A Review of Alternative Controls for House Flies

Abstract

House flies are the most prevalent synanthropic pest worldwide. Although they seldom reproduce in homes, they invade buildings, cause annoyance, and carry pathogens. Urban pest management personnel are limited in their ability to locate and manage larval habitats, so most house fly management in urban settings focuses on adult fly suppression. Sanitation is probably the most critical component, eliminating odors that attract flies. Source reduction applies where larval habitats can be identified and eliminated. Exclusion involves keeping flies out of structures. Despite all efforts, flies will manage to enter the human environment, so exclusion includes air curtains, fans, screened windows, and doors. Ultraviolet light traps attract and immobilize, while window traps entice flies into devices that entrap them. Sticky tubes and ribbons rely on flies’ inclination to land on vertical lines to entangle them in glue. Even low-tech fly swatters can play significant roles in eliminating individual flies. Timed-release aerosol pyrethrin dispensers can be effective against flies confined in enclosed spaces. Toxic baits have limited use in urban settings. Chemical suppression remains a critical component of fly IPM, essential in situations requiring immediate fly elimination.

Molecular Characterization of 14-3-3 Zeta Gene in Musca domestica (Diptera: Muscidae) and Its Roles in Response to Bacterial Infection

“…However, the protein function in the housefly remains unexplored. In recent years, the housefly has become a good model for investigating insect immunity ( Gao et al 2015 , Andoh et al 2018 , Neupane et al 2020 , Hinkle and Hogsette 2021 ). In this study, the 14-3-3 ζ gene of housefly was identified and characterized.…”

“…Housefly, Musca domestica ( M. domestica ), is chronically exposed to harsh environmental conditions, but seldom exhibits ill effects ( Neupane et al 2019 , 2020 , Hinkle and Hogsette 2021 ). Such observations suggest that the housefly is highly adapted to different pathogens challenges.…”

Insects in water towers: Hibernating flies could compromise microbial drinking water quality

“…Water towers and other environments with food and people are considered as sensitive sites where it is not desirable to control insect pests with chemicals. Fly management strategies in sensitive environments include exclusion, indoor management, sanitation and source reduction (Hinkle and Hogsette, 2021). As mentioned above, diapausing flies do not feed or breed after entering their hibernaculae, but only seek shelter and hide in dark corners as winter proceeds (Trout Fryxell et al, 2021).…”

Synergistic toxicity against housefly Musca domestica of plant essential oils and their major constituents and safety against a non-target pollinator

“…Repellent rate (%R) = [U-T/U + T] ×100, (1) where U is the total number of adults landing on the untreated lter paper, and T is the total number of adults landing on the treated lter paper.…”

“…One of Dipterans' serious global insect vectors is the house y, Musca domestica L. It is a non-biting insect but is a nuisance and a vector of more than one hundred and fty mammalian pathogens, e.g., viruses, bacteria, protozoans, and helminthes 1 . House y adults are a severe problem for dairy and poultry farms because they are a serious nuisance that cause feeding disruption of dairy cows and chickens 2 .…”