DOCSLIB.ORG

Cluster Flies and Other “Winter Flies” Fact Sheet No

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Cluster Flies and Other “Winter Flies” Fact Sheet No Cluster Flies and other “Winter Flies” Fact Sheet No. No. 5.618 Insect Series|Home & Garden W. Cranshaw1 During the cool months some insects There are some other kinds of flies Quick Facts have the habit of moving into buildings that will be found indoors and these are • Cluster flies frequently use as a temporary winter shelter. Common reviewed in Fact Sheet 5.502 Flies in the buildings for winter shelter examples of such cool season "nuisance in- Home. Among these are some other "win- and can be the most common vaders" are boxelder bugs, western conifer- ter flies" that use homes for winter shelter, seed bug, and elm leaf beetles. Cluster flies particularly the “blue bottle flies” (Calliphora fly found indoors during the (Pollenia species) are the most common of species) and the black blow fly (Phormia cool season. the flies that often use buildings as a tem- regina). The habits of these differ in some • Cluster flies develop by porary shelter through winter. important ways from those of cluster flies feeding on earthworms. and are discussed below. Cluster flies tend to be particularly com- • Cluster flies found in buildings mon in higher elevation communities, but are in a dormant state and Life History and Habits of problems with cluster flies within buildings cannot reproduce indoors. can occur statewide. Most often they are a Cluster Flies problem where there are nearby areas of ir- • Sealing buildings by prior to rigated turfgrass, near streams or rivers, and Cluster flies are not a type of "filth fly" when cluster flies enter in late other sites where soils are moist. that develops in carrion, decaying plant summer can limit nuisance matter or garbage. Instead the young stag- indoor problems the flies in Cluster flies are dull grayish-brown flies es are predators of other small animals and winter and early spring. about 3/8-1/2-inch long, slightly larger than most, if not all, cluster flies in North America • Other flies that will use a house fly. They may be noticed within feed on certain earthworms (e.g., Apor- buildings from early autumn through rodectodea rosea, Allobophora chlorotica). buildings for winter shelter spring and sometimes occur in large num- Although these earthworms are introduced include blue bottle flies and bers. When active the flies are in a semi- European species, not native to Colorado, the black blow fly. dormant state and fly lazily and somewhat these are now widely found in irrigated erratically. More often cluster flies are noted lawns and pastures and along waterways. when they are dead or dying, typically around windows. Three species of cluster flies are com- mon in Colorado: Pollenia pediculata, P. angustigena, and P. rudis. All are slightly similar in size and are a dull grayish-brown but many have irregular light patches on the abdomen. A feature that can be used to distinguish cluster flies from some similar flies (e.g., blue bottle flies, black blow fly) is the presence of golden, tangled hairs on the thorax (the region of the body that includes the wings and legs). The adult flies feed on water and other available liquids, such as nectar. ©Colorado State University Extension. 5/18. Fig. 1. Cluster fly Active cluster flies can be found out- extension.colostate.edu doors from early spring through much 1Whitney Cranshaw is an Extension Specialist and of autumn. They are most often present Professor of entomology at Colorado State University. on turfgrass and other sites where earth- 5/18. worms are present. Female flies will lay moving through available openings, their eggs in soil crevices and when the such as in cavities behind walls and egg hatches the tiny larva (maggot) that areas provided above a suspended emerges will migrate into the soil seeking ceiling. an earthworm. When they locate a host earthworm, the larva of the cluster fly For the cool season months, be- will penetrate the body and feed within ginning in early autumn, cluster flies the earthworm, ultimately killing it. The remain in a dormant state, moving developing larvae become full-grown in little if at all, usually clustered together. about 2 to 3 weeks, then pupate in the During this time cluster flies cease soil. Adults subsequently emerge to pro- reproduction, slow down their metabo- duce a second generation, repeating the lism, and are in a dormant (diapause) cycle. As many as four generations may period that allows them to survive be completed during the growing season. through spring. They will remain in this Fig. 2. Mass of dead cluster flies on an attic floor inactive state for many months, but will to eliminate points where insects may Cluster flies shift their behavior as stir a bit during warm, sunny periods. enter. Particular attention should be day length shortens in late summer. At this time some of the dormant flies given to sealing sites on sun-exposed Adults cease reproduction and instead may incidentally wander into the living sides (south, west) and upper areas seek dry, sheltered areas suitable for areas, producing nuisance problems. survival through winter. Buildings pro- of the building where cluster flies are most likely to enter. vide many cluster flies the crevices and Normally, few of the cluster flies that cavities that make good overwintering spend winter in buildings end their life Chemical Exclusion. sites. by dying indoors. The great majority that spend winter within cavities of a The value of insecticides to man- Beginning as early as mid-August building ultimately move outdoors in age cluster fly problems is limited and and extending into early October, early spring, repeating their normal life involves two primary uses. Residual cluster flies increasingly can be seen cycle. insecticides can be applied as sprays resting on sun-warmed (south, west) targeted to cracks/crevices on the walls of buildings. If there are any building exterior in late summer. This entry points - cracks around window Management of Cluster application could kill some flies before or soffits, incompletely sealed ven- Flies in Buildings they move behind walls or cause them tilation openings, unsealed areas of to die shortly afterwards. This use of building siding - cluster flies will enter. Physical Exclusion. insecticides is effective as a supple- Upon entry into the building cluster ment to (not a substitution for) the pri- The fundamental step to prevent flies then find sheltered areas in wall mary management focus of sealing en- problems with cluster flies is to effectively voids or attics where they may aggre- try points used by cluster flies. Various seal building openings in a way that gate in loose clusters. (Lending them pyrethroid insecticides – containing blocks all entry points used by cluster the name “cluster fly”). Areas where active ingredients such as permethrin, flies. In the absence of a means that seals cluster flies particularly concentrate are bifenthrin, lambda-cyhalothrin, cyflu- out these insects, it is not possible to con- on the upper stories of buildings and thrin – are used for these treatments. trol cluster fly problems within buildings. “attic fly” is another common name Both over-the-counter and commer- All other methods used to control cluster applied to these winter visitors of build- cial formulations exist for all of these flies supplement this approach. ings. Once within a building cluster insecticides. However, for control of cluster flies all insecticides should be flies can spread throughout a building, Buildings must be sealed prior to only be used as targeted applications when cluster flies move into wall voids to cracks and crevices, such as around and attic areas. Cluster flies begin to the outside of windows or openings in move into buildings for winter shelter in soffits. late August, and most move in dur- ing September. Potential entry points Drying Dusts Applied behind Walls. should be sealed by mid-August and certainly no later than Labor Day. The second type of insecticide applica- When sealing buildings, all cracks tion is the use of a desiccant/drying dust and crevices around windows, un- type of insecticide that is injected into screened ventilation sites around areas (voids) behind walls and other sites eaves, and other exterior openings that where cluster flies aggregate. This can kill cluster flies (and some other insects) Fig. 3.Cluster fly sunning on a south wall on allow flies access to interior areas of late October buildings must be sealed with caulk- that have managed to find their way into ing (and/or silicone) or other methods a building, which prevents their later movement into living areas. However, any dead flies that remain behind walls Larval Control Outdoors. may later attract the attention of rodents, dermestid beetles and other scavengers. Young stages of cluster flies devel- op in soil, feeding on their earthworm Two types of desiccant dusts are hosts. It is sometimes suggested marketed, diatomaceous earth (DE) whether insecticides applied to lawns and silica aerogel (SA), both of which at this time will reduce later problems are types of silicon dioxide (the pri- with adult flies in buildings. It will not. mary constituent of sand). However, This type of insecticide use has never these drying dusts have a specific been shown to kill developing cluster physical structure, either produced flies. Also, the adult flies seeking winter as the fossilized remnants of hard cell shelter can fly long distances and the walls produced by diatoms (DE), or flies present in a building may have as a synthesized structure that is very originated at sites several hundreds of Fig. 4. Black blow fly light and highly absorptive (SA). In yards distant. powder forms these can be applied as dusts that on contact can disrupt the protective wax layer on the surface of Other Winter Flies insects, causing them to die by drying out (desiccation).
Load more

Recommended publications
  • The Blowflies of California
    BULLETIN OF THE CALIFORNIA INSECT SURVEY VOLUME 4,NO. 1 THE BLOWFLIES OF CALIFORNIA (Diptera: Calliphoridae) BY MAURICE T. JAMES (Department of Zo'dlogy, State College of Washington, Pullman) UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA PRESS BERKELEY AND LOS ANGELES 1955 BULLETIN OF THE CALIFORNIA INSECT SURVEY Editors: E. G. Linsley, S. B. Freeborn, R. L. Usinger Volume 4, No. 1, pp. 1-34, plates 1-2, 1 figure in text Submitted by Editors, January 13, 1955 Issued October 28, 1955 Price, 50 cents UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA PRESS BERKELEY AND LOS ANGELES CALIFORNIA CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS LONDON. ENGLAND PRINTED BY OFFSET IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA THE BLOWFLIES OF CALIFORNIA (Diptera: Calliphoridae) by Maurice T. James Identification of the blowflies of North America Blowflies are important from a medical and has been made much easier and more secure in veterinary standpoint. Some are obligatory or recent years by the publication of the monograph facultative parasites on man or on domestic or of that family by Hall (1948). However, there other useful animals. In our area, the primary exists ti0 regional treatment that covers any screwworm, Callitroga hominivorax (Coquerel), definite part of the United States. Hall's mono- 'is the only obligatory parasite that invades graph gives only general information about the living tissue, although larvae of Pmtocalliphora, geographical distribution of most of the species. represented in the Califdrnia fauna by seven These considerations, together with the fact that known species, feed on the blood of nesting Hall had obviously examined an insufficient birds, often with fatal results. Of the facultative amount of material from the western states, parasites, Callitroga macellaria (Fabricius), makes a review of the California species partic- Phaenicia sericata (Meigen), and Phormia regina ularly desirable.
    [Show full text]
  • Diptera: Calliphoridae)
    Systematic Entomology (1987) 12, 475-502 The taxonomy of th e Polleniø rudis species'group in the Holarctic Region (Diptera: Calliphoridae) KNUT ROGNES HavØrnbrautene 7a,Madla, Norway ABSTRACT. A rudis species-group is defined withrn Pollenia Robineau- Desvoidy, and new characters found useful in the taxonomy of this genus are presented . P.rudis (Fabricius) , P.angustigena Wainwright, stat.rev. and P.pseudorudis Rognes are redescribed . P.hungarica sP.tr., p.longithecasp.n. and P.luteovillosasp.n. are described as new to science. A key is provided, and the terminalia of both sexes are illustrated for all the species. Some features of the puparia are figured for the species where these are known. A neotype is designated for Musca rudis, and a lectotype for P. angustigena. P.angustigena, P.pseudorudis and P.rudi§ are Holarc- tic species, and the latter two have also been found in New Zealand. The remaining species are confined to the western Palaearctic . P.hungarica rs known from central Europe, including southern parts of Scandinavia, p.longitheca from the eastern Mediterranestr, and P.luteovillosa from Algeria and Morocco in North Africa. In the larval stages P.rudis-group members are parasites of or predators on earthworms. The species have several generations each year, and normally overwinter as adults . Eisenia rosea (Savigny) serves as a host for P.hungarica, P.pseudorudis and p.rudis according to the reared material available. A previous detailed account of the immature stages and life-cycle of 'rudis' from North America is tentatively assigned to pseudorudis. Keitin's (1909,7915) often cited accounts of the immature stages and life-cycle of a species called 'rudis' are rejected as a source of information for any member of the rudis group.
    [Show full text]
  • A Guide to Biology, Dispersal, and Management of the House Fly and Related Flies for Farmers, Municipalities, and Public Health Offi Cials 3
    The Fly Management Handbook A Guide to Biology, Dispersal, Connecticut and Management of the House Agricultural Fly and Related Flies for Experiment Farmers, Municipalities, and Station, Public Health Offi cials New Haven Bulletin 1013 KIRBY C. STAFFORD III, PH.D. Vice Director, State Entomologist May 2008 The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station New Haven, CT 06504 GENERAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Thanks are given to Joyce Meader, Connecticut Cooperative Extension Service, Dr. Bruce Sherman, Connecticut Department of Agriculture, Patricia M. Beckenhaupt, Director of Health of the Northeast District Department of Health, and Dr. Louis A. Magnarelli, The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (CAES), for reviewing the handbook. Their comments and suggestions were sincerely appreciated. I extend a particular thank you to James Rock (emeritus), Connecticut Cooperative Extension Service, for his considerable input and support. Thanks are also extended to Rose Bonito (CAES) for scanning illustrations and pictures and Vickie Bomba-Lewandoski (CAES) for publication and printing assistance. Much of the material on cluster flies is from a CAES fact sheet by Gale E. Ridge (available on the CAES website, www.ct.gov/caes). Thank you, Gale. Several portions on poultry IPM are based on Special Circular 338, Poultry Pest Management for Pennsylvania and the Northeast (1986), by Kirby C. Stafford III and Clarence A. Collison. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FOR FIGURES Most sources for the pictures and illustrations are noted in the figure captions. Requests for use of photographs and illustrations by the author or CAES may be directed to the author. Permission to use any other material must be obtained from the original source. The historical 1916 illustration of the unsanitary conditions in the introduction is from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Public Health Image Library (8264); the stable fly and green-bottle fly in Figure 6 and 8, respectively, are from United States Department of Agriculture Farmer’s Bulletin 1408.
    [Show full text]
  • The Ecology of Pollenia Rudis and It's Host Earthworms
    1'RE fi_COLOGY OF POLLE'NI4. RUOIS AtJD IT'S HOS'f" EAR'fH\ICJRl"iS ... ' "Vlords fail to describe their general depravity; it is beyond expression. If you wish to be happy. be sure you don't introduce cluster flies into your family." Dall; 1882. THE ECOLOGY OF POLLENIA RUDIS (DIPTERA:CALLIPHORIDAE) AND ITS HOST EARTHWORMS (LUMBRICIDAE), WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO THE HOST-PARASITE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN P. RUDIS AND EISENIA ROSEA by ALAN JOHN THOMSON, B.Sc. A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for• the degree Doctor of Philosophy McMaster University May 1972 DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (1972) McMASTER UNIVERSITY (Biology) Hamilton, Ontario TITLE: The ecology of Pollenia rudis (Diptera:Calliphoridae) and its host earthworms (Lumbricidae), with special reference to the host-parasite relationship between P. rudis and Eisenia rosea. AUTHOR: Alan John Thomson, B.Sc. (Glasgow University, Scotland) SUPERVISOR: Professor D. M. Davies NUMBER OF PAGES: (vii) 170 SCOPE AND CONTENTS: The distribution of Eisenia rosea, the main host of P. rudis, is influenced mainly by soil moisture and bulk density. Cluster-fly larvae locate hosts by random locomotion through the soil pores, whereupon penetration is induced by a substance present in the worm slime. Penetration occurs mainly on the upper surface of the worm, with fewer penetrations occurring towards either end of the worm. Several species of earthworm, including some which do not normally act as hosts, were infected in the laboratory. The encystment, surface casting, burrowing and autotomising behaviour of E. rosea varies with soil moisture and bulk density.
    [Show full text]
  • Newsletter Alaska Entomological Society
    Newsletter of the Alaska Entomological Society Volume 8, Issue 1, March 2015 In this issue: Moths land on Murkowski’s desk—Senate Resolu- tion 70 . .8 Two new Lepidoptera host plant relationships . .9 First record of a cluster fly (Calliphoridae: Pollenia) The DNA barcoding UAMU Project: Testing the in Alaska . .1 insect identification power of DNA barcoding What is a specimen? What should we count and technology . 14 report when managing an entomology collection?3 Review of the eighth annual meeting . 18 First record of a cluster fly (Calliphoridae: Pollenia) in Alaska by Matt Bowser1 most abundant and conspicuous insects in the vicinity of the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge’s headquarters build- ing south of Soldotna. Adam Jewiss-Gaines (Brock Univer- sity, St. Catharines, Ontario) identified a specimen as Pol- lenia vagabunda (Meigen, 1826). Thirty-five specimens were collected in the Soldotna area 11th of February to the 17th of March, where they were found in spider webs, in build- ings, on snow, and sunning on any warm aspect in the after- noons. To the best of my knowledge, this is the first report of a cluster fly from Alaska. Cluster flies are native to the Old World, but have be- come established across much of North America. Until re- cently, all cluster flies collected from the Nearctic were con- sidered to be one species, Pollenia rudis (Fabricius), but now six species are recognized from North America (Whitworth, 2006; Jewiss-Gaines et al., 2012). Pollenia vagabunda was first collected in North America in 1958 and is now distributed from the East Coast to southern British Columbia (see dis- tribution map of Jewiss-Gaines et al., 2012).
    [Show full text]
  • Test Key to British Blowflies (Calliphoridae) And
    Draft key to British Calliphoridae and Rhinophoridae Steven Falk 2016 BRITISH BLOWFLIES (CALLIPHORIDAE) AND WOODLOUSE FLIES (RHINOPHORIDAE) DRAFT KEY March 2016 Steven Falk Feedback to [email protected] 1 Draft key to British Calliphoridae and Rhinophoridae Steven Falk 2016 PREFACE This informal publication attempts to update the resources currently available for identifying the families Calliphoridae and Rhinophoridae. Prior to this, British dipterists have struggled because unless you have a copy of the Fauna Ent. Scand. volume for blowflies (Rognes, 1991), you will have been largely reliant on Van Emden's 1954 RES Handbook, which does not include all the British species (notably the common Pollenia pediculata), has very outdated nomenclature, and very outdated classification - with several calliphorids and tachinids placed within the Rhinophoridae and Eurychaeta palpalis placed in the Sarcophagidae. As well as updating keys, I have also taken the opportunity to produce new species accounts which summarise what I know of each species and act as an invitation and challenge to others to update, correct or clarify what I have written. As a result of my recent experience of producing an attractive and fairly user-friendly new guide to British bees, I have tried to replicate that approach here, incorporating lots of photos and clear, conveniently positioned diagrams. Presentation of identification literature can have a big impact on the popularity of an insect group and the accuracy of the records that result. Calliphorids and rhinophorids are fascinating flies, sometimes of considerable economic and medicinal value and deserve to be well recorded. What is more, many gaps still remain in our knowledge.
    [Show full text]
  • The Mysterious Life of the Vagabond Cluster Fly by Matt Bowser
    Refuge Notebook • Vol. 17, No. 49 • December 4, 2015 The mysterious life of the vagabond cluster fly by Matt Bowser A male cluster fly suns on the siding of the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge headquarters building, March 23,2015 (http://bit.ly/1IFhfuB). Last February through March as our snow melted first North American record of this species on theEast away, some of early spring’s most precocious inverte- Coast in 1958, it has spread west to British Columbia brates pranced in the sunshine, warming themselves and now southcentral Alaska. on south-facing wood siding of the Kenai National Cluster flies get their name from their habit of Wildlife Refuge’s headquarters building. Intermin- gathering in dense aggregations in and on man-made gling among the usual metallic green and blue flesh structures from late fall to early spring, where they flies that typically awake in the early spring were can be a serious nuisance simply because there are so many large, dark flies having a golden wooliness. many of them. Pest control techs can do a brisk busi- These were cluster flies (genus Pollenia), a kind of fly ness in response to sometimes remarkable numbers of that had not previously been found in Alaska (article: flies reminiscent of the Biblical plagues. Now youcan http://bit.ly/1Q1iPyA). even buy Cluster Buster™ traps specifically designed Worldwide, there are 196 species of cluster flies ac- to trap and kill these flies. cording to the Catalogue of Life, all of them native to Thankfully, cluster flies really are no more thana the Old World.
    [Show full text]
  • Flies of Illinois
    )OLHVRI,OOLQRLV86$ $QJHOOD0RRUHKRXVH,OOLQRLV1DWXUH3UHVHUYHV&RPPLVVLRQ 3KRWRV$QJHOOD0RRUHKRXVH DQJHOODPRRUHKRXVH#LOOLQRLVJRY 3URGXFHG$QJHOOD0RRUHKRXVHDQG$OLFLD'LD])LHOG0XVHXP,GHQWLILFDWLRQDVVLVWDQFHSURYLGHG -RKQ$VFKHU-RKQDQG-DQH%DODEDQ.HOVH\-53%\HUV 5RE&DQQLQJV-RKQ)&DUU&KULV&RKHQ%HQ&RXOWHU(YHQ'DQNRZLF]%LOO'HDQ0DUWLQ+DXVHU5RVV+LOO -RKQ.O\PNR6SHQFHU3RWH+HUVKHO5DQH\$UWXUR6DQWRV.DWMD6FKXO]$DURQ6FKXVWHII/LDP:ROIIand .HQ:ROJHPXWK (bugguide.net; inaturalist.org) Please note: (—) = Unknown species and genus due to photographic limitations, * = Name of subfamily. )LHOG0XVHXP &&%<1&/LFHQVHGZRUNVDUHIUHHWRXVHVKDUHUHPL[ZLWKDWWULEXWLRQEXWGRHVQRWSHUPLWFRPPHUFLDOXVHRIWKHRULJLQDOZRUN 1HPDWRFHUD&UDQH)OLHV0LGJHV0RVTXLWRHVDQG%ODFN)OLHV >ILHOGJXLGHVILHOGPXVHXPRUJ@>@ versiRn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
    [Show full text]
  • Distribution of Cluster Fly Species (Pollenia Spp, Diptera: Calliphoridae) ………
    DISTRIBUTION OF CLUSTER FLY SPECIES (POLLENIA SPP, DIPTERA: CALLIPHORIDAE) ACROSS CANADA INCLUDING RANGE EXTENSIONS AND FIRST PROVINCIAL RECORDS A Thesis Submitted to the Committee on Graduate Studies in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Degree of Master of Science in the Faculty of Arts and Science TRENT UNIVERSITY Peterborough, Ontario, Canada © Copyright by Bshayer A. Samkari 2018 Environmental & Life Sciences M.Sc. Graduate Program September 2018 Abstract Distribution of Cluster Fly Species (Pollenia, spp. Diptera: Calliphoridae) Across Canada Including Range Extensions and First Provincial Records Bshayer A. Samkari This thesis looks at the genus Pollenia: historically where they were first introduced into Canada and spatially, where they are found now. This project involved me identifying 2211 files, sorted from the 3 years of field specimens obtained in 2011, 2012, 2013. P. pediculata was the most abundant and widespread, yielding 1272 specimens out of 2211, and it was found in all provinces sampled. The previous understanding of all Pollenia specimens as being P. rudis appears to be incorrect both in terms of actual number of species – which is known – and how prevalent it is. P. rudis comprised only 20% of the entire collection. The least common was P. griseotomentosa, occurring as 45 of 2211, or 2%. I found new eight first provincial records: four species in Alberta (P. angustigena, P. labialis, P. rudis, P. vagabunda) , one species for Saskatchewan (P. pediculata), two for New Brunswick (P. griseotomentosa, P. labialis), and one for Nova Scotia (P. labialis). P. labialis was new to three provinces, the other species to one province each.
    [Show full text]
  • Fly Times Issue 64
    FLY TIMES ISSUE 64, Spring, 2020 Stephen D. Gaimari, editor Plant Pest Diagnostics Branch California Department of Food & Agriculture 3294 Meadowview Road Sacramento, California 95832, USA Tel: (916) 738-6671 FAX: (916) 262-1190 Email: [email protected] Welcome to the latest issue of Fly Times! This issue is brought to you during the Covid-19 pandemic, with many of you likely cooped up at home, with insect collections worldwide closed for business! Perhaps for this reason this issue is pretty heavy, not just with articles but with images. There were many submissions to the Flies are Amazing! section and the Dipterists Lairs! I hope you enjoy them! Just to touch on an error I made in the Fall issue’s introduction… In outlining the change to “Spring” and “Fall” issues, instead of April and October issues, I said “But rest assured, I WILL NOT produce Fall issues after 20 December! Nor Spring issues after 20 March!” But of course I meant no Spring issues after 20 June! Instead of hitting the end of spring, I used the beginning. Oh well… Thank you to everyone for sending in such interesting articles! I encourage all of you to consider contributing articles that may be of interest to the Diptera community, or for larger manuscripts, the Fly Times Supplement series. Fly Times offers a great forum to report on research activities, to make specimen requests, to report interesting observations about flies or new and improved methods, to advertise opportunities for dipterists, to report on or announce meetings relevant to the community, etc., with all the digital images you wish to provide.
    [Show full text]
  • Jqotes on Tbe Diptera of Somerset
    jQotes on tbe Diptera of Somerset Part III. 1 BY H. J. CHARBOMIER. HIS present portion of the list deals with the Tachini- dae, Muscidae and Anthomyidae. The Tachinidae are a large and very difficult group of medium to very large flies, covered with numerous spines and mostly grey, brown, or black insects only one species hairs ; ; is of a brilliant green, i.e. Gymnochaeta viridis. In the larval stage they are, as far as known, parasitic in the bodies of other insects ; often in the larvae of lepidoptera, sometimes on the early stages of hymen op tera ; sometimes on beetle larvae, and one genus, Onesia, has been discovered by M. D. Keilin to be parasitic in earthworms. The Muscidae form a small group, containing many well known flies, such as the Blue-bottle, and House-fly and the brilliant green fly Lucilia sericata, whose larva is the dreaded Sheep-maggot, which sometimes does much damage in this and other European countries, and has unfortunately been introduced into Australia. Several of these flies sting both men and cattle. Most of the larvae live in decaying vegetable .and animal matter ; some are carnivorous, devouring other fly larvae, and one species has been proved by M. D. Keilin to be para- sitic in earthworms, i.e. that of Pollenia rudis. 1. Part I was printed in the Proceedings, Vol. LXI, 189-204 ; Part II in Vol. LXIII, 162-170. Notes on the Diptera of Somerset. 87 The Anthomyidae are a very numerous group, and some of the species are very difficult to determine ; they are mostly small to medium grey flies, and although they do not sting they are a great pest by worrying merl and cattle.
    [Show full text]
  • Indiana 4-H Entomology Insect Flash Cards
    PURDUE EXTENSION ID-411 Indiana 4-H Entomology Insect Flash Cards Flash cards can be an effective tool to Concentrate follow-up study efforts on help students learn to identify insects the cards that each learner had the most and insect facts. Use the following pages problems with (the “uncertain” and to make flash cards by cutting the “don't know” piles). Make this into horizontal lines, gluing one side, then a game to see who can get the largest folding each in half. It can be “know” pile on the first go-through. especially effective to have a peer educator (student showing the cards who The insects included in these flash cards can see the answers) count to five for are all found in Indiana and used each card. If the learner gets it right, it in the Indiana 4-H/FFA Entomology goes in a "know" pile; if it takes a little Career Development Event. longer, put the card in an "uncertain" pile; and if the learner doesn't know, put the card in a "don't know" pile. Authors: Tim Gibb, Natalie Carroll Editor: Becky Goetz Designer: Jessica Seiler Graduate Student Assistant: Terri Hoctor Common Name – Order Name 1. Alfalfa weevil - Coleoptera 76. Japanese beetle - Coleoptera All Insects 2. American cockroach - Dictyoptera 77. June beetle - Coleoptera 3. Angoumois grain moth - Lepidoptera 78. Katydid - Orthoptera 4. Annual cicada - Homoptera 79. Lace bug - Hemiptera Pictured 5. Antlion - Neuroptera 80. Lady beetle - Coleoptera 6. Aphid - Homoptera 81. Locust leafminer - Coleoptera 7. Apple maggot fly - Diptera 82. Longhorned beetle - Coleoptera 8.
    [Show full text]