The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-06-27
HABITS OF TIE HOUSE FLY,
Harold Somers, NJ. a.. Tells Whence he
Comes, Whisbcr He Goes.

ueStlHu) IS Il cEpatNic o. SuSll SSSiENi'S
habits. that although from the very
earliest times he has been with us, ana
the most ancient writers have men-
toned and described him, still very
little was known Of his origin ana
history.
1t remained for tie eminent Boston
biologist, DR.. a. s. Packard. in 1915,
to make known his origin, habits and
transformations from the egg through
the larva state with its two changes
to the pupa state, then to the perfect
fly.
Near the first of August the female
lays about 100 eggs Of 4 dull gray
color. selecting fresh horse manure i'll
which to deposit her eggs, and so Sc
cretes them that they are rarely seen;
it takes only tweiity-four hours Tor
them to hatch into tie first form or
larva. 4 white worm one-quarter OF
an inch in length and one-tenth in dl-
ameter. They feed OIL the decayinS
matter of their environment, and two
changes or casting Of skins occur be-
fore they turn into the pupa state; this
change comes very suddenly. The en-
lire period from tie egg to the pupa
state is from three to four days. II
moist food is wanting when III TINS
condition they will eat each other ana
thus decrease their number. Heat ana
humidity greatly assist their develop
ment, as upon careful computation
each pound of manure around stables
and outhouses develops under tavora-
bic conditions over one thousand lilies
1t is no wonder that where these con-
ditions exist. We have such a veritabIe
harvest of the fly pest.
In the pupa state when the fly is
about to emerge. tie end of the pupa
case splits off, making q hole through
which the fly pushes portion OF It's
head; but here it seems to encounter q
difficulty; the pupa case is too stift ana
hard to pass through. but nature comes
to its assistance. and Il sort of bladder
like substance forms behind the head.
which swells out apparently filled with
air; it acts rs means of pushing away
the pupa case and releases the fly.
When the fly first emerSes it runs
around with its wings soft, small and
baggy; it is pale and the colors are
not set; its head rapidly expands ana
the bladder formation passes away
within few hours the wings grow and
harden, it is now perfect fly.
The whole time from the depositinG
of the egg to the perfect fly is not over
ten days in duration. Many persons
who observe small flies in midsummer
suppose they are the young, but such
is not the case. they are flies that are
imperfectly nourished in the larvae
and pupae 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 tile
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
beetle. whose pupa, the dreaded bur.
falo moth" will attack the young
fly in the pupa case and eating 1t pos.
sess the case for itself
Adult flies, like most other creatures,
have parasites of minute size that prey
upon them; these can often be seen as
presenting small red specks over the
body Of the fly.
another enemy in the form of a fun'
gus often attacks the fly in the early
autumn. This makes its appearance
as white swelling and the white
spores of the disease can be seen pcne'
trating the'body of the fly, which ii
finally distends and ruptures.
The fly hibernates in winter but with
his usual secretive habit. it is very dlf'
ficult to find him in his winter quar-
ters. With the first chill of autumn
the flies feeling the cold, seek tenn.
porary warmth in houses. and cluster
ing together form lunches in the cor
ners Of walls and other places. Inc!
are then sluggish and not so active rs
in the warm weather. However, they
do not make q permanent stay indoors.
but on the first mild. sunny day, seek
the windows to get out and find their
permanent winter hiding place; manT
prefer to make their homes in the roots
of grass OH lawns where they hide
themselves so effectually that the ice
and SNOW of winter does not destroy
them in their hibernating state. II i'll
the first warm days Of spring when the
snow is gone ard the grass on tie
lawns becomes dry and warm. long be-
fore the yellow dandelion shows us
head. q close observer may see nun.
bers of flies crawling up OH the grass
to get the welcome sunshine. their
wings standing out stiff and useless;
but they soon acquire the power or
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 Wis
itors.
In recent years, the medical profess
sion have demonstrated that While the
fly itself does not propagate disease. it
is one of the most industrious carriers
of disease germs which by contact adj
here to his feet. hairy legs and body.
distributing them to innocent victims.
If every house-keeper could know all
these interesting facts Which have
never before been brought to tEelr at
tention. they would realize the I'M
portance Of securing tie very best ty
nytprmin1 for