 Flies
Flies feed on various organic substances including excrement, and sweet and other foods.
They can reach a length of 7 to 14 mm, and reproduce in dry areas, warm temperatures increase the breeding rate. Flies lay up to 2,000 eggs, mostly in manure, faeces, compost heaps and rubbish tips, but also on protein-rich substances such as meat. The eggs develop into white maggots, which can grow up to 12 mm long.
Their movement between bad meat, excrement and foods is not only unappetising, it also makes flies the transmitters of germs and a source of food contamination. As a result they can transfer infectious diseases such as dysentery, typhoid fever, salmonellosis, and hepatitis.
Flies which do not bite are:- common housefly
- bluebottle
- meat fly
- blowfly
- fruit fly
Flies which bite are:- tsetse fly, carrier of sleeping sickness - only in tropical Africa
- stable fly
- horsefly
Preventive measures and control:- Avoid accumulating rubbish and rotting substances
- Do not leave food or meals uncovered
- Keep kitchens and cooking utensils clean
- Use insecticides (e.g. Flying Insect Spray)
- Insect repellents provide effective protection against biting flies (e. g. horseflies)
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