High-rise houses normally are cleaned only once or twice a year. While house flies are only a minor direct annoyance to livestock, their potential for transmission of diseases and causing a public nuisance are of major concern. Stable flies are vicious biters commonly associated with dairy and equine operations. Male and female stable flies feed several times each day, ingesting one or two drops of blood at each meal. When not feeding, adult flies rest in the shade on posts, trees, and buildings.
Breeding takes place in wet straw, spilled feeds, silage, and decaying vegetation.
The stable fly's life cycle is longer than that of the house fly, requiring about 3 weeks to complete under optimal conditions. Eggs hatch in 1 to 3 days, and the maggots feed for 11 to 30 days before reaching maturity, depending on the weather. When fully grown, they pupate and within 6 to 20 days, emerge as adults which live for 20 to 30 days. Each female lays 200 to 400 eggs during her lifetime. Stable flies have two primary generations per season, peaking in early July and again in early September.