
Community identification
House Fly
Musca domestica
- Order & Family
- Order: Diptera, Family: Muscidae
- Size
- Typically 6 to 7 mm (0.24 to 0.28 in) in length
Natural Habitat
Worldwide distribution, almost always found in association with human activity, including homes, farms, and food processing facilities.
Diet & Feeding
Liquid or semi-liquid food, including decaying organic matter, feces, and human food leftovers.
Behavior Patterns
Diurnal (active during the day), known for their rapid flight and ability to walk on vertical and inverted surfaces. They undergo complete metamorphosis (egg, larva, pupa, adult).
Risks & Benefits
Significant risk as carriers of numerous pathogens including salmonella, cholera, and typhoid fever; they provide ecological benefits as decomposers and a food source for other animals.