Flies

Flies belong to the order Diptera and are one of the main disease vectors in urban and industrial environments. The most relevant species in Mexico include the house fly (Musca domestica), the fruit fly (Drosophila spp.), and the green bottle fly (Lucilia sericata). Their short life cycle allows explosive populations under favorable conditions.

Identification

• Size: From 2 to 12 mm depending on the species.
• Color: Dark gray (house fly), yellow-brown (fruit fly), or metallic green.
• Eyes: Large compound eyes covering much of the head.
• Wings: One pair of functional wings and one pair reduced to halteres.
• Cycle: From egg to adult in 7-10 days. A female lays up to 900 eggs in her lifetime.
• Habitat: Near decomposing organic matter, garbage, animal excrement, and exposed food.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do flies rub their legs? They clean their sensory receptors (taste papillae and olfactory receptors on their legs) to better detect food.

Do flies bite? The house fly does not bite, but the stable fly (Stomoxys calcitrans) does. Both can transmit diseases.

Hazards

Flies carry over 100 pathogens including bacteria that cause diarrhea, dysentery, cholera, typhoid fever, and conjunctivitis. They contaminate food by regurgitating digestive juices onto it before feeding. In the food industry, their presence causes non-conformities in health audits.

Control and Prevention

• Waste management: Sealed containers, frequent cleaning of garbage areas.
• Physical barriers: Window screens, air curtains at entrances, and automatic closing doors.
• UV light traps: Insect light traps or UV adhesive traps at strategic points.
• Sanitation: Drain cleaning and elimination of breeding sites.
• Professional control: Comprehensive program with monitoring, traps, and targeted applications by certified technicians.