The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1907-05-30
The Common House Fly.
Whence He Comes and Whittier Hq
Goes.
BY HAROLD soMERs, NJ. A.

BY HAROLD SOMERS, M. a.
The common house fly (Musca Do
mestica) is a creature Of such secre-
tive habits that although from the
very earliest times he has been with
!, us, and the most ancient writer's have
mentioned and described him, still
very little was known OF his origin
and history.
It remained for the eminent Bos-
ton biologist, DR.. A. s. Packard, in
1878, to make known his origin, hab-
its and Transformation 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 40 eggs of a dull gray
! color, selecting fresh horse manure
in which to deposit her eggs, and so
secretes them that they are rarely
seen; 1t takes only twenty-four hours
for them to hatch into the first form
OF larva, a white worm one-quarter
Of an inch in length and one-tenth in
diameter. They feed on the decaying
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 entire period 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 de-
velopment, as upon careful computa-
ton each pound of manure around
stables and outhouses develops I'M
der favorable conditions over 1000
flies. 1t is no wonder that whore
these conditions exist we have such a
veritable harvest OF the fly pest.
In the pupa state when the fly Is
about to emerge the end of the pupa
case splits of, making hole through
which the fly pushes portion Of its
head, but here 1t seems to encounter
a difficulty; the pupa case 4 too
stth and hard to pass through, bat
nature comes to its assistance, and q
sort OF bladder like substance feras
behind the head, which sva2ls oxt
apparently filled with air; it asAs as
means Of pushing away tbs Dana easo
and releases the fly. Wkaa Ne 6y
first emerges it runs arounA with its
wings soft, small and baasD; 1t il
pale and the colors are not set; it's
head rapidly expands and ths bladder
formation passes away-within few
hours the wings grow and harden; it
is now perfect fly
The whole time from the Deposit
ing Of the egg to the perfect Ay 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 neur-
ished in the larvae and pupae states,
and do not attain fun 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 narrow
| er, though in size the female is rath-
| er smaller
Adult flies like most othar Greet
uree have parasites Of minute size
that prey upon them; these can often
be seen Nas presenting snaall red
specks over the body of the fly.
Another enemy in the form OF a
fungus often attacks the ~ In the
early autumn. This makes it's ap-
pearance as white swelling and the
white spores of the disease can be
seen penetrating the body of the Ry,
which 1t finally distends and rup-
| lures.
The fly hibernates in winter, but
! with his usual secretive habit it is
very difficult to find him in hin winter
/ quarters. With the first chill Of au-
tunn the flies, feeling the cold, seek
temporary warmth in houses, and
clustering together fern bunehas in
the corners Of walls and ether places.
They are then sluggish and net so ac-
tive as in the warm weather. How
ever, they do not make permanent
stay indoors. but on the FIRST mild,
sunny day seek the windows to get
out and find their permanent winter
hiding place. Many prefer to make
their homes In the roots of grass On
lawns, where they hide themselves 80
efeectually that the ice and snow of
winter does not destroy them in their
alternating state. If in the first
| warm days Of spring when the snow
is gone and the grass on the lawns
becomes dry and warm, long before
the yellow dandelien shows its head,
a close observer may see numbers 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 fight
! in the warm rays Of the sun. A great
many days, however, elapse before
| they appear In the homes of men.
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 car
riers Of disease germs, which by con-
tact adhere to his feet. hairy legs and
body, distributing them to innocent
victinS.
II every housekeeper could know