Lesser house fly

Lesser housefly ♂ ( Fannia canicularis )

The lesser housefly ( Fannia canicularis ) is a fly from the family of Fanniidae.

Description

The slim fly reaches a length of four to six millimeters. The head of the male is taken almost entirely from the weißumrandeten eyes, in the females, however, not come across each other 's eyes. The brown- gray thorax has in the male three black longitudinal stripes, with the females, this drawing is much less clear.

The abdomen is dark brown two to four translucent yellow and end up at the base of the segments. The dark trapezoidal patches of males in the females hardly recognizable, the halteres appear yellowish.

Development

The females lay hundreds, a total of up to 2,000 eggs. The eggs that have lobe-shaped attachments are stored in a very damp, decaying substances, for example, wet droppings, dog droppings, cow dung, liquid manure, sewage pits, kitchen waste such as rotten potatoes or beets, silage and compost, as well as organic waste bins, garbage dumps, cheese, bacon and dried fish. The larvae hatch within 24 to 48 hours. The light brown, flat, up to six millimeters long maggots carry on any body ring on the sides and on the back a couple with Dörnchen occupied filamentous appendages. These projections, which are to be found in the dolls that enable them to locomotion in liquid substances. Through its appendage the maggots and the dolls can be immediately distinguished from the smooth maggots and pupae of the Great housefly (Musca domestica).

The larval development is seven to ten days, the pupae phase four to six days. The total development time of the Lesser housefly runs depending on the temperature within 24 to 30 days. Hibernation takes place in the larval or pupal stage.

Behavior

The flies probably the most widely distributed species have a life expectancy of two to three weeks. In Central Europe may arise per year, about seven generations. They often stay in feces and vertebrate corpses and suck on it. Because of their commuting between feces and food, the species is a potential disease carriers.

From May to October, the lesser housefly frequently in buildings and conspicuous here by their peculiar, silent scenic flight in the middle of the room, with her, circling from the ceiling hanging objects, especially lamps. They changed abruptly the direction of flight. This is a patrol flight, with the monitor, the males their territory and, where appropriate, to attack intruders. During short breaks and during the night sit the flies on these objects, leaving there little fecal stains. Outdoors there are usually trees that serve the flies for its flock dances.