The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1911-08-03
HEAVY TOLL IS
LEVIED BY FLY
LIVES or $4,000 CHILDREN, 1T is
ESTIMATED, WILL BE TAKEN
BY THE PEST THIS
SUMMER.

II Washington. August S.--A short tim,
ago the aNtional Geographical societ,
II with headquarters at Washington, ID
g, undertook the study Of the ny. IN,
household pest that has been the wor-
~ Of thousands OF housewives over
the entire world. 'rne study was 50
interesting, the features OF the fly 81
peculiar and dangerous that IL was
gone into thoroughly. Warnings We're
sent broadcast ovur the country OF the
danger of the common house fly. Three
thousand dollars were spent by the So
lciety for single enlarged photograph
OF the fly. This Photograph was about
TWO feet square aud showed all the
various parts OF the insect. IL was
made with specially manufactured
camera and was tie work OF many
months. Copies we've made from tho
photograph and used in the many city
newspapers of the country as warnings
OF the danger OF the house fly.
But the above mentor cd society :,
not the only one that has Interested H.
sell IN the determination of the fly.
Washington has also taken up Tn.
matter They have issued warnings In
housewives, telling them of the nv's
disease spreading habits. In this W.
'here has been started a sort of war ON
The insects, probably the most danger
Gus pest we have to contend with.
city authorities in many of the lar
ger cities have also made invcstiga-
tons found where the numerous nios
were originated in dumping grounds.
and had these places abolished Chill
dren' OF course. are the principal vic
inns of the fly. According TO a relia
hIe reckoning. flies will kill $4,000 of
the little ones In this country this
summer. a great majority Of them
VIII be destroyed by what is known ~
summer complaint" OF which disease
by fouling milk and other food SUP
plies, the house fly is almost the ex-
elusive distributing agent
A Study Of the Fly.
"A study of the house nv's rather
anatomy has shown thar the
Insects stomach. which is very large.
Is located near the tail end of its body |
Thus. when II eats, one may see this
part swell visibly. But the organ i'm |
question might more properly he term
ed crop. inasmuch as it is merely "A |
reservoir TO contain the food for n |
while until the animal is ready to at
tend To the business of digesting IL.
Nearly the whole of the rear sop-
ment Of the ny's body. outside of the 7
crop, is occupied by an air cavity so
as to allow the food storage reservoir
to extend. The. so-called brain of |
the insect Is i'm the rear portion of the |
head, but it is not certain that this is
not merely an optic lobe having TO do l
only with visual perceptions. and re- /
ating directly To the large eyes. The
intennae are provided with curious
which may have something to
10 with the sense of hearing respond
ng to vibrations. It is well known II
hat the fly has no apparatus for Bit
ng.
Its proboscis interminates I'm a very
elaborate organ which tastes and feels
ma which incidentally serves the pur-
bose of a strainer, allowing only the
mail particles to PASS through. The
whole affair together with the esopha-
rus, is modified for sucking. Nearly
he whole front of the hy's head Is oc-
upied by two large eyes, each of
which Is I'm reality several thousand
yes in one. 1t is a very wonderful
nd elaborate visual contrivance. and
n view of its size and completely one
5 at loss to understand why the nv
5 able to see so well.
The Buzz of, the Fly.
Many people have perhaps noticed :
hat the common house fly has a voice. II
is buzz Is a different matter. being !
aused by the rapid vibration of the Il
1sects wings. But If one watches n
y on the window pane one will some
ines hear II cry out in very fine
ote of high pitch quite distinguishes
le from any other sound. The same
ote will occasionally be audible 10
ensitive ear when one fly is chasing
mother about the room
AS for the buzz. the wing beats
'hich produce 1t vary in number with
ifferent flies, but commonly run up 10
'ur hundred in a second.
The house fly depends almost entire
for its existence and multiplication
pom the horses. Stables are the prin-
Ipal places of breeding for the insects.
nd these should be carefully looked
ter. The fly can be described as
Try hungry and very thirsty. for IL Is
ways after food or drink. II drinks \