Evening journal., 1909-05-19
PLAN WAR ON
THE HOUSE FLY
State EntOmOIOeist, in BulIe-
tin, Tells How TO Exter-
inmate Pests
MANY DISEASES ARE
DISTRIBUTED BY FLY

THE House Fly Pest" is the title of
an interesting bulletin issued to-day hy
Professor c. Q. HOughton, entomologist
TO the Agricultural Experiment Station
in connection with Delaware College at
Newark In the course of his paper
Professor Houghton says:
This ever-present pest is too well
known to need description. It's meth
ods of reproduction and the means by
which II can be controlled. however,
are not so generally known. and viii
be briefly discussed in this article.
Life History.
The eggs Of the house fly are usually
deposited upon horse manure. These
eggs hatch within few hours-always
within a day under proper conditions.
The young, or larvae, C'maggoto' as
they are commonly called become fun
grown in about five days. At the end
of this period the adults emerge and
the females soon begin 10 lay eggs for
another generation. AS the number OF
eggs that may be laid by a single fe-
male is about 125, and the life-cyclc
covers period Of only about ten days.
the number of descendants from an
over-wintering female may. at the end
OF the year, be enormous. For cN-
ample, Prof. Bruner has estimated it
at 1882, 500 OO0, ,OO0,0 600
Preventves.
Where horse manure in small uuanti-
/ tics only has to be dealt with. a simple
and inexpensive method is 10 treat 1t
I with kerosene or chloride OF lime Elk
/ periments conducted by DIR. l.. o. How
ard. chief of the bureau of entomology.
/ L. $. Department of Agriculture. show
ed that practically all maggots were
killed by treating a peck OF manure
with either a pound of chloride of lime
I or pint OF kerosene. The chloride of
lime was well mixed with the manure.
while the kerosene was sprinkled upon
II and then washed down with double
its amount OF water.
At livery stables. or where a con-
sinderable number Of horses are kept,
a good method of procedure is as fol-
lows: A closet or compartment should
be built in a corner of the stable. into
which the manure should be placed
when the stables are cleaned. This
compartment should have two tightly
fitting doors. one opening into Il from
the stable and the other on the outside
of the building. through which the
manure can be removed at intervals. II
is also well 10 have an outside window,
tightly screened. When The manure
! is placed in this closet each day. il
should receive light sprinkling with
chloride of lime. which may be kept IN
I a barrel in the corner. At intervals a
ten days or two weeks the contents Of
the compartment should be removed 20
the fields. n chloride of lime is not
used. the manure should be removed
once a week. This simple practice viii
prevent the emergence of any flies IN
the closet, as at least ten days are re-
quired for their development.
A Note Of Warning.
Aside from the annoyance which fliel
occasion, there is a distinct element o.
danger in their presence in our houses
and elsewhere. II is now well know
that the house fly is an important fac
tor in the distribution of the typhoid
baccillus.-so important. in fact. tha
DR.. Howard now proposes the name
s'typhoid fly" instead Of house fly. II
this name were generally adopted II
would. no doubt, do much good II
awakening the general public 10 th,
great importance Of combating these
pests. or. at least, excluding them from
our buildings.
Not only typhoid fever, but other
intestinal diseases as well are. in large
measure, distributed by this insect. Fol
example, there is little doubt that hun
dreds of children die every summer
from summer dysentery which is com
municated to them by the house fly
There is also little question that thu
bacilli causing tuberculosis and many
other important diseases are often car
ried by this filthy insect.