Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1905-01-04
DIFFERENT KINDS OF FLIES.
Several Species Commonly Found in
the House.

! According TO DR. l.. o. Howard,
chief entomologist of the Department
OF Agriculture, there are several spe-
eles of flies which are commonlv
| found in homes although but one Of
| these should 80 called the house fly
proper says the Washington Star.
| This is hIedium-szed grayish fly,
| with its mouth parts and head out at
, the tip for sucking up liquid sub
/ stances. 1t breeds in manure and door
yard filth and is found in nearly all
parts of tie world. On account of the
conformation of its mouth parts the
house fly cannot bite, yet no impress
sion is stronger in the minds of most
people tan that this insect does occa-
sionally bite. This impression is due
10 the frequent occurrence in houses
of another fly. which may be called
the stable fly, and which, while clio, =
ly resembling the house fly-so clos g.
~. in fact, as 10 deceive any one but
ain entomologist-diff from it in the
important particular that its mouth
parts are formed for piercing the skin.
Another species, commonly called the
cluster fly. is a very frequent visitant
of houses, particularly in the spring
and tall. This fly is somewhat larger
than the house fly, with a dark -colored.
smooth abdomen and sprlnkling of
yellowish hairs. Ii is not so active as
the house fly and particularly in the
fail. is very sluggish
The so-called bluebottle fly, also call.
ed the blowfly or meat fly breeds in
decaying animal material. Another
species. about the size of the blue
bottle. which breeds abundantly in
cowdung, and is also found in houses.
although usually in less number than
the others, is also commonly called the
bluebottle or greenbottle fly
II is quite TO be expected that as we
60 farther south the house fly becomes
more numerous and more troublesome.
The number of generations annually
increases as the season becomes long
er, and with the warm climate the de-
velopment of the larvae becomes more
rapid. SO much for brief history of
the fly. Now, how to get rid of the
nuisance.
A careful screening of windows and
doors during the summer months with
the supplementary use of sticky fly pa
prrs. is a preventive measure against
house flies known to every one, and
there seems to be little hope in the
near future of much relief by doing
away with the breeding places.
a single stable in which Il horse is
kept will supply house flies for an ex-
tended neighborhood People living in
agricultural communities will proba-
bly, never be rid of the pest. but in
cities, with better methods of disposal
of garbage and with the lessening Of
the number of horses and horse sta
bles consequent upon electric street
railways. bicycles and horseless car
riages. the time may come, and before
very long, when window screens may
be discarded.
The prompt gathering of horse ma
nure, which may be yariously treated
or kept in a specially prepared receipt
acle. would greatly abate the fly NUS
ance. and city ordinances compelling
horse owners TO follow some such
cours, are desirable Absolute clean
illness. even under existing circum-
! stances, viii always result in a dimi-
mutton of the numbers of the house
| fly, and in fact most household insects
are less attracted to the premises of
what is known as the old-fashioned
housekeeper than to those Of the other
| kind
With the combined efforts of the
persons owning stables in a given com
munity much more effective results
can undoubtedly be gained.
We are accustJme lc think of the
house flies simply as a nuisance, but
| they are undoubtedly the carriers Of
the germs of typhoid fever. The en-
forcement. therefore, of cleanliness in