New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-08-14

Up to within a comparatively recent period
very liti!e has been known about the ite, ms
tory and habits Of the houseay and its rear rci-
atives. Professor L. O. Howard, the t'"V'rh-
ment entomologist. has been investigating tnr
subject FOR some time past. and ne he''ar.l ",e
several species of flies arc commonly lob''" !"
dwellings. Most frequent among them, oi cpurs''
is the notorious Musca domestica, grayl-n n.y.
with proboscis expanded at the tip for sHckihs
I'D LIQUID substances 1t breeds in manure ana
fifth. and is found in nearly all parts OF 'ne
world This insect cannot bite havin; 40
mouth parts for this purpose. yet no mp ",l'h
is stronger in the minds OF most peopie INA"
that 1t does bite occasionally. Inc IaS9 isoe'''t
is due to the frequent occurrence IN o'Flnn|9 81
the stablc-ny which resembles the hous"ilS SO
closely as to deceive any one but an eit"l"p.,
gis.. Unlike the houseiy. 1t has noath-i"t'S
formed for piercing the skin. -
n.y." is a frequent vistant of houses par'icu-
larry in spring and fall 1t Is somewhat 10,
than the housefly. with sprinkllng or yei,""lsh
hairs and is less active than the Musca t!oInes-
tca. Occasionally it occurs in dwellings, III H"cn
numbers as to cause great annoyance. IL "a
very subject to the attacks of a funGous DISEASE
which causes it to die on the window-pahes en-
veloped in a whitish veil. fourth species 10
the so-caed huebotte hy-Otherwise known as
the blow fly. or meat n.y. wnch pTeeuS III ucN''
ing animal substances
Still another species. smaller than any OF those
so far mentioned. is sometimes caiIeh the sl'itn
houseny. 1t is distinguished from the ofd.lary
hOuscfy by its palcr and more pointed p'uy'
This species is largely responsible Tor Inc pIcN'.-
lent notion that flies grow after attaining ,..,r
WinEeu lo''''. W. 20 10 l,rger Nes The
truth of course is that the house ~. on leaV-
ing the ruparium as a fuN-hedged insect i'hs
already attained It's full size. Yet another sp-
cles' r''n s',.''ic . Sih Lroods in dust under
- d ia, wy, is - White very slender all
c"' y. ~. ~ ,,i H.. ,r,t -
"''H' '"'
IN THE SotIh
4, or, ,.oas f,,-,her South housenies become
- ,,r7aro,,s and moro troublesome. The
III c .n,,ora,,nne matched in n year be-
''.I'' a,, - -. ,ha ccason grows longer. and
.u . - -, c,i,n,to tho development q he
/ ,a r - ,,cra rand II has been ascer:aincH
-. 49, . Ia h,. tho female ny in fresh
.I'"a ,,,.ro ttyertv four hours 10 hatch
n ,,.., r,i,s ,,sCoo,s tfter five to seven
DC tbaso !arvap 20 into the pupa state. from
witch thov emerge az perfect flies five to seven
H., to..r IN ,,rndl;cr a generation Of flies
49, rr ro,,ires only two weeks or as little
W. .', -, -. ',,d.r favorable circumstances
.,.,o ,rte,ee,inc expe rinents in the artiii oial
rearing Of housefics were made recently by Pro-
fss'- Howard and his assistant entomCiogst
r., ,b.,r eurIrise IL was found that the insect ia
,or'. har5 49, roar in confinement Buzzing about
/ ev.rvwher. and apoarenily living with ease un-
de- adverse conditions il is nevertheless. when
. confined in the warm season To n small r",tl-
tarie NOT AT all tenacious Of LIE. Owing 10 TINS
90, !, hae bran impossible 70 ascertain the
Inch - life OF n ny
The experiments pro"cd that horse manure Is
,b, favored breed place Of the housely.
Thnuph eggs were laid upon cow manure ny
m. female insects in confinement the lar'e
did not mature The househy can rarely be IN
duced 10 lay its eggs upon anything but morse
manure and COW manure. and It's preference lur
,h. for,r.r il worry marked But. though II VIII
~, r-iv ,nop ilodisturhed horse manure. it
,riu mo, No so il the substance is spread out.
Ctser.atious show that there is abundance nl
INN. for the development If twelve or thirteen
,en,ra,.ons Of nies in a climate Ike that OF