Flies

There are too many types of flies in the world to mention in this short space, but by far the one that is best known by everyone is the house fly, Musca domestica L. a well known pest of both farm and home. This species is always found in association with humans or activities of humans. It is also the most common fly found on hog and poultry farms, horse stables, and ranches. This fly is not just a nuisance, but is a known transporter of disease causing organisms. Excessive fly populations are very annoying to all of us, not to mention farm workers. When flies are allowed to thrive near human habitations a public health problem is possible.

There are more than 100 pathogens associated with the common house fly. Many are known to cause disease in humans and animals, including typhoid, cholera, bacillary dysentery, tuberculosis, anthrax ophthalmia and infantile diarrhea, as well as parasitic worms. Pathogenic organisms are picked up by flies from garbage, sewage and other sources of filth, and then transferred on their mouthparts and other body parts, through their vomitus, feces and contaminated external body parts to human and animal food.