Flies

Where usually found 

The habitats of house and bush flies are clear. Bush flies often cluster on a person’s back, eyes, nose and lips, seeking moisture. They enter houses only by mistake. House flies rarely settle on people, preferring to fly around light fittings, windows and food.

What they do

Flies breed in garbage, rotting food, manure and other unsavoury places. Their bodies become contaminated and some of the material falls onto the food on which they settle. Flies eat by sucking their food through their tubular mouth parts. If the food they are attempting to eat is not liquid, they ‘vomit’ onto it in an endeavour to soften it, before sucking up the whole mess. House flies also drop their faeces on human food. By a combination of these activities, they spread diarrhoea, dysentery, typhoid and various eye infections.

How to control (by natural methods)

Prevent the entry of flies into the house by screening. Cover or refrigerate food not in immediate use. Reduce breeding places by covering garbage bins, wrapping rubbish in plastic, keeping toilet facilities as clean as possible and, if primitive, well-disinfected. House flies have a range, of about 500 metres, so great care should be taken in country areas where horse and cow manure may be lying around, or large compost heaps may encircle the garden. Scented insect repellents may be used for barbecues and other outdoor meals, in conjunction with suitable food containers.

by artificial methods

The simplest method of killing flies is by aerosol sprays, containing pyrethrums. Care should be taken that the poison does not fall on food, crockery, cutlery or dishcloths. Old-fashioned glass fly traps or paper coated with sticky fluid such as thick treacle may be used to kill flies inside a house.

Life history and other comments

Flies, like butterflies, have a complex life cycle in which there are several changes of body form from eggs to grubs (or larvae) to pupae (or chrysalises) to adults. After being laid, the eggs may hatch in hot weather in an hour or less. The larvae have no legs and move by wriggling or flicking themselves along. Flies have taste organs on their feet, witch allows them to taste potential food as soon as they land. Adult flies have a pair of claws and a hairy pad on each leg. The hairy pad, when suitably moistened by secretions, enables the fly to cling to smooth or vertical surfaces. (This pad is not a suction cap.) The hairy legs of flies are ideal carriers of bacteria. Flies are among the most efficient flying insects. The house-flies wing muscles make up more than ten per cent of the weight of the body, and allows them to travel several kilometres a day. The membranous wings of flies are strengthened by veins through which air blood and fluids pass. The spots that flies leave on walls, light bulbs and lampshades are regurgitated stomach contents. Flies also regurgitate on food, but it is usually eaten with the spots unnoticed.

                       Where to obtain professional advice

                       CHRISTCHURCH PEST CONTROL LTD

                       Melvyn or Kevin Gilbert. Phone. (03) 3841636 (NEW ZEALAND)