The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1905-05-31

l
| been with us. and the most ancient
writers have mentioned and described
| him, still very little was known of his
| origin and history
| 1t remained for the eminent Boston
biologist, DIR. 4. $. Packard in 1873 70
| make known its origin, habits and
transformations from the egg through
the larva state with its two changes to
| pupa state, then to the perfect fly.
Near the first of August the female
lays about 100 eggs of dull gray
| co.or, selecting fresh horse manure in
! which to deposit her eggs, and so Sc.
crctes them that they are rarely seen;
it takes only twenty-four hours for
them TO hatch into the first form OF
larva, white worm one-quarter of an
| inch in length and one-tenth in dame
| ter. They feed on the decayng matter
| of their environment, and two changes
| or casting OF skins occur before they
turn into the pupa state; this change
comes very suddenly. The entire per-
| iod from the egg TO the pupa state is
| from three TO four days. II moist food
is wanting when in this condition they
| will eat each other and thus decrease
their number Heat and humidity
greatly assist their development, as
upon careful computation each pound
of manure around stables and out
houses develops under favorable condi-
tons over 1000 flies. 1t is no wonder
that where these conditions exist we
have such veritable harvest of the
fly pest.
In the pupa state when the fly is
about TO emerge, the end of the pupa
case splits off, making a hole through
which the fly pushes a portion of its
head. but here it seems TO encounter a
difficulty; the pupa case is too stiff and
hard to pass through, but nature comes
TO its assistance, and a sort of bladder
like substance forms behind the head.
which swells out apparently filled with
air; 1t acts as a means of pushing
away the pupa case and releases the
fly. When the 6y first emerges it runs
around with its wings soft, small and
baggy; it is pale and the colors are
the bladder formation passes away
within few hours the wings grow
and harden, it is now a perfect fly.
The whole time frori the depositing
of the egg TO the perfect hy is not over
ter days in duration. Many persons
who observe small flies in midsummer
suppose they are the young, but such
is not the case; they are dies that are
imperfectly nouriShed in the larvae
and pupa states, and do not attain
full size, in fact, they are the dwarfs
of their race. The male fly differs
from the female in the front of the
head between the eyes, being at least
one-third narrower, though in size the
female is rather smaller
In the pupa state they are often fed
upon by the larvae of some of the
beetles, notably that of the carpet bee
tie, whose pupa, the dreaded buffalo
moth" will attack the Young fly in
the pupa case and eating it possess the
case for itself.
Adult flies like most other creatures
have parasites of minute size that prey
upon them; these car, often be seen as
presenting small red spccks over the
body of the fly
The fly hibernatCs in winter. but
with his usual secretlyc habit it is very
difficult TO find him in his winter uuar-
tiers. With the frs clill OF autumn
the flies feeling the cold, seek trmpor-
airy warmth in houses, ana clustering
together form buncnyS in The corners
of walls and other places. lhcy are
then sluggish and hot 50 active as in |
the warm weather However. tHry do |
not make Il permanent stay indoors,
but on the first nlil,!, sunny day. seek |
the windows TO get out and tiud their |
permanent winter hiding place; many |
prefer TO make ,hnir homes in the |
roots of grass on lawns where they |
hide themselves so Cffectually that the |
Ice and snow of winter does not de- |
stroy them in their hbernating state. |
If in tue first warm days of spring |
when the snow is gone and the grass |
on the lawns becomes dry and warm, /!
long before the yellow dandelion shows |
its head. n close observer may see mum.
bers Of flies crawling up on the grass
TO get the welcome sunshine. their /
wings standing out stiff and useless.
but they soon acquire the power OF |
flight in the warm rays of the sun. A
great many days, however, elapse be-
fore they appear in the homes of men.
where they are such unwelcome visit
ors
In recent years the medical profess
sion have demOnstr ted that while the
fly itself does not propagate disease it
is one of the most Industrious carriers
of disease germs which by contact ad.
here 10 his feet, hairy legs and body,
distributing them TO innocent victims.
If every housekeCper could know ali
these interesting facts which have
never before been brought TO their at
tention they would realize the impor.
tance of securing the very best fly ey-
teTminator