Flies

Active Seasons

Appearance and Size Facts

Belong to the insect order Diptera, which literally translates to "two wings"
Roughly 17,000 species of flies in North America alone, representing 110 different families
Easily distinguished from other insects because they have only 1 pair of normal wings
Second pair of wings is represented by 2 knobbed organs called halteres
The halteres are thought to be organs which help stabilize the insect while in flight
True flies, such as the house fly, fruit fly, or horse fly, will always have two separate words in their name
Insects that are not true flies have the word "fly" in their name, such as dragonflies, whiteflies, or mayflies
Size: Range from 1/64 to 1 1/2 inches in length

Types of Flies

Drain Fly

Flesh Fly

Fruit Fly

Fungus Gnat

Green Bottle Fly

House Fly

Mosquito

Phorid Fly

Stable Fly

Behavior and Habitat

Flies exhibit complete metamorphosis: egg, larvae (maggot), pupa and adult. The larvae of most species, called maggots, are soft, legless and headless. These maggots live in soil, decaying material, standing water, or as parasites of vertebrates, snails or other insects.

Signs of Infestation

Many flies, such as the house fly and the mosquito, are associated with over 100 pathogens. These pathogens can cause disease in humans and animals, including typhoid fever, cholera, dysentery, hepatitis, polio, tuberculosis, enchephalitis, malaria, Dengue fever, dog heartworm, and West Nile virus.

Tips for Prevention

Sanitation and harborage management are critical parts of controlling these pests.

Latest Pest Control News

Weather and its Impact on Pests

Jul 23, 2019—Insects, Pest Control

We know that weather and seasonal changes affect human behavior and outside activities, so it’s no big surprise that heat and cold, along with dry and wet conditions also affect pest populations. While seasonal changes can be subtle in the South Florida; these changes can send pests looking...