The Enemy of Man that Lives with Him - Houseflies

The housefly (Musca domestica) belongs to the Cyclorrhapha suborder of flies is an insect which to this day has always had a commensal relationship with man, a relationship which will easily become parasitic at most points.

THE ORIGIN OF FLIES

The housefly It is thought to have originated in the Middle East (somewhere around Egypt, Mesopotamia, Asia minor, and Iran) during the Cenozoic Age (about 66 million years ago), and has since spread around the world as a commensal of humans. It is the most frequent fly found in residences. Adults have a single pair of wings, four dark longitudinal lines on the thorax, and a slightly hairy body. The slightly larger female has red eyes that are positioned farther apart.

THE DISTRIBUTION OF FLIES

The housefly is arguably the most widely distributed insect on the planet; it is closely related with man and has traveled with them over the world. It can be found in both the Arctic and the tropics, where it is plentiful. It is found in Europe, Asia, Africa, Australasia, and the Americas in all populated areas.

FLIES IN NUISANCE AND DISEASES

Houseflies are a nuisance, bothering people at home and at work, but they are primarily detested because of their proclivity for contaminating food. They rotate between reproducing and feeding in filthy environments and feeding on human foods, softening the meal with saliva and depositing their feces, posing a health risk. Houseflies can fly hundreds of kilometers from their breeding grounds, bringing with them a vast range of microorganisms on their hairs, mouthparts, bodily excretions, and faeces.

FLIES IN WARFARE

Under the direction of Shir Ishii, the Japanese developed entomological warfare techniques throughout WWII. The Japanese army invented the Yagi bombs that had two compartments, one containing houseflies and the other with a bacteria mixture that covered the houseflies before they were released. The bacterium of choice was Vibrio cholerae, which causes cholera. The use of these bombs resulted in illnesses that killed 60,000 people in the early stages and a total of 210,000 people thereafter.

FINAL WORDS

The housefly may look innocent and tiny, but whatever you can do to keep it away, please do! You are not hurting a specie, you are saving humanity!