Different Species of Flies and their Habitats

By: John Sern Click author's name for more of his/her articles

Flies come in 30,000 different species depending on their physical features, where they live or how they live, what they feed on and how harmful they can be. The most common are, house flies and animal flies.

Animal flies/domestic flies

These are commonly found in areas that domestic animals such as cattle, dog, horse and many more are kept. They lay their eggs in places like, stores where hay and grass is kept or where the animals sleep. These male and female flies mainly feed on blood. They have long, sharp proboscis which they use to pierce the animal skin and suck the blood. These flies bite very painfully and the adult ones get to live for only 20 days.

House flies

They breed in decaying matter and mostly in dirty places. They are easily seen in air flying from place to place. They feed on liquid food or feaces and are small in size and do not bite. They live for a period of 15- 30 days and are known for carrying bacteria that causes dysentry and cholera.

Blow flies

They live in decaying matter. The female blow flies lay eggs on decaying remains of a dead animal. They are blue and green in colour with white heads. They feed on sugary food or plants. They transmit bacteria that can cause dysentery or cholera.

Drain flies

Their body and wings is covered with a lot of hair and are black or brown in colour. They are commonly found around areas surround with water or rotting vegetation. The female lay eggs in draining water. Drain flies do not bite but can transmit bacteria. They live for a period of two weeks.

Fruit flies

They are small in size and have red bright eyes but are yellow in body colour. They breed in fruits that are too ripe or in vegetation that is decomposing. They also like breeding in fruit juices or beer. They carry bacteria that contaminate food. They also like breeding in dump areas and are attracted by lights.

Cluster flies

They are close in appearance to house flies only that they are big in size and have a yellow colour on the thorax. The females lay eggs in cracked soils and the adults feed on nectar from flowers; they are also attracted to lights and fly slowly at first.

Midge flies

They are too big in size and are at times mistaken as mosquitoes. They have thin, long legs and wings. Midges breed in water and also lay eggs on water. They are known of getting into peoples eyes, mouth or ears. Like drain and fruit flies they are also attracted to lights.

Black flies

They are too small in size and black to grey in colour. They bite hard and the area that one has been bitten swells for some few days. They are known to fly at a very high distance from where they live. It is believed that black flies can fly for 2 and a half kilometers.

Chigger flies

They breed in forests, and feed on human beings, and animals. Unlike other flies that fly most of the time, chigger flies crawl. They can crawl for a long time before they can start feeding on its prey. It releases some liquid that can make one scratch his skin after some hours.

Article Source: ABC Article Directory

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