To describe flies, we can see that flies have only one pair of wings. Most of flies are small, with soft body and 2 big eyes covering in front of their head. Grey flies are around 6mm long, appearing inside or near houses, which are called house flies.
Flies mostly live at garbage dumps, dead animals or feces. Fly larvae also live there.
Most popular flies in pest control are described as follows:
Blow fly
Characteristic: Depending on species, green like metal, blue or black
Length: 10 – 15 m
Residence: mostly at garbage dump and on dead animals
Food: meat, dead animal, animal feces, rotten vegetables and fruits
Damage: being vector of diseases, causing nuisance
Remark: larvae grow in decomposed meat or animal feces and mainly on dead animals
Cluster fly
Characteristic: dark grey or black, yellow hair on belly
Length: 10 mm
Residence: in flowers in warm weather, appearing inside the house in autumn, spring, especially on attics and wall chinks. They reside in dirty wall, blanket and clothes
Food: larvae parasitize on earthworms
Remark: flying unsteadily inside the house
Face fly
Characteristic: like house flies
Length: 6 mm (may be a little bit longer than house flies)
Food: Adult flies eat substances secreted from livestock’s eyes and noses. Larvae eat cow pat
Damage: causing nuisance to pets
Remark: Face fly is a great problem in North America
House fly
Characteristic: dark grey, 4 dark stripes after head
Length: 6 mm
Food: in courtyard or house
Residence: any human or animal food
Damage: being vector of diseases, causing nuisance
Remark: larvae grow in most of decomposed organic matters
Moth fly or Drain fly
Characteristic: light brown or brown, hair covering body and wings
Length: 2.5 mm
Residence: mud, organic matters and rotten vegetables
Damage: causing nuisance
Remark: larvae grow in humid organic matters
Life cycle
Flies spend 4 stages: egg, maggot (larva), pupa and adult fly.
Depending on temperature and environment, it takes 3 – 5 days for eggs to become adult flies.
Adult flies live around 1-2 months and up to 3 months in favorable conditions.