be completely prevented from entering the facilities, you must consider installing some light traps with glue boards, or regularly using pesticides to maintain environmental hygiene, especially in restaurants, food factories, and hospitals where pests can mechanically spread pathogens.
Flies usually present from outdoor breeding sources and then spread and invade indoor environments using their powerful flying ability. Therefore, the focus of prevention and control should be to prevent adult flies from entering the house and to remove outdoor breeding sources as much as possible.
The breeding sources of maggots include garbage dumps, kitchen waste bins, cat and dog feces, etc. The indoor environment is unlikely to be dirty enough to breed flies unless there are species like flesh flies that directly lay maggots, or there are dead animals. These breeding sources must be removed, and if they are difficult to remove, such as compost or animal manure, they can be sprayed with a slow-acting insect growth regulator to control adults by inhibiting the maggots from successfully emerging.
The prevention and control of adult flies is different from many environmental pests that prefer to be active at night. Flies prefer to be active during the day and fly in well-lit places to find food. If it is a dark environment, they will not approach; at night, they will look for branch-like objects to perch on. In the early morning outdoors, they are often unable to fly because their wings are covered with dew, and they have to wait for the dew to dry before they can move. Therefore, one simple way to drive away the flies is to make the it dark inside the facilities and bright outside, and the most flies would not approach, unless there are good food resource that can lure them.
In addition, installing screen doors, air curtains, and thick, light-transmitting plastic sheets at entrances and exits are common and effective ways to prevent flies from flying into the house. If people come and go frequently and flies cannot be completely prevented from entering the facilities, you must consider installing some light traps with glue boards, or regularly using pesticides to maintain environmental hygiene, especially in restaurants, food factories, and hospitals where pests can mechanically spread pathogens.