Face Flies
The face fly is an overwintering fly, found inside during the cool months, usually in roof voids with Cluster Flies where they get warmth from the sun. During the warmer months they are a serious pest to cattle where they transmit eye diseases. Swarms of these flies will be found on the faces of cattle, hence their name. The face fly has a striking resemblance to the house fly.
- Fly Species
- autumn house flies
- Family: Muscidae
- Genus: Musca
- Species: M. autumnalis
- Locations
- United States North of the 33rd parallel (the border between Arkansas and Louisiana).
- Southern Canada, Europe, Central Asia, North India, Pakistan, China, and some parts of North Africa.
- Was introduced in North America around the 1940s.
- Size
- Identify
- Nearly identical to the house fly.
- Has four distinct stripes on the top front of the thorax.
- Distinguishing involves looking at the calypteres.
- These are flat appendages that cover the halteres found just behind the wings.
- Halteres are knobbed structures that aid in flight stability.
- The clypteres of a face fly has a tuft of hairs where they attach to the thorax.
- Life Cycle
- The entire life cycle requires about 2 weeks.
- After the eggs hatch, three larval stages called "instars" take 3-10 days before they pupate.
- Breeding
- Fresh manure is the primary breeding ground.
- Typically less than 15 minutes old.
- Feeding
- Adult flies feed on animal secretions, nectar and moist manure.
- They eat blood as well, but do not bite to obtain it.
- The protein found on eye and nasal secretions of cattle is the preferred meal.
- They feed in the daytime and rest on buildings, fence posts, or vegetation at night.
- Congregation
- Generally around cattle farms or buildings nearby as you can easily find 20 or more grouped on cattle's faces.
- Like the cluster fly, the face fly seeks warmth during the cooler months and enter buildings.
- They huddle up in groups inside attics, wall voids, and sometimes found harboring the same voids as cluster flies.
- Health Importance
- No health concerns with humans, but annoying pest to cattle.
- Transmits eyeworms and pinkeye to cattle and horses.
- Heavy infestations can cause cattle to stop feeding and try to flee the annoying flies. This decreases grazing time, and increases stress reducing animal and milk production.
- How to Kill / Control
- To get rid of face flies:
- Use Fly Traps, Fly Zappers, and Fly Sprays to kill adult flies
- View our Fly Control page for extended information on these methods.
- Extra Info
- Female face flies are the real nuisance. Males spend most of their time perched on vegetation, awaiting mates.
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