Flies and Gnats Brochure (Printable)
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to develop eggs, and are attracted to exposed mucus in Another important step in fly management is to exclude the eyes, nose, mouth and even open wounds. Their them from the premises. Keep doors, windows and vents Who Should You Contact labium (lower lip) contains a spine that can introduce closed as much as practical, screen and seal around Coachella Valley Mosquito and pathogenic organisms which spread diseases known as these and other fly entry points. Automatic door closing Vector Control District What you “pink eye” ( conjunctivitis). devices and air curtain that blow air away from doorways 43-420 Trader Place can be installed to supplement an integrated fly manage- Indio, CA 92201 Adults are about 1/16 inch in length, shiny black to a dull ment program. (760) 342-8287 or (888) 343-9399 gray color with yellow or orange markings on the legs. should know In addition to swatting, mechanical controls include trap- Two population peaks are in late spring and in late sum- ping with sticky fly paper or ultraviolet light traps. The use mer or early fall. Daily activity peaks occur at sunrise and The Coachella Valley Mosquito and Vector Control Dis- of pesticides is usually NOT the best means of managing about sunset during hot, dry weather, although eye gnat activity trict provides a limited fly and eye gnat control program fly populations. may occur in deep shade or on cloudy days. At night they known as “trapping out.” Thousands of traps with an rest at ground level or low shrubbery. Ideal temperature For eye gnats, removing decaying weeds, leaf litter, and egg based attractant are placed in golf courses and ag- for activity is 90F to 100F degrees, preferring higher tem- grass clippings, or drying organic matter and compost ricultural areas. peratures as humidity rises. Their activities decrease and piles before cultivation, will help prevent eye gnats from Call the District at (760) 342-8287, visit online at www. reproduction ceases below 70 degrees. laying eggs in sandy, organic and moist soil. cvmvcd.org, or visit their office located at 43-420 Trader Flies and Eye Gnats Breeding haBits • Dry and wrap organic waste before placing it in the Place, Indio, from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. garbage can. Eggs are deposited by the female in all types of damp, sandy soil such as date gardens and citrus groves, crop • Seal garbage cans with tight fitting lids fields, golf courses and flower beds. Each eye gnat may • Remove garbage at least 2 times per week lay 32 to 42 eggs. In summer months, total development from egg to adult may take from 14 to 21 days. • Clean garbage containers and dumpsters with hot water frequently Larvae develop from 10 to 15 days in hot summer and feed on decaying organic matter. Pupation occurs in the • Keep garbage cans as far away from doors as pos- upper two inches of soil and takes 6 to 9 days. The pupa sible. remains inactive while the adult develops within. Adults • Keep exposed food covered require sugar and water from plants; females seek muco- • Remove or compost grass clippings at two-week in- sal proteins to continue the life cycle. tervals How to Prevent and Control Flies • Cover compost with tarp or thin out to dry and Eye Gnats • Pick up and dispose of pet waste daily Sanitation is still the best method of controlling filth flies in • Screen windows and doors and around the home. Eliminating fly breeding sites is • Use indoor fly traps or sticky tape to control flies -in Coachella Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District usually sufficient to eliminate and prevent fly infestation. doors 43-420 Trader Place Locate and thoroughly clean garbage areas, animal drop- Indio, CA 92201 pings or vegetation residues. (760) 342-8287 * (888) 343-9399 www.cvmvcd.org Introduction cially the maggots of various species. ic material including: animal or poultry manure, ferment- may increase. ing vegetation, and garbage. The whitish eggs, laid in Flies and eye gnats are among California’s most preva- During short breaks and in the night hours, the flies sit (Musca domestica) clusters of 75 – 100, hatch within 24 hours into tiny larvae lent nuisance pests, and are important to control because House Fly on lamps or on walls and leave there small excrement or maggots (soft, cream-colored and worm-like). marks. of their potential to spread disease to humans and ani- One of the most common insects In 4 to 6 days the larvae migrate to drier portions of the mals. worldwide, house flies can become Breeding haBits breeding medium and pupate. The pupa stage may vary The presence of a single pair of wings distinguishes true pests in every setting: homes, barns, in length, but in warm weather can be about 3 days. Eggs may be deposited in decaying vegetable and ani- flies from other insects with “fly” in their name, such as farms, food processing plants, food When the adult emerges from the pupae, the wings are mal matter including: compost piles, grass clippings, mayflies, dragonflies, damselflies, stoneflies, whiteflies, establishments and recreation areas. folded in tight pads. For about an hour, the housefly damp feed pallets, fertilizer, and food residue in garbage and many more. Their tremendous breeding potential crawls about rapidly while the wings unfold and the body cans and may hatch in two days. can, during warmer months, produce House flies and other types of “filth flies” often feed and dries and hardens. Mating occurs immediately. a generation in less than two weeks. lay eggs on garbage, manure and carrion before con- Blow Fly (Calliphoridae spp.) House flies are usually scavengers with a four stage life taminating human foods and food preparation surfaces Blow flies get their name because cycle of egg, larvae (maggot), pupa, and adult stage. by landing on them. House flies are mechanical vectors the larvae develop inside the bod- Their life cycle can take 6 to 10 days with an average life known to carry diseases such as: typhoid fever, tubercu- ies of dead animals, causing the span of 30 days. losis, anthrax, cholera, diarrhea, and dysentery. carrion to have a bloated appear- Eye gnats, prevalent in dry climates, have been a per- Adult house flies are dull gray in color with reddish brown ance. The adult is about 1/2 inch sistent problem to the Coachella Valley since agriculture eyes. They have two membranous wings and four dark in length with shiny metallic green- was introduced. Primarily, they are a nuisance pest, and stripes down the middle section of their body (thorax). bronze abdomen and thorax. They do not bite. Eye gnats can act as mechanical vectors and Females are usually larger than males. Flies are inactive have been called “bottle flies” because their shiny blue spread infectious diseases to humans such as conjunc- at temperatures below 45F degrees and usually die at and green colors resemble colored glass bottles, though Little House Fly (Fannia canicluliaris) tivitis, commonly called “pink eye”, and yaws (a bacte- temperatures below 32F degrees. Optimum activity oc- some species are shiny black or bronze. Large numbers rial infection affecting skin, bones and joints). They have curs between 80F and 90F degrees with humidity around Lesser house fly or little house fly is of these flies indoors, usually indicates the presence of a been linked with the spread of bovine mastitis in North 40 percent. somewhat smaller (3.5–6 millimetres dead animal such as a mouse or bird inside the structure. or 0.14–0.24 inch) than the common However, blow flies are strong fliers and can range many America. House flies have sponge like mouthparts. When feed- housefly. Blackish-gray with three in- miles from breeding places. ing, they regurgitate their stomach contents onto food to Flies and Mankind distinct black dorsal longitudinal stripes; liquefy it before ingesting it. In addition, they may con- Breeding haBits sides of the thorax are a lighter color; Many species of flies have affect- taminate food and surfaces by defecating on them. Light legs are black; head is gray with black Eggs are laid in dead animal carcasses, decomposing ed humans and their welfare for colored spots called fly specks are visible signs of feed- frontal stripes and gray sides. At rest they hold their wings meat and fish, garbage and sometimes animal excre- thousands of years. Some flies ing; dark fly specks are fecal spots. over the back, creating a narrow V-shape to the wing out- ment. Their life cycle can range from 9 to 21 days. suck blood, others are scaven- House flies are generally abundant in the immediate vi- line. gers. Many mechanically trans- cinity of their breeding site, but can become widely dis- Eye Gnat (Hippelates collusor) mit diseases, some are pests Adults hover in protected places such as breezeways, tributed by flying, or being carried on wind currents, ve- of cultivated plants, some live at the expenses of other porches and open garages. Their life cycle may vary hicles and animals. Adult eye gnats are non-biting insects, insects or animals, while others aid in the pollination of from 3 weeks to 2 months. In southern California, the but their persistent buzzing around the Breeding haBits plants. They are reared in large numbers in Japan to little house fly may be present up to June, decreasing head and eyes classifies them as a nui- serve as pollinators of sunflowers in greenhouses, espe- House fly eggs are laid in almost any type of warm organ- from July through September until fall when populations sance.