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Latin Name: Drosophila repleta
Common Name: Dark-eyed Fruit Fly
Other Names: Drosophila hydei, Drosophila robusta are two other species.
Pest Details
Origin:There are 91 species in what is called the Drosophila repleta “group” in North and South America and they are native to this Hemisphere. Given the sudden and recent appearance of these flies in North America they may be native to Central and South America.
Biology:
These little flies, closely related to vinegar flies or the “red-eyed” fruit flies, began to emerge as an issue around the year 2000, and now are often the dominant small fly pest indoors. There are several species with this name and their larvae will feed in sources of both vinegar flies and phorid flies – very wet areas with a buildup of organic sludge as well as in fermenting fruit and vegetable materials. Any place water can settle and allow buildup of organic matter can provide food resources,
Latin Name: Sciaridae
Common Name: Dark-winged Fungus Gnats
Latin Family Name: Sciaridae
Other Names: Root gnats
Pest Details
Origin:Many species of these tiny flies are native to North America.
Biology:
Fungus gnats get their name due to the food of the larvae, which feed on molds and fungi found in damp locations. They commonly are found in homes due to moisture sources in potted plants, under appliances, in crawl spaces or beneath slabs, in moisture problems within walls, or from damp locations in exterior landscape. In mushroom farms their numbers can be explosive. Some species also feed on the roots of plants, while others may feed within plant tissue as leaf-miners. On occasion the small larvae may migrate from the feeding source in long, snake-like masses, moving to a drier location to pupate. The length of time from egg to adult may be less than 2 weeks, depending on the temperature.
Identification:Latin Name: Chrysops sp.
Common Name: Deer Flies
Latin Family Name: Tabanidae
Other Names: Gad flies, green heads
Pest Details
Origin:A number of species are native to North America.
Biology:
Deer fly females are blood feeders, while the males feed on plant juices. The mouthparts of the female are scissors-like, and they slash open the skin, cause the blood to flow with their saliva, and lap up the blood. These flies are extremely annoying and can be serious threats to the health of livestock or horses when they feed in large numbers. Around people they may swarm to the neck and head areas and the arms, flying around the person noisily until they finally land to feed. In North America they have been incriminated as potential vectors of tularemia and anthrax.
Identification:Deer flies are about twice the size of House flies, and are usually light brown to orange-yellow in color, with striped
Latin Name: Ophyra leucostoma
Common Name: Dump Fly
Other Names: Black garbage fly
Pest Details
Origin:Possibly a native in North America but now found nearly worldwide. In North America they are found in Canada and throughout the U.S., south into Central America.
Biology:
The dump flies include several species in this genus in North America. The adult flies feed on nectar and other liquid materials, but the larvae feed on animal excrement, decaying garbage, and other decaying organic matter. The larvae may also be carnivorous, feeding on the larvae of other insects found in their habitat. They may be found commonly around waste disposal sites and unwashed garbage receptacles. Because of their habit of visiting these kinds of filthy sites the adults may be able to vector pathogens that cause typhoid, polio, dysentery, and food poisoning. The adult flies prefer sunny areas where they often hover and circle about continuously in the
Latin Name: Tipula paludosa
Common Name: European Crane Fly
Other Names: Common European crane fly, Marsh crane fly, Leather jacket (the larva)
Pest Details
Origin:This is a native of Europe that found its way into the Pacific Northwest around 1955. It now is established in Washington, some of northwestern Oregon, and into British Columbia, with a possible presence in northern California.
Biology:
This imported species is somewhat unique for its family, as it is the only crane fly that causes serious damage to plants. Most species restrict their feeding to decaying plant materials, but the ECF feeds on turf, pasture grasses, and even some ornamental plants and vegetables. While it resembles an enormous mosquito the adult is incapable of biting or causing any other harm to humans. Children and adults often refer to them as “mosquito eaters”, but they do not prey on mosquitoes and most crane fly adults do not feed. The adults
Latin Name: Hippelates sp.
Common Name: Eye Gnats
Other Names: Eye flies
Pest Details
Origin:These are native flies in North America and are common throughout the continent.
Biology:
This group is represented by 6 species in North America and they have the potential to pose some serious health problems to animals and humans. The adult flies are drawn to various body fluids of animals, including mucous around the eyes, pus in open sores, blood, and secretions from the anus and other areas of animals. With this habit they easily pick up pathogens that then may be transmitted to the next animal they visit. They are linked to Conjunctivitis as well as a terribly disfiguring disease in some tropical regions called Yaws. The adult flies are persistent and are not easily discouraged by brushing at them, adding to their annoyance on as they continually hover around and land on the face. The larvae develop in decaying
Latin Name: Musca autumnalis
Common Name: Face Fly
Latin Family Name: Muscidae
Other Names: N/A
Pest Details
Origin:A native of Europe and Asia, this fly is now found throughout North America as well.
Biology:
The name Face Fly is given due to its common occurrence around livestock areas and its habit of feeding on the mucus and secretions around the eyes, nose, and mouth of horses and cows. Livestock manure is a very common breeding source for the larvae, along with other situations with decomposing organic material. Apparently the larvae favor only undisturbed droppings, and will not live within material that has been piled, removed, or otherwise changed. The adult flies are one of the species of flies that may choose voids within structures for their over-winter quarters, and gather by the many thousands inside the structure, appearing again in the spring as they exit with the warm weather.
Identification:This
Latin Name: Sarcophaga sp.
Common Name: Flesh Flies
Latin Family Name: Sarcophagidae
Other Names: N/A
Pest Details
Origin:Many species native to North America.
Biology:
The flesh flies are so named because of their common occurrence in meat or carrion, although they also will breed in other sources of decaying organic materials such as piles of vegetation or pet droppings. Prior to modern and proper meat storage practices they were commonly found in meat products. Adults are some of the largest flies, they are very loud, buzzing fliers, and are strongly attracted to light. The eggs hatch within the female, and she then deposits living larvae onto the larval food source. The interval from egg to adult may be anywhere from 8 to 21 days, depending on temperature, humidity, and the nutrition of the larval food.
Identification:Adults can be as large as 14 mm, or well over a half inch long. They are black
Latin Name: Oscinella frit
Common Name: Frit fly
Other Names: N/A
Pest Details
Origin:These may be native insects in North America and they are found in southern Canada, nearly all of the U.S., and south into Mexico. They also may be found in Europe.
Biology:
This tiny fly can be a serious pest problem on grasses, including bent grass greens on golf courses, managed turf, and most seriously on crops such as wheat, rye, barley, and corn. The tiny eggs are laid onto various places on the host plant and the larvae burrow into the stems to feed throughout their life. They pupate within the stem or they may emerge to drop to the soil to pupate, and the winter is passed by the larva in the stem at the base of the plant. Several generations occur each year. Infested plants may wilt and die and the presence of the flies may be noted by large numbers of the tiny, black adult flies on the grass in the morning.
Identification:The
Latin Name: Drosophila melanogaster
Common Name: Fruit Fly
Other Names: Vinegar fly, Pomace fly
Pest Details
Origin:Many species of these flies occur throughout the world. The species Drosophila melanogaster is one of the most common in structures, and is used extensively in laboratory studies of genetic characteristics.
Biology:
Fruit flies can breed in any fermenting organic material, particularly fruit and vegetable juices or damaged fruits and vegetables. They may be drawn to spills of alcohol or soda syrups, to vegetable and fruit displays in markets, and reach an abundance in the late summer and fall in gardens, when fruits and vegetables tend to go unharvested and lay on the ground. Eggs are laid on the food source for the larvae, and hatch within about 1 day. The larval period is less than 1 week and adults emerge from the pupa in only a day or two, with total development time averaging about 8 days.