Flies are the name given to numerous representatives of the order Diptera. There are about one hundred and fifty thousand species of them on Earth.
Who is she?
When the phrase "dung fly" the imagination immediately draws a swarm of shiny green insects swarming in the dung. Actually this fly is different. It does not shine, and it does not live in manure.
The dung fly is quite attractive in appearance: its entire body is covered with long thick hairs of yellow or dark gray, so that it looks like a cute furry toy. The size of an adult individual of some species reaches 12-15 mm, that is, it is almost the same as a common housefly. On her head are antennae-antennae, as well as large brown-red eyes.
Where does he live?
Judging by the name, it seems that the dung fly should live in or feed on manure. This is not true. In fact, she lives in a beautiful world of flowers, she can easily be found in the garden among fragrant plants. Like the bee, the dung fly, whose yellow fur is an excellent collector of pollen, is involved in the pollination of flowers. But it also does not feed on nectar or pollen.
The dung beetle is a predator. She attacks other insects and kills them with an instant bite of her powerful jaws. On the paws of the dung beetle there are long spikes, with the help of which it captures and holds the victim. It can also hunt flies of another species, and sometimes the prey is larger than the hunter herself.
Here, for example, is a dung fly, the photo of which was taken at the time of the attack on a housefly (see above).
So why is it called that?
The fact is that the dung fly lays its eggs in the manure of cattle. Undoubtedly, this is the place where the required temperature is maintained for eggs and larvae. After about a day, larvae hatch from the eggs, which, by the way, also do not eat manure, but get the opportunity to hunt the larvae of other insects.
The population has about five hundred species. Therefore, the dung fly larvae may not always display their larvae in manure. Some species develop in plant stems, algae, etc.
The larvae of some species of dung flies lead a "vegetarian" lifestyle - they hatch in the leaves of plants. The fly lays eggs by attaching them to the leaf. After a while, a larva appears that mines the leaves, that is, it gnaws passages inside the leaf. Then it pupates, and after a while a new dung beetle emerges from the pupa.
Do dung beetles live in an apartment?
Since dung beetles are predators, they usually have nothing to eat in the house. Therefore, they are extremely rare to be found in a human dwelling, unless a fly flew into the house purely by accident.
Cattle pens are their habitat only during the mating season, when it is necessary to conceive and breed offspring. At this time, male dung flies flock to fresh manure and wait for females. When they appear, sometimes several gentlemen rush to one lady at once, striving to preserve their own gene pool.
Scientists-entomologists have found that the most preferable for flies is the manure of pigs, as well as the manure of young calves that feed on milk. It stays fresh the longest and maintains the necessary temperature for the life and development of larvae, while horse manure dries rather quickly.
Are dung flies harmful?
The dung fly itself is not a pest for humans. Although she crawls through manure, she rarely flies into housing, therefore she does not have the opportunity to spread pathogenic bacteria. For animals, the insect also does not pose a threat.
But sometimes there are too many flies, and they can start to bother animals, getting into their eyes and ears. That's when farmers have a question about how to reduce the number of annoying insects.
In addition, miner larvae are a serious problem for gardeners, as they damage the leaves of plants by digging tunnels in them for their movement.
Fly control methods
Insecticides containing pyrethrum are best addressed last. The fact is that pyrethrumhighly toxic, precautions such as a respirator and gloves must be observed to work with it, in addition, it is necessary to protect exposed skin. The use of such a product can affect pets, as well as plants, so you must strictly follow the instructions and take into account the proportions.
In this case, the flies will die after the first spraying, but the larvae and eggs have increased endurance, so more than one treatment will be required in any case.
Methods of dealing with dung beetles include:
- removal and destruction of affected leaves;
- growing plants under fly-repellent canvas;
- regular cleaning of livestock pens.
Also, don't forget about fly-killing methods like sticky tape. Velcro hanging in the barn will be able to control the number of insects for some time. An effective way to deal with them can also be laurel oil, which needs to be rubbed on window frames, as well as doorways in the paddock. The smell of bay oil repels dung beetles, as well as many other pests.
