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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Flies (Diptera) » Calyptratae » Muscoidea » House Flies and kin (Muscidae) » Muscinae » Muscini » Musca » Face Fly (Musca autumnalis)

Species Musca autumnalis - Face Fly

Classification · Other Common Names · Explanation of Names · Identification · Range · Habitat · Food · Life Cycle · Remarks · Internet References · Works Cited
Tachinid fly - Musca autumnalis Flies mating - Musca autumnalis - male - female Tachinidae ? - Musca autumnalis - female Fly July 4 - Musca autumnalis - male fly - Musca autumnalis Tachinidae - Peleteria - Musca autumnalis Musca autumnalis? - Musca autumnalis - male Fly with orange abdomen - Musca autumnalis
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Diptera (Flies)
No Taxon (Calyptratae)
Superfamily Muscoidea
Family Muscidae (House Flies and kin)
Subfamily Muscinae
Tribe Muscini
Genus Musca
Species autumnalis (Face Fly)
Other Common Names
Autumn House Fly
Explanation of Names
Musca autumnalis De Geer 1776
Identification
similar to the housefly, especially the female, but eyes closer together and body more rounded; male has more orange on abdomen(1)
Range
Eurasia, parts of North Africa; introduced into North America ca. 1940s, now spread from so. Canada and temperate parts of the US
Habitat
larvae in cow dung pats; adults likes to sunbathe on walls and fences(1)
Food
adult females feed on secretions from mucus membranes on cattle & horse faces, and on blood of wounds caused by horse fly & deer fly bites
Life Cycle
usually 12-20 days depending on temperature(1); eggs and larvae develop in fresh (not crusted over) cattle dung; adults often overwinter in homes and other structures near pastures
Remarks
serious pest of cattle and horses; in summer, adults annoy the faces of cattle and horses, where they lap exudation from the eyes, nostrils and mouth
Internet References
Species profile(1)
Works Cited
1.Bennett S.M. () The PiedPiper
Contributed by Beatriz Moisset on 24 December, 2005 - 8:20am
Additional contributions by v belov, Harsi S. Parker
Last updated 20 December, 2012 - 11:51am

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