The Holt County sentinel. (Oregon, Mo.) 1883-1980, 1915-06-18
The House Fly.

The house fly was formerly regarded
simply as . pest, especially to bald.
headed men. Within recent years We
have realized that the house fly Is a
scavenger by nature and that Its hab-
its OF life lead 1t to feed on all sorts
OF materials which may be infected
with the germs OF various diseases.
IL has been proved by experiments
that 1t feeds on the sputum from PEG.
pie suffering from consumption and
can then carry these germs for long.
er or shorter time In Its intestinal
tract and on Its feet. Tie same thing
has been proved for several other dis.
eases and especially troubles Of the
intestinal tract, such as diarrhea.
dysentery, and typhoid fever. So
strong is the proof regarding these
diseases that Doctor Howard has pro.
posed that the name be changed from
house fly" and II now be called the
typhoid fly."
The foot OF the fly Is covered with
hairs and ends In a claw ideally con.
structed to carry germs and filth. Its
lips and parts about the mouth are
also most repulsive to look at when
magnitied, and they, too, are well
constructed for carrying dirt. Proofs
OF the dangerous quality Of the house
fly and It's part In carrying diseases
could he multiplied, but they are be.
yond controversy at the present day
and IL will he more u,eful to study the
ny's breeding habits than to 10 fur.
ther into:examples Of It's pernicious
activities.
Asa rule, two kinds Of flies are
found about the house. These are
the ordinary house ily and the stable
fly. The latter Is slightly smaller and
as a rule indistinguishable by one who
has no, made special study OF this
insect. However, II II not necessary
to distinguish them as the stable fly
has also fallen under suspicion as q
carrier Of disease.
The house fly lays eggs which are
shaped somewhat like slender grains
Of wheat. They are much smaller
however, being only from % TO .oj OF
an inch In length and .0l OF an inch
In thickness. They are deposited In
masses which usually contain on the
average 40 eggs. In ordinary wealth.
er they hatch In t~enty.four hours,
producing a maggot, which Is .01 OF
an inch In length, tapering At one
end and blunt at the other. These
grow rapidly and become from quar-,
ter OF an inch TO one.half inch In
length. They change their skin.
three times within i've to seven days
After the third change Of skin, OF
melting, as II Is called, the maggol
goes into q resting stage. called Q
PupA, which II . small brown objec,
rounded at the ends. This stage last
from live to seven days, when the per
feet NY emerges from It.. The mum
Der OF broods which q fly may produce
varies from eight TO fourteen u sea
son, according TO the latitude, wealth
or, etc. Heat and moisture are requi
site. In twelve generations the pro
geny OF q single female fly will b,
more than Ii,O67,7oa ,Ooo, zoo, 900, pro
vided, they all live.
Theiiy prefers fresh horse manure fol
the laying OF It's eggs, but II horse ma
nure cannot be found, then nth OF al
most any sort, such as COW manure
human excrement, decaying yegeta
bles or meats, garbage, or even soilet
and moist rags and paper.
Various methods have been pro
posed TO rid us OF this pest. The slo
gan OF swat the Fly" has gone ovel
the country. Fly papers, some stick,
and some poisonous, and various sort,
OF fly poisons are sold In enormou,
quantities by our drug stores, All oI
these have their uses and no doubt
produce some diminution In the a.,
crop, but the only rational way snG
sure way Is to prevent breeding. How
shall this be doneY
THE FIRST REQUISITE IL 10 CLEAN
VI. DO NOT ALLOW HORSE MANURE
STABLE MANURE, OR FILTH or AN,
SORT To STAND AROUND THE YARD
OR STABLES. Keep oil outhouses II
clean and sanitary condition. Keel
the garbage can clean and covered 81
ways. Horse manure should he tskeT
out Of the stables at least twice I
week and either thoroughly dried o.
thoroughly buried. II spread In THU
layers, where II becomes dry rapidly
the eggs cannot hatch nor the may
gots mature. II the manure canno
be dried, IT MUST BE STORED. Thu
means that closely covered fly proc
bin should be provided for II. Such
bin, made OF wooden plsnks, can b
const ructed In Q few hours. For TAX