FACTS ABOUT FLIES

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30587, 2 November 1964, Page 9

FACTS ABOUT FLIES

Here are some facts about houseflies, supplied by Dr. R. A. Harrison, of Lincoln College.

LIFE-SPAN Adults live two or three weeks, longer in cool weather. The female lays her first batch of eggs about four days after emerging from the pupa. The eggs hatch In 26 to 30 hours, and the three larval (maggot) stages last a total of about six days. The pupal stage takes four or five days. FERTILITY

The eggs are laid In clusters of about 150. A female lays usually two or three clusters in her life-time. SMALL FLIES Adult flies do not grow: the growth occurs in the larval stages. Small house-flies are not baby flies: they are either flies which have not been wellfed in the larval stage, or else are of a different species. BREEDING-PLACES

Favourite breeding-places are horse droppings and grass clippings. IN WINTER Flies do not hibernate: there is merely a slowingdown in the life-cycle. A very large number die, but enough survive for a “population explosion” in the spring, if favourable breeding facilities are provided.

TRAVEL House-flies can travel more than a mile in a day and many miles in a life-time, but tend to stay near where they emerge if conditions are attractive.

STRUCTURE Like all insects, flies have six legs. They have two flying wings, and two wing stubs adapted as balancing organs. FEEDING

The fly can only take in liquid food. To eat solid foods, it dissolves them with saliva. It then gulps in the dissolved food and stores it in its crop. From time to time it regurgitates material from the crop, mixes in more saliva, and takes the partlydigested food into its stomach. Some fly “spots” on walls and lamp fittings are circular stains from regurgitated material, others are faecal droppings.