Usually gray, with four
black stripes on their backs;
less than 1/4-inch.
Habitat
As their name implies, house flies
are the most common
type found in homes. They lay their eggs in almost any warm, moist
material that
will supply suitable food for the larvae. House flies excrete and
regurgitate
whenever they come to rest. This habit, combined with their many body
hairs and
the sticky pads on their legs, makes them well adapted for transporting
disease
organisms.
Diet
Wide variety of food,
including human food, animal
food and carcasses, garbage and excrement.
Insect
control: house flies
To minimize problems with flies,
eliminate their breeding sites by throwing away trash in plastic bags.
Let
trash cans dry out, and keep them as far from your home as possible.
Regularly
pick up pet waste. For commercial establishments, professional cleaning
of
dumpsters and nearby areas may be necessary.
Equip
all doors and windows with tight-fitting screens, and apply
weatherstripping to
the edges of all doors and windows; flies can squeeze through amazingly
small
cracks.
