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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/18050-8.txt b/18050-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..50c6485 --- /dev/null +++ b/18050-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1310 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The House Fly and How to Suppress It, by +L. O. Howard and F. C. Bishopp + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The House Fly and How to Suppress It + U. S. Department of Agriculture Farmers' Bulletin No. 1408 + +Author: L. O. Howard and F. C. Bishopp + +Release Date: March 26, 2006 [EBook #18050] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE HOUSE FLY AND HOW TO *** + + + + +Produced by K.D. Thornton and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE + +FARMERS' BULLETIN No. 1408 + +_The_ HOUSE FLY AND HOW TO SUPPRESS IT + +[Illustration: fly] + +[Illustration: USDA seal] + + + + +The presence of flies is an indication of uncleanliness, insanitary +conditions, and improper disposal of substances in which they breed. +They are not only annoying; they are actually dangerous to health, +because they may carry disease germs to exposed foods. + +It is therefore important to know where and how they breed, and to apply +such knowledge in combating them. This bulletin gives information on +this subject. Besides giving directions for ridding the house of flies +by the use of screens, fly papers, poisons, and flytraps, it lays +especial emphasis on the explanation of methods of eliminating breeding +places and preventing the breeding of flies. + +This bulletin supersedes Farmers' Bulletin 851. + +Washington, D. C. Issued April, 1925; revised November, 1926 + + + + +THE HOUSE FLY[1] AND HOW TO SUPPRESS IT. + +By L. O. HOWARD, _Chief of the Bureau of Entomology_, and F. C. BISHOPP, +_Entomologist_. + + * * * * * + + + CONTENTS. + Page. + Kinds of flies found in houses 1 + Where the true house fly lays its eggs 2 + How the house fly passes the winter 6 + Carriage of disease by the house fly 6 + Excluding and capturing flies 7 + The use of screens 7 + Fly papers and poisons 8 + Fly sprays 8 + Flytraps 9 + Preventing the breeding of flies 9 + Construction and care of stables 9 + Fly-tight manure pits 10 + Frequency with which manure should be removed in cities and towns 10 + Health office regulations for control of house flies in cities 10 + Disposal of manure in rural and suburban districts 11 + Chemical treatment of manure to destroy fly maggots 12 + Maggot trap for destruction of fly larvæ from horse manure 13 + Compact heaping of manure 15 + Garbage disposal and treatment of miscellaneous breeding places 15 + Sewage disposal in relation to the prevention of fly-borne diseases 15 + What communities can do to eliminate the house fly 16 + + + * * * * * + + +KINDS OF FLIES FOUND IN HOUSES. + + +Several species of flies are found commonly in houses. Some of them so +closely resemble the true house fly that it requires very careful +observation to distinguish them from it. + +One of these is the biting stable fly[2] (fig. 1). It occurs frequently +in houses and differs from the house fly in the important particular +that its mouth parts are formed for piercing the skin. This fly is so +often mistaken for the house fly that most people think that the house +fly can bite. + +Another frequent visitant of houses, particularly in the spring and +fall, is the cluster fly.[3] It is somewhat larger than the house fly, +and is distinguished by its covering of fine yellowish hairs. +Occasionally this fly occurs in houses in such numbers as to cause great +annoyance. It gets its name of "cluster fly" from its habit of +collecting in compact groups or clusters in protected corners during +cold periods. + +Several species of metallic greenish or bluish flies also are found +occasionally in houses. These include a blue-bottle fly,[4] the black +blowflies,[5] and the green-bottle (fig. 2) flies.[6] They breed in +decaying animal matter. + +[Footnote 1: _Musca domestica_ L.] +[Footnote 2: _Stomoxys calcitrans_ L.] +[Footnote 3: _Pollenia rudis_ Fab.] +[Footnote 4: _Calliphora erythrocephala_ Meig.] +[Footnote 5: _Phormia regina_ Meig. and _P. terrae-novae_ Desv.] +[Footnote 6: _Lucilia caesar_ L., _L. sericata_ Meig., and other species +of the genus.] + +There is still another species, smaller than any of those so far +mentioned, which is sometimes called the "lesser house fly."[7] This +insect is distinguished from the ordinary house fly by its paler and +more pointed body. The male, which is commoner than the female, has +large pale patches at the base of the abdomen, which are translucent +when the fly is seen on the window pane. These little flies are not the +young of the larger flies. Flies do not grow after the wings have once +expanded and dried. + +[Footnote 7: _Fannia canicularis_ L.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 1.--The stable fly. Much enlarged.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 2.--One of the green-bottle flies (_Lucilia +caesar_). Much enlarged.] + +In late summer and autumn many specimens of a small fruit fly, known as +the "vinegar fly,"[8] make their appearance, attracted by the odor of +overripe fruit. + +All of these species, however, are greatly dwarfed in numbers by the +common house fly. In 1900 the senior author made collections of the +flies in dining rooms in different parts of the country, and found that +the true house fly made up 98.8 per cent of the whole number captured. +The remainder comprised various species, including those mentioned +above. + +[Footnote 8: _Drosophila ampelophila_ Loew.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 3.--The true house fly. Enlarged.] + + + + +WHERE THE TRUE HOUSE FLY LAYS ITS EGGS. + + +The true house fly (fig. 3), which is found in nearly all parts of the +world, is a medium-sized fly with four black stripes on the back and a +sharp elbow in one of the veins of the wings. The house fly can not +bite, its mouth parts being spread out at the tip for sucking up liquid +substances. + +The eggs (figs. 4, 5) are laid upon horse manure. This substance seems +to be its favorite larval food. It will breed also in human excrement, +and because of this habit it is very dangerous to the health of human +beings, carrying as it does the germs of intestinal diseases, such as +typhoid fever and cholera, from the excreta to food supplies. It has +also been found to breed freely in hog manure, in considerable numbers +in chicken dung, and to some extent in cow manure. Indeed, it will lay +its eggs on a great variety of decaying vegetable and animal materials, +but of the flies that infest dwelling houses, both in cities and on +farms, a vast proportion come from horse manure. + +[Illustration: FIG. 4.--Eggs of the house fly. About natural size. +(Newstead.)] + +It often happens, however, that this fly is very abundant in localities +where little or no horse manure is found, and in such cases it breeds in +other manure, such as chicken manure in backyard poultry lots, or in +slops or fermenting vegetable material, such as spent hops, moist bran, +ensilage, or rotting potatoes. Accumulations of organic material on the +dumping grounds of towns and cities often produce flies in great +numbers. + +[Illustration: FIG. 5.--Eggs of the house fly. Highly magnified. +(Newstead.)] + +The house fly begins laying eggs in from 2 1/2 to 20 days after +emerging, the time interval depending to a large extent upon +temperature, humidity, and character and abundance of food. The number +of eggs laid by an individual fly at one time ranges from 120 to 159 and +a single female will usually lay two and sometimes four such batches. +Dunn has recently reported that in Panama a fly may deposit as many as +2,367 eggs in 21 batches, and sometimes an interval of only 36 hours may +occur between the deposition of large batches of eggs. The enormous +numbers in which the insects occur are thus plainly accounted for, +especially when the abundance and universal occurrence of appropriate +larval food is considered. The eggs are deposited below the surface in +the cracks and interstices of the manure, several females usually +depositing in one spot, so that the eggs commonly are found in large +clusters (fig. 4) in selected places near the top of the pile, where a +high degree of heat is maintained by the fermentation below. The second +batch of eggs is laid from 8 to 10 days after the first. The eggs +usually hatch in less than 24 hours. Under the most favorable conditions +of temperature and moisture the egg state may last hardly more than 8 +hours. The maggots which issue from the eggs are very small and +transparent. They grow rapidly, completing the growth of the larva stage +in three days under the most favorable conditions, although this stage +usually lasts from 4 to 7 days. The larval period may be prolonged +greatly by low temperature or by dryness or scarcity of the larval food. +As the larvæ (fig. 6) attain full size they gradually assume a creamy +white color. A few hours before pupation they become very restless and +migrate from their feeding ground in search of a favorable place in +which to pass the pupa stage. They will often congregate at the edges of +manure piles near the ground or burrow into the soil beneath, or they +may crawl considerable distances away from the pile to pupate in the +ground or in loose material under the edges of stones, boards, etc. + +[Illustration: FIG. 6.--Larvæ, or maggots, of the house fly. About +natural size. (Newstead.)] + +The pupæ (fig 7), or "sleepers," are more or less barrel shaped and dark +brown in color. In midsummer this stage usually lasts from 3 to 6 days. +The pupa stage is easily affected by temperature changes and may be +prolonged during hibernation for as long as 4 or 5 months. Numerous +rearing experiments in various parts of the country have shown that the +shortest time between the deposition of eggs and the emergence of the +adult fly is 8 days, and 10 and 12 day records were very common. + +The adult fly, upon emerging from the puparium, works its way upward +through the soil or manure and upon reaching the air it crawls about +while its wings expand and the body hardens and assumes its normal +coloration. In from 2 1/2 to 20 days, as previously stated, the female +is ready to deposit eggs. As in the case of other periods of its life +history, so the preoviposition period is prolonged considerably by the +lower temperatures of spring and fall. In midsummer, with a +developmental period of from 8 to 10 days from egg to adult, and a +preoviposition period of from 3 to 4 days, a new generation would be +started every 11 to 14 days. Thus the climate of the District of +Columbia allows abundance of time for the development of from 10 to 12 +generations every season. + +[Illustration: FIG. 7.--Pupæ of the house fly. About natural size. +(Newstead.)] + +Flies usually remain near their breeding places if they have plenty of +food, but experiments recently made at Dallas, Tex., show that they may +migrate considerable distances; in fact, house flies, so marked that the +particular individuals could be identified, have been recaptured in +traps as far as 13 miles from the place where they were liberated. + + + + +HOW THE HOUSE FLY PASSES THE WINTER. + + +The prevailing opinion that the house fly lives through the winter as an +adult, hiding in cracks and crevices of buildings, etc., appears to be +erroneous. Under outdoor conditions house flies are killed during the +first really cold nights, that is, when the temperature falls to about +15° or 10° F. In rooms and similar places protected from winds and +partially heated during the winter flies have been kept alive in cages +for long periods, but they never lived through the entire winter. In +longevity experiments one record of 70 days and another of 91 days was +obtained. No uncaged house flies were found during three seasons' +observations in unheated and only partially heated attics, stables, +unused rooms, etc., where favorable temperature conditions prevailed. +The common occurrence in such places of the cluster fly and a few other +species, which may be easily mistaken for the house fly, is responsible +for the prevailing belief as to the way the house fly overwinters. There +is therefore no reliable evidence whatever that adult house flies +emerging during October and November pass the winter and are able to +deposit their eggs the following spring, although they may continue +active in heated buildings until nearly the end of January. On the other +hand, there is evidence that house flies pass the winter as larvæ and +pupæ, and that they sometimes breed continuously throughout the winter. +In experiments at both Dallas, Tex., and Bethesda, Md., house flies have +been found emerging during April from heavily infested manure heaps +which had been set out and covered with cages during the preceding +autumn. In the Southern States, during warm periods in midwinter, house +flies may emerge and become somewhat troublesome; they frequently lay +eggs on warm days. + +The second way in which the house fly may pass the winter is by +continuous breeding. House flies congregate in heated rooms with the +approach of the winter season. If no food or breeding materials are +present they eventually die. However, where they have access to both +food and suitable substances for egg laying they will continue breeding +just as they do outdoors during the summer. Even in very cold climates +there are undoubtedly many places, especially in cities, where house +flies would have opportunity to pass the winter in this manner. + + + + +CARRIAGE OF DISEASE BY THE HOUSE FLY. + + +The body of the house fly is covered thickly with hairs and bristles of +varying lengths, and this is especially true of the legs. Thus, when it +crawls over infected material it readily becomes loaded with germs, and +subsequent visits to human foods result in their contamination. Even +more dangerous than the transference of germs on the legs and body of +the fly is the fact that bacteria are found in greater numbers and live +longer in its alimentary canal. These germs are voided, not only in the +excrement of the fly, but also in small droplets of regurgitated matter +which have been called "vomit spots." When we realize that flies +frequent and feed upon the most filthy substances (it may be the excreta +of typhoid or dysentery patients or the discharges of one suffering from +tuberculosis), and that subsequently they may contaminate human foods +with their feet or excreta or vomit spots, the necessity and importance +of house-fly control is clear. + +In army camps, in mining camps, and in great public works, where large +numbers of men are brought together for a longer or shorter time, there +is seldom the proper care of excreta, and the carriage of typhoid germs +from the latrines and privies to food by flies is common and often +results in epidemics of typhoid fever. + +And such carriage of typhoid is by no means confined to great temporary +camps. In farmhouses in small communities, and even in badly cared for +portions of large cities, typhoid germs are carried from excrement to +food by flies, and the proper supervision and treatment of the breeding +places of the house fly become most important elements in the prevention +of typhoid. + +In the same way other intestinal germ diseases, such as Asiatic cholera, +dysentery, enteritis (inflammation of the intestine), and infantile +diarrhea, are all so carried. There is strong circumstantial evidence +also that tuberculosis, anthrax, yaws, ophthalmia, smallpox, tropical +sore, and the eggs of parasitic worms may be and are carried in this +way. In the case of over 30 different disease organisms and parasitic +worms, actual laboratory proof exists, and where lacking is replaced by +circumstantial evidence amounting almost to certainty. + + + + +EXCLUDING AND CAPTURING FLIES. + + +The principal effort to control this dangerous insect must be made at +the source of supply--its breeding places. Absolute cleanliness and the +removal or destruction of anything in which flies may breed are +essential; and this is something that can be done even in cities. +Perhaps it can be done more easily in the cities than in villages, on +account of their greater police power and the lesser insistence on the +rights of the individual. Once people are educated to the danger and +learn to find the breeding places, the rest will be easy. + +In spite of what has just been said, it is often necessary to catch or +otherwise destroy adult flies, or to protect food materials from +contamination and persons from annoyance or danger; hence the value of +fly papers and poisons, flytraps, and insect screens. + + +THE USE OF INSECT SCREENS. + +A careful screening of windows and doors during the summer months, with +the supplementary use of sticky fly papers, is a protective measure +against house flies known to everyone. As regards screening, it is only +necessary here to emphasize the importance of keeping food supplies +screened or otherwise covered so that flies can gain no access to them. +This applies not only to homes but also to stores, restaurants, milk +shops, and the like. Screening, of course, will have no effect in +decreasing the number of flies, but at least it has the virtue of +lessening the danger of contamination of food. + +Insect screens for doors and windows should be well made and must fit +tightly, otherwise they will not keep insects out. It is equally +important that they be made of good and durable screen cloth. Copper +insect screen cloth, although a little higher in price, will prove more +economical in the long run, as it lasts many years. If, however, the +cost of copper screen cloth is objectionable, steel screen cloth, either +painted or galvanized, can be used. Painted steel screen cloth will last +one or more years without repainting, its durability depending upon the +climate. In humid regions, of course, it will rust more quickly than it +will where the climate is dry. The same may be said of galvanized steel +insect screen cloth. + +Insect screen cloth made with 16 meshes to the inch is recommended, for +16-mesh screen cloth will keep out flies and most mosquitoes[9] and +other small insects which at times are found almost everywhere. + +[Footnote 9: Where the yellow fever or dengue fever mosquito occurs, +18-mesh screen cloth (or 16-mesh screen cloth made from extra heavy +wire) should be used.] + + +FLY PAPERS AND POISONS. + +[Illustration: FIG. 8.--Conical hoop flytrap side view. _A_, Hoops +forming frame at bottom. _B_, Hoops forming frame at top. _C_, Top of +trap made of barrel head. _D_, Strips around door. _E_, Door frame. _F_, +Screen on door. _G_, Buttons holding door. _H_, Screen on outside of +trap. _I_, Strips on side of trap between hoops. _J_, Tips of these +strips projecting to form legs. _K_, Cone. _L_, United edges of screen +forming cone. _M_, Aperture at apex of cone. (Bishopp.)] + +The use of sticky fly papers to destroy flies that have gained access to +houses is well known. Fly-poison preparations also are common. Many of +the commercial fly poisons contain arsenic, and their use in the +household is attended with considerable danger, especially to children. +This danger is less with the use of a weak solution of formalin. A very +effective fly poison is made by adding 3 teaspoonfuls of the commercial +formalin to a pint of milk or water sweetened with a little brown sugar. +A convenient way of exposing this poison is by partly filling an +ordinary drinking glass with the solution. A saucer or plate is then +lined with white blotting paper cut the size of the dish and placed +bottom up over the glass. The whole is then quickly inverted and a small +match stick placed under the edge of the glass. As the solution +evaporates from the paper more flows out from the glass and thus the +supply is automatically renewed. + + +FLY SPRAYS. + +Sprays designed to destroy or repel house flies fill a certain need in +connection with the house-fly problem. No very satisfactory repellent +substances for this insect have been found which are at the same time +adaptable to general use about the home, or places where foods are +handled. Extracts of pyrethrum flowers are now generally available +commercially, and these give fairly good results in the destruction of +house flies in buildings. Most of the sprays of pyrethrum extract +contain kerosene oil as a carrier, and undoubtedly the kerosene has much +to do with the toxicity of the spray. Such materials are most applicable +to buildings which become infested with flies and which can be readily +closed up at night and the air within thoroughly saturated with the +spray by means of an atomizer. Under such conditions the flies are +rather quickly overcome by the spray and if a sufficient quantity is +used they will not revive. + + +FLYTRAPS. + +Flytraps may be used to advantage in decreasing the number of flies. +Their use has been advocated not only because of the immediate results, +but because of the chances that the flies may be caught before they lay +eggs, and the number of future generations will be reduced greatly. + +Many types of flytraps are on the market. As a rule the larger ones are +the more effective. Anyone with a few tools can construct flytraps for a +small part of the price of the ready-made ones. A trap (fig. 8) which is +very effective in catching flies and is easily made, durable, and cheap, +may be made of four barrel hoops, four laths, a few strips of boxing, +and 8 1/2 lineal feet of screening, 24 inches wide. (For greater details +see Farmers' Bulletin 734.) + +The effectiveness of the traps will depend on the selection of baits. A +good bait for catching house flies is 1 part of blackstrap molasses to 3 +parts of water, after the mixture has been allowed to ferment for a day +or two. Overripe or fermenting bananas crushed and placed in the bait +pans give good results, especially with milk added to them. A mixture of +equal parts brown sugar and curd of sour milk, thoroughly moistened, +gives good results after it has been allowed to stand for three or four +days. + + + + +PREVENTING THE BREEDING OF FLIES. + + +As previously stated, fly papers, poisons, and traps are at best only +temporary expedients. The most logical method of abating the fly +nuisance is the elimination or treatment of all breeding places. It +would appear from what is known of the life history and habits of the +common house fly that it is perfectly feasible for cities and towns to +reduce the numbers of this annoying and dangerous insect so greatly as +to render it of comparatively slight account. On farms also, in dairies, +and under rural conditions generally, much can and should be done to +control the fly, which here, as elsewhere, constitutes a very serious +menace to health. + + +CONSTRUCTION AND CARE OF STABLES. + +In formulating rules for the construction and care of stables and the +disposal of manure the following points must be taken into +consideration. In the first place, the ground of soil-floor stables may +offer a suitable place for the development of fly larvæ. The larvæ will +migrate from the manure to the soil and continue their growth in the +moist ground. This takes place to some extent even when the manure is +removed from the stables every day. Even wooden floors are not entirely +satisfactory unless they are perfectly water-tight, since larvæ will +crawl through the cracks and continue their development in the moist +ground below. Water-tight floors of concrete or masonry, therefore, are +desirable. Flies have been found to breed in surprising numbers in small +accumulations of material in the corners of feed troughs and mangers, +and it is important that such places be kept clean. + + +FLY-TIGHT MANURE PITS. + +The Bureau of Entomology for a number of years has advised that manure +from horse stables be kept in fly-tight pits or bins. Such pits can be +built in or attached to the stable so that manure can be easily thrown +in at the time of cleaning and so constructed that the manure can be +readily removed. It is desirable that the manure be placed in these +fly-proof receptacles as soon as possible after it is voided. The +essential point is that flies be prevented from reaching the manure, and +for this reason the pit or bin must be tightly constructed, preferably +of concrete, and the lid kept closed except when the manure is being +thrown in or removed. The difficulty has been that manure often becomes +infested before it is put into the container, and flies frequently breed +out before it is emptied and often escape through the cracks. To obviate +these difficulties a manure box or pit with a modified tent trap or cone +trap attached is desirable. + +In order to retain the fertilizing value of manure to the greatest +extent it is advisable that air be excluded from it as much as possible +and that it be protected from the leaching action of rains. This being +the case, there is really no necessity for covering a large portion of +the top of the box with a trap, but merely to have holes large enough to +attract flies to the light, and to cover these holes with ordinary +conical traps, with the legs cut off, so, that the bottoms of the traps +will fit closely to the box. The same arrangement can be made where +manure is kept in a pit. If manure boxes or pits are kept fly tight they +are satisfactory under farm or dairy conditions for the storage of +manure during the busy season when it can not be hauled out daily. + + +FREQUENCY WITH WHICH MANURE SHOULD BE REMOVED IN CITIES AND TOWNS. + +In deciding the question as to how often manure should be removed in +cities and towns, it should be borne in mind that when the larvæ have +finished feeding they will often leave the manure and pupate in the +ground below or crawl some distance away to pupate in débris under +boards or stones and the like. Hence the manure should be removed before +the larvæ reach the migratory stage; that is to say, removal is +necessary every three days, and certainly not less frequently than twice +a week during the summer months. A series of orders issued in 1906 by +the health department of the District of Columbia, on the authority of +the Commissioners of the District, covers most of these points, and +these orders, which may well serve as a model to other communities +desiring to undertake similar measures, may be briefly condensed as +follows: + + + HEALTH OFFICE REGULATIONS FOR CONTROL OF HOUSE FLIES IN CITIES. + + All stalls in which animals are kept shall have the surface of the + ground covered with a water-tight floor. Every person occupying a + building where domestic animals are kept shall maintain in + connection therewith a bin or pit for the reception of manure and, + pending the removal from the premises of the manure from the animal + or animals, shall place such manure in said bin or pit. This bin + shall be so constructed as to exclude rain water and shall in all + other respects be water-tight, except as it may be connected with + the public sewer. It shall be provided with a suitable cover and + constructed so as to prevent the ingress and egress of flies. No + person owning a stable shall keep any manure or permit any manure + to be kept in or upon any portion of the premises other than the + bin or pit described, nor shall he allow any such bin or pit to be + overfilled or needlessly uncovered. Horse manure may be kept + tightly rammed into well-covered barrels for the purpose of removal + in such barrels. Every person keeping manure in the more densely + populated parts of the District shall cause all such manure to be + removed from the premises at least twice every week between June 1 + and October 31, and at least once every week between November 1 and + May 31 of the following year. No person shall remove or transport + any manure over any public highway in any of the more densely + populated parts of the District except in a tight vehicle, which, + if not inclosed, must be effectually covered with canvas, so as to + prevent the manure from being dropped. No person shall deposit + manure removed from the bins or pits within any of the more densely + populated parts of the District without a permit from the health + officer. Any person violating any of the provisions shall, upon + conviction thereof, be punished by a fine of not more than $40 for + each offense. + +Not only must horse stables be cared for, but chicken yards, piggeries, +and garbage receptacles as well. In cities, with better methods of +disposal of garbage and with the lessening of the number of horses and +horse stables consequent upon electric street railways, bicycles, and +automobiles, the time may come, and before very long, when window +screens may be discarded. + + +DISPOSAL OF MANURE IN RURAL AND SUBURBAN DISTRICTS. + +The control of flies in rural and suburban districts offers a much more +difficult problem. Here it is often out of the question to remove all +manure from the premises twice a week, and the problem is to find some +method of disposal or storage which will conserve the fertilizing value +of the manure and at the same time prevent all flies from breeding, or +destroy such as do breed there. + +With this idea in mind, it has been recommended that stable manure be +collected every morning and hauled out at once and spread rather thinly +on the fields. This procedure is advisable from the point of view of +getting the maximum fertilizing value from the manure. Immediate +spreading on the fields is said largely to prevent the loss of plant +food which occurs when manure is allowed to stand in heaps for a long +time. This method will be effective in preventing the breeding of flies +only if the manure is hauled out promptly every morning and spread +thinly so that it will dry, since it is unfavorable for fly development +in desiccated condition. The proper scattering of the manure on the +fields is best and most easily and quickly accomplished by the use of a +manure spreader, and many dairies, and even farms, are practicing the +daily distribution of manure in this way. Removal every three or four +days will not be sufficient. Observations have shown that if manure +becomes flyblown and the maggots attain a fairly good size before the +manure is scattered on the fields, they can continue their development +and will pupate in the ground. + + +CHEMICAL TREATMENT OF MANURE TO DESTROY FLY MAGGOTS. + +During the summer months, when fly breeding is going on most actively, +the farmer is also busy and often can not spare the time to remove +manure regularly. The general practice, therefore, has been to keep the +manure in heaps located, as a rule, very near the stables. How can fly +breeding be prevented in such accumulations? As a result of recent +investigations, it is now possible to point out two methods which are +practical and effective. + +The first is the treatment of the manure pile with chemical substances +which will kill the eggs and maggots of the house fly. The Bureau of +Entomology, in cooperation with the Bureau of Chemistry and the Bureau +of Plant Industry, has conducted a series of experiments in which a +large number of chemicals were applied to infested manure and +observations made, not only on their efficiency in killing the maggots +but also as to their effect on the chemical composition and bacterial +flora of the manure. The object was to find some cheap chemical which +would be effective in destroying the fly larvæ and at the same time +would not reduce the fertilizing value of the manure. + + +TREATMENT WITH HELLEBORE. + +Of the numerous substances tried, the one which seems best to fulfill +these conditions is powdered hellebore.[10] For the treatment of manure a +water extract of the hellebore is prepared by adding 1/2 pound of the +powder to every 10 gallons of water, and after stirring it is allowed to +stand 24 hours. The mixture thus prepared is sprinkled over the manure +at the rate of 10 gallons to every 8 bushels (10 cubic feet) of manure. +From the result of 12 experiments with manure piles treated under +natural conditions it appears that such treatment results in the +destruction of from 88 to 99 per cent of the fly larvæ. + +Studies of treated manure indicated that its composition and rotting +were not interfered with. Furthermore, several field tests showed that +there was no apparent injury to growing crops when fertilized with +treated manure. + +Since the solution is somewhat poisonous it should not be left exposed +where it might be drunk by livestock. It is quite safe to say that +chickens will not be injured by pecking at hellebore-treated manure. +This has been tested carefully. Hellebore can be obtained both in ground +and powdered form, but the powder gives the best results in the +destruction of fly larvæ. + +[Footnote 10: _Veratrum viride_ or _V. aloum_.] + + +TREATMENT WITH POWDERED BORAX. + +Another chemical found to be even more effective as a larvicide is +powdered borax. This substance is available in commercial form in all +parts of the country. It has the advantage of being comparatively +nonpoisonous and noninflammable and is easily transported and handled. +The minimum amount necessary to kill fly larvæ was found to be 0.62 +pound per 8 bushels of manure, or about 1 pound per 16 cubic feet. Best +results were obtained when the borax was applied in solution, or when +water was sprinkled on after the borax had been scattered evenly over +the pile. Borax is not only effective in killing the larvæ, but when it +comes in contact with the eggs it prevents them from hatching. When +applied at the rate of 1 pound to 16 cubic feet it was found to kill +about 90 per cent of the larvæ, heavier applications killing from 98 to +99 per cent. + +Borax has no injurious effect on the chemical composition or rotting of +the manure. However, when added in large quantities with manure to the +soil it will cause considerable injury to growing plants. A number of +experiments have been conducted to determine the effect on crops of the +use of manure treated with borax as herein recommended. When applied at +the rate of 15 tons per acre it appears that no injury as a rule will +follow. Some crops are more sensitive to borax than others, and also the +tendency to injury appears to vary on different soils. It is necessary, +therefore, to repeat the warning issued in connection with a previous +bulletin[11] on this subject, that great care be exercised, in the +application of borax, that the manure does not receive more than 1 pound +for every 16 cubic feet, and that not more than 15 tons of manure so +treated are applied to the acre. + +In view of the possible injury from the borax treatment as a result of +carelessness in applying it, or from other unforeseen conditions, it is +recommended that horse manure and other farmyard manures which are to be +used as fertilizer be treated with hellebore. Borax, on the other hand, +is such a good larvicide that it call be used with advantage on the +ground of soil-floor stables, in privies, on refuse piles, and on any +accumulations of fermenting organic matter which are not to be used for +fertilizing purposes. + +[Footnote 11: Department Bulletin 118, U. S. Department of Agriculture, +p. 25.] + + +TREATMENT WITH CALCIUM CYANAMID AND ACID PHOSPHATE. + +Many experiments with mixtures of commercial fertilizers were tried to +determine whether fly larvæ would be killed by any substance the +addition of which would increase the fertilizing value of the manure. A +mixture of calcium cyanamid and acid phosphate was found to possess +considerable larvicidal action. Several experiments showed that 1/2 +pound of calcium cyanamid plus 1/2 pound of acid phosphate to each +bushel of manure give an apparent larvicidal action of 98 per cent. The +mixture in the form of a powder was scattered evenly over the surface +and then wet down with water. The use of this mixture adds to the manure +two important elements, nitrogen and phosphorus. + + +MAGGOT TRAP FOR DESTRUCTION OF FLY LARVÆ FROM HORSE MANURE. + +The second method of handling manure is one which does not require the +application of chemicals. It is based on the fact, mentioned on page 4, +that the larvæ of the house fly, a few hours before they are ready to +pupate, show a strong tendency to migrate. This migration takes place +mostly at night, and the larvæ sometimes crawl considerable distances +from the manure pile. Now it is possible by means of a very simple +arrangement called a maggot trap to destroy fully 99 per cent of all +maggots breeding in a given lot of manure. A successful maggot trap +which the Maryland Agricultural College constructed at the college barn +is shown in Figure 9. The trap was designed by R. H. Hutchison and +constructed under his supervision. The manure, instead of being thrown +on the ground, is heaped carefully on a slatted platform, which stands +about 1 foot high. This particular platform measures 10 by 20 feet. +There are six 2 by 4 pieces running lengthwise 2 feet apart. Across +these are nailed 1-inch strips with 1/2 to 1 inch spaces between them. +The wooden platform stands on a concrete floor, and a rim or wall of +concrete 4 inches high surrounds the floor. The floor slopes a little +toward one corner from which a pipe leads to a small cistern near by. +This pipe is plugged with a stopper of soft wood, and the concrete floor +is filled with water to a depth of 1 inch in the shallowest part. Flies +will lay their eggs on the manure as usual, but the maggots, when they +have finished feeding and begin to migrate, crawl out of the manure, +drop into the water below, and are drowned. Each week the plug is +removed from the pipe, and all the maggots are washed into the cistern. +The floor is then cleaned of any solid particles by means of a +long-handled stable broom or by a strong stream of water from a hose. +The pipe being again plugged, the floor is again partly filled with +water and the trap is ready for another week's catch. A platform of this +size will hold the manure accumulating from four horses during the +period of four months, or about 20 days' accumulation from 25 horses, if +the heap is well built and made at least 5 feet high. + +[Illustration: FIG. 9. A maggot trap for house-fly control. View showing +the concrete basin containing water in which larvæ are drowned, and the +wooden platform on which manure is heaped. (Hutchison.)] + +Experience with this maggot trap clearly indicates that best results can +be secured if the manure is compactly heaped on the platform and kept +thoroughly moistened. It is best to apply a small amount of water each +morning after the stable cleanings have been added to the pile. It +should be borne in mind that in order to make this trap a success the +platform beneath the pile must be kept comparatively free of +accumulations of manure, and moisture applied regularly to drive the +maggots out. + + +COMPACT HEAPING OF MANURE. + +Another method of disposing of manure has been recommended by English +writers. The manure is built up in a compact rectangular heap, the sides +of which are beaten hard with shovels. The ground around the edges of +the heap is made smooth and hard and loose straw is placed in small +windrows around the manure pile about 1 foot from the edge. The +exclusion of the air, together with the high temperature and gases +formed by fermentation, tends to make the heap unfavorable for the +development of fly larvæ. Those which do happen to develop in the +surface layers will migrate and pupate in the ring of straw around the +heap, where they are destroyed by burning. + + +GARBAGE DISPOSAL AND TREATMENT OF MISCELLANEOUS BREEDING PLACES. + +It is just as true under farm conditions as in cities that breeding +places other than horse manure must be attended to. Garbage must be +disposed of, hog and poultry manure must be cared for, and especially on +dairy farms it is extremely important that every precaution be taken to +prevent the contamination of milk by flies. + +It is very desirable that all refuse possible, accumulated from cities +and towns, be burned. Incineration has been practiced successfully by a +number of towns and cities with populations of from 10,000 to 15,000 and +over. In larger cities provision should be made for burning carcasses as +well as garbage and other refuse. If city and town garbage is sold to +hog feeders the municipal authorities should have control of the +sanitary conditions about the feeding yards, as there is great danger +from fly breeding in such places if not kept clean. + + +SEWAGE DISPOSAL IN RELATION TO THE PREVENTION OF FLY-BORNE DISEASES. + +In the consideration of these measures we have not touched upon the +remedies for house flies breeding in human excrement. On account of the +danger of the carriage of typhoid fever, the dropping of human excrement +in the open in cities or towns, either in vacant lots or in dark +alleyways, should be made a misdemeanor, and the same care should be +taken by the sanitary authorities to remove or cover up such depositions +as is taken in the removal of the bodies of dead animals. For modern +methods of sewage disposal adapted for farm use one should consult +Department of Agriculture Department Bulletin No. 57. In the absence of +modern methods of sewage disposal, absolutely sanitary privies are prime +necessities, whether in towns or on farms. Directions for building and +caring for such privies will be found in Farmers' Bulletin 463 and in +Yearbook Separate 712, "Sewage Disposal on the Farm." The box privy is +always a nuisance from many points of view, and is undoubtedly dangerous +as a breeder of flies which may carry the germs of intestinal diseases. +The dry-earth treatment of privies is unsatisfactory. No box privy +should be permitted to exist unless it is thoroughly and regularly +treated with some effective larvicide. Since the fecal matter in such +privies is seldom used for fertilizing purposes it may well be treated +liberally with borax. The powdered borax may be scattered two or three +times a week over the exposed surface so as to whiten it. + + + + +WHAT COMMUNITIES CAN DO TO ELIMINATE THE HOUSE FLY. + + +Antifly crusades have been very numerous in recent years, and some have +been noteworthy both in methods and in results. However, it will not be +amiss here to emphasize the importance of concerted, organized effort on +the part of whole communities, not only cities, but suburban and rural +neighborhoods as well. By the most painstaking care one may prevent all +fly breeding on his premises, but it will avail him little if his +neighbors are not equally careful. Some sort of cooperation is +necessary. One of the first and most important elements in any antifly +crusade is a vigorous and continued educational campaign. It has been +the experience of those who have undertaken such crusades that people +generally regard the fly as a somewhat harmless nuisance and that the +first work of the campaign was to bring the people to a realization of +the dangers from flies and the possibility of getting rid of them. In +the educational campaign every possible means of publicity can be +employed, including newspapers, lectures, moving pictures, posters, +handbills, cartoons, instruction in schools, etc. + +The antifly crusade is a matter of public interest and should be +supported by the community as a whole and engineered by the health +officers. But health officers can do little toward the necessary work of +inspection and elimination without funds, and therefore the support of +the campaign must manifest itself in increased appropriations for +public-health work. Very often it is lack of funds which prevents the +health officers from taking the initiative in the antifly crusades, and +there must necessarily be much agitation and education before they can +profitably take up the work. Right here lies a field for civic +associations, women's clubs, boards of trade, etc., to exercise their +best energy, initiative, and leadership. + + + + +ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE WHEN THIS +PUBLICATION WAS LAST PRINTED + + _Secretary of Agriculture_ ARTHUR M. HYDE. + + _Assistant Secretary_ R. W. DUNLAP. + + _Director of Scientific Work_ A. F. WOODS. + + _Director of Regulatory Work_ WALTER G. CAMPBELL. + + _Director of Extension Work_ C. W. WARBURTON. + + _Director of Personnel and Business + Administration_ W. W. STOCKBERGER. + + _Director of Information_ M. S. EISENHOWER. + + _Solicitor_ E. L. MARSHALL. + + _Bureau of Agricultural Economics_ NILS A. OLSEN, _Chief_. + + _Bureau of Agricultural Engineering_ S. H. MCCRORY, _Chief_. + + _Bureau of Animal Industry_ JOHN R. MOHLER, _Chief_. + + _Bureau of Biological Survey_ PAUL G. REDINGTON, _Chief_. + + _Bureau of Chemistry and Soils_ H. G. KNIGHT, _Chief_. + + _Office of Cooperative Extension Work_ C. B. SMITH, _Chief_. + + _Bureau of Dairy Industry_ O. E. REED, _Chief_. + + _Bureau of Entomology_ C. L. MARLATT, _Chief_. + + _Office of Experiment Stations_ JAMES T. JARDINE, _Chief_. + + _Food and Drug Administration_ WALTER G. CAMPBELL, _Director_ + _of Regulatory Work, in Charge._ + + _Forest Service_ R. Y. STUART, _Chief_. + + _Grain Futures Administration_ J. W. T. DUVEL, _Chief_. + + _Bureau of Home Economics_ LOUISE STANLEY, _Chief_. + + _Library_ CLARIBEL R. BARNETT, _Librarian_. + + _Bureau of Plant Industry_ WILLIAM A. TAYLOR, _Chief_. + + _Bureau of Plant Quarantine_ LEE A. STRONG, _Chief_. + + _Bureau of Public Roads_ THOMAS H. MACDONALD, _Chief_. + + _Weather Bureau_ CHARLES F. MARVIN, _Chief_. + + +U. S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1938 + + +For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, Washington, D. C. +Price 5 cents + + +[Transcriber's Note: +Footnotes 10 & 11 renumbered to avoid the confusion generated +by two footnote 9's.] + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The House Fly and How to Suppress It, by +L. O. Howard and F. C. Bishopp + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE HOUSE FLY AND HOW TO *** + +***** This file should be named 18050-8.txt or 18050-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/1/8/0/5/18050/ + +Produced by K.D. 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O. Howard and F. C. Bishopp + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The House Fly and How to Suppress It + U. S. Department of Agriculture Farmers' Bulletin No. 1408 + +Author: L. O. Howard and F. C. Bishopp + +Release Date: March 26, 2006 [EBook #18050] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE HOUSE FLY AND HOW TO *** + + + + +Produced by K.D. Thornton and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + +<div style="width:36em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><div><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_0" id="Page_0"> </a></span></div> +<div class="bbbox" style="width:34em; height:56em; background-color:#cccccc; background:url(images/tile.gif); color:#000000;" > +<p style="text-align:center; margin-top:0em; padding-top:.5em; font-size:2.5em; margin-bottom:0; background-color:#ffffff; color:#000000;" >U. S. DEPARTMENT OF<br />AGRICULTURE</p> + +<p style="font-size:1.5em; margin-bottom:0em; margin-top:0; padding-bottom:.5em; background-color:#ffffff; color:#000000;" class="center bb"> +FARMERS' BULLETIN No. 1408</p> + +<p style="margin-bottom:0; padding-top:1em; margin-top:0; font-size:2.5em; font-weight:bold; text-align:center;" ><i>The</i><br /> +HOUSE FLY AND HOW<br /> +TO SUPPRESS IT</p> + +<img src="images/0.gif" style="width:20em; margin-left:7em; margin-right:7em; padding-top: 2em; text-align:center; z-index:1; clear:both;" class="center" alt="cover image" title="cover image" /><br /> +<img src="images/usda.gif" style="width:9em; position:relative; float:left; z-index:2; margin-left:-1em; margin-top:-1em; clear:both;" alt="USDA logo" title="USDA logo" /><br /></div> +<p><br /></p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1"> -1- </a></span></p> + +<div class="bbox" style="width:30em; padding-left:2em; padding-right:2em;"><p class="dropcap">The presence of flies is an indication of uncleanliness, +insanitary conditions, and improper +disposal of substances in which they breed. They +are not only annoying; they are actually dangerous +to health, because they may carry disease germs to +exposed foods.</p> + +<p>It is therefore important to know where and how +they breed, and to apply such knowledge in combating +them. This bulletin gives information on this +subject. Besides giving directions for ridding the +house of flies by the use of screens, fly papers, poisons, +and flytraps, it lays especial emphasis on the +explanation of methods of eliminating breeding +places and preventing the breeding of flies.</p> + +<p>This bulletin supersedes Farmers' Bulletin 851.</p> + +<p class="bt"><br />Washington, D. C. Issued April, 1925; revised November, 1926</p> +</div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2"> -2- </a></span></p><h1> +THE HOUSE FLY<a name="FNanchor_1_1" id="FNanchor_1_1"></a><a href="#Footnote_1_1" class="fnanchor" style="font-size:.5em;" >[1]</a> AND HOW<br /> +TO SUPPRESS IT.</h1> + +<p class="center">By <span class="smcap">L. O. Howard</span>, <i>Chief of the Bureau of Entomology</i>, and <span class="smcap">F. C. Bishopp</span>, +<i>Entomologist</i>.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>CONTENTS.</h2> + +<table class="toc" summary="table of contents"> +<tr><td colspan="2" class="right"><span>Page.</span></td></tr> +<tr><td>Kinds of flies found in houses </td><td> <a href="#Page_1">1</a></td></tr> +<tr><td>Where the true house fly lays its eggs </td><td> <a href="#Page_2">2</a></td></tr> +<tr><td>How the house fly passes the winter </td><td> <a href="#Page_6">6</a></td></tr> +<tr><td>Carriage of disease by the house fly </td><td> <a href="#Page_6">6</a></td></tr> +<tr><td>Excluding and capturing flies </td><td> <a href="#Page_7">7</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span style="margin-left: 2.5em;" >The use of screens </span></td><td> <a href="#Page_7">7</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span style="margin-left: 2.5em;" >Fly papers and poisons </span></td><td> <a href="#Page_8">8</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span style="margin-left: 2.5em;" >Fly sprays </span></td><td> <a href="#Page_8">8</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span style="margin-left: 2.5em;" >Flytraps </span></td><td> <a href="#Page_9">9</a></td></tr> +<tr><td>Preventing the breeding of flies </td><td> <a href="#Page_9">9</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span style="margin-left: 2.5em;" >Construction and care of stables </span></td><td> <a href="#Page_9">9</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span style="margin-left: 2.5em;" >Fly-tight manure pits </span></td><td><a href="#Page_10">10</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span style="margin-left: 2.5em;" >Frequency with which manure should be removed in cities and towns </span></td><td><a href="#Page_10">10</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span style="margin-left: 2.5em;" >Health office regulations for control of house flies in cities </span></td><td><a href="#Page_10">10</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span style="margin-left: 2.5em;" >Disposal of manure in rural and suburban districts </span></td><td><a href="#Page_11">11</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span style="margin-left: 2.5em;" >Chemical treatment of manure to destroy fly maggots </span></td><td><a href="#Page_12">12</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span style="margin-left: 2.5em;" >Maggot trap for destruction of fly larvæ from horse manure </span></td><td><a href="#Page_13">13</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span style="margin-left: 2.5em;" >Compact heaping of manure </span></td><td><a href="#Page_15">15</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span style="margin-left: 2.5em;" >Garbage disposal and treatment of miscellaneous breeding places </span></td><td><a href="#Page_15">15</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span style="margin-left: 2.5em;" >Sewage disposal in relation to the prevention of fly-borne diseases </span></td><td><a href="#Page_15">15</a></td></tr> +<tr><td>What communities can do to eliminate the house fly </td><td><a href="#Page_16">16</a></td></tr> +</table> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>KINDS OF FLIES FOUND IN HOUSES.</h2> + + +<p class="dropcap">Several species of flies are found commonly in houses. Some +of them so closely resemble the true house fly that it requires +very careful observation to distinguish them from it.</p> + +<p>One of these is the biting stable fly<a name="FNanchor_2_2" id="FNanchor_2_2"></a><a href="#Footnote_2_2" class="fnanchor">[2]</a> (fig. 1). It occurs frequently +in houses and differs from the house fly in the important +particular that its mouth parts are formed for piercing the skin. +This fly is so often mistaken for the house fly that most people think +that the house fly can bite.</p> + +<p>Another frequent visitant of houses, particularly in the spring and +fall, is the cluster fly.<a name="FNanchor_3_3" id="FNanchor_3_3"></a><a href="#Footnote_3_3" class="fnanchor">[3]</a> It is somewhat larger than the house fly, +and is distinguished by its covering of fine yellowish hairs. Occasionally +this fly occurs in houses in such numbers as to cause great +annoyance. It gets its name of "cluster fly" from its habit of collecting +in compact groups or clusters in protected corners during +cold periods.</p> + +<p>Several species of metallic greenish or bluish flies also are found +occasionally in houses. These include a blue-bottle fly,<a name="FNanchor_4_4" id="FNanchor_4_4"></a><a href="#Footnote_4_4" class="fnanchor">[4]</a> the black +blowflies,<a name="FNanchor_5_5" id="FNanchor_5_5"></a><a href="#Footnote_5_5" class="fnanchor">[5]</a> and the green-bottle (fig. 2) flies.<a name="FNanchor_6_6" id="FNanchor_6_6"></a><a href="#Footnote_6_6" class="fnanchor">[6]</a> They breed in decaying +animal matter.</p> + + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3"> -3- </a></span>There is still another species, smaller than any of those so far mentioned, +which is sometimes called the "lesser house fly."<a name="FNanchor_7_7" id="FNanchor_7_7"></a><a href="#Footnote_7_7" class="fnanchor">[7]</a> This +insect is distinguished from the ordinary house fly by its paler and +more pointed body. The male, which is commoner than the female, +has large pale patches at the base of the abdomen, which are +translucent when the fly is seen on the window pane. These little +flies are not the young of the larger flies. Flies do not grow after +the wings have once expanded and dried.</p> + +<div class="twofly"><div class="figleft" style="clear:left;"><a href="images/1.gif"><img src="images/t1.jpg" class="smimg" alt="Fig. 1.--The stable fly. Much enlarged." +title="Fig. 1.--The stable fly. Much enlarged." /></a><p class="caption"><span class="smcap">Fig. 1.</span>— The stable fly. Much enlarged.</p></div> + +<div class="figleft"><a href="images/2.gif"><img src="images/t2.jpg" class="smimg" alt="Fig. 2.--One of the green-bottle flies (Lucilia caesar). Much enlarged." +title="Fig. 2.--One of the green-bottle flies (Lucilia caesar). Much enlarged." /></a> +<p class="caption"><span class="smcap">Fig</span>. 2.— One of the green-bottle flies<br /> (<i>Lucilia caesar</i>). Much enlarged.</p></div></div> + +<p style="clear:left;">In late summer and autumn many specimens of a small fruit fly, +known as the "vinegar fly,"<a name="FNanchor_8_8" id="FNanchor_8_8"></a><a href="#Footnote_8_8" class="fnanchor">[8]</a> make their appearance, attracted by the +odor of overripe fruit.</p> + +<p>All of these species, however, are greatly dwarfed in numbers by +the common house fly. In 1900 the senior author made collections of +the flies in dining rooms in different parts +of the country, and found that the true +house fly made up 98.8 per cent of the whole +number captured. The remainder comprised +various species, including those mentioned above.</p> + + +<h2>WHERE THE TRUE HOUSE FLY LAYS ITS EGGS.</h2> + +<div class="figleft"><a href="images/3.gif"><img src="images/t3.jpg" class="smimg" alt="Fig. 3.--The true house fly. +Enlarged." title="Fig. 3.--The true house fly. +Enlarged." /></a><p class="caption"><span class="smcap">Fig. </span>3.— The true house fly.<br /> Enlarged.</p></div> +<p>The true house fly (fig. 3), which is found +in nearly all parts of the world, is a medium-sized +fly with four black stripes on the back +and a sharp elbow in one of the veins of the +wings. The house fly can not bite, its mouth parts being spread out +at the tip for sucking up liquid substances.</p> + +<p>The eggs (figs. 4, 5) are laid upon horse manure. This substance +seems to be its favorite larval food. It will breed also in +human excrement, and because of this habit it is very dangerous +to the health of human beings, carrying as it does the germs of +intestinal diseases, such as typhoid fever and cholera, from the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4"> -4- </a></span>excreta to food supplies. It has also been found to breed freely +in hog manure, in considerable numbers in chicken dung, and to +some extent in cow manure. Indeed, it will lay its eggs on a great +variety of decaying vegetable and animal materials, but of the +flies that infest dwelling houses, both in cities and on farms, a +vast proportion come from horse +manure.</p> + +<div class="center caption"><a href="images/4.jpg"><img src="images/t4.jpg" class="bimg" alt="Fig. 4.--Eggs of the house fly. +About natural size. (Newstead.)" title="Fig. 4.--Eggs of the house fly. About natural size. (Newstead.)" /></a><br /> +<span class="smcap">Fig</span>. 4.— Eggs of the house fly. About natural size. (Newstead.)</div> + +<p>It often happens, however, that +this fly is very abundant in localities +where little or no horse +manure is found, and in such cases +it breeds in other manure, such +as chicken manure in backyard +poultry lots, or in slops or fermenting +vegetable material, such +as spent hops, moist bran, ensilage, +or rotting potatoes. Accumulations +of organic material +on the dumping grounds of towns +and cities often produce flies in +great numbers.</p> + +<div class="figleft"><a href="images/5.jpg"><img src="images/t5.jpg" class="smimg" alt="Fig. 5.--Eggs of the house fly. Highly +magnified. (Newstead.)" title="Fig. 5.--Eggs of the house fly. Highly +magnified. (Newstead.)" /></a><p class="caption"><span class="smcap">Fig.</span> 5.— Eggs of the house fly. <br />Highly +magnified. (Newstead.)</p></div> + +<p>The house fly begins laying eggs +in from 2½ to 20 days after emerging, +the time interval depending to a large extent upon temperature, +humidity, and character and abundance of food. The number of +eggs laid by an individual fly at one time ranges from 120 to 159 +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5"> -5- </a></span>and a single female will usually lay two and sometimes four such +batches. Dunn has recently reported that in Panama a fly may +deposit as many as 2,367 eggs in 21 batches, and sometimes an interval +of only 36 hours may occur between the deposition of large +batches of eggs. The enormous numbers in which the insects occur +are thus plainly accounted for, especially when the abundance and +universal occurrence of appropriate larval food is considered. The +eggs are deposited below the surface in the cracks and interstices of +the manure, several females usually depositing in one spot, so that +the eggs commonly are found in large clusters (fig. 4) in selected +places near the top of the pile, where a high degree of heat is maintained +by the fermentation below. The second batch of eggs is laid +from 8 to 10 days after the first. The eggs usually hatch in less than +24 hours. Under the most favorable conditions of temperature and +moisture the egg state may last hardly more than 8 hours. The maggots +which issue from the eggs are very small and transparent. They +grow rapidly, completing the growth of the larva stage in three +days under the most favorable conditions, although this stage usually +lasts from 4 to 7 days. The larval period may be prolonged greatly +by low temperature or by dryness or scarcity of the larval food. +As the larvæ (fig. 6) attain full size they gradually assume a creamy +white color. A few hours before pupation they become very restless +and migrate from their feeding ground in search of a favorable +place in which to pass the pupa stage. They will often congregate at +the edges of manure piles near the ground or burrow into the soil +beneath, or they may crawl considerable distances away from the pile +to pupate in the ground or in loose material under the edges of +stones, boards, etc.</p> + +<div class="caption center"><a href="images/6.jpg"><img src="images/t6.jpg" class="bimg" alt="Fig. 6.--Larvæ , or maggots, of the house fly. + About natural size. (Newstead.)" title="Fig. 6.--Larvæ , or maggots, of the house fly. About natural size. (Newstead.)" /></a><br /> +<span class="smcap">Fig</span>. 6.— Larvæ , or maggots, of the house fly. About natural size. (Newstead.)</div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6"> -6- </a></span>The pupæ (fig. 7), or "sleepers," are more or less barrel shaped +and dark brown in color. In midsummer this stage usually lasts +from 3 to 6 days. The pupa stage is easily affected by temperature +changes and may be prolonged during hibernation for as long as 4 +or 5 months. Numerous rearing experiments in various parts of +the country have shown that the shortest time between the deposition +of eggs and the emergence of the adult fly is 8 days, and 10 and 12 +day records were very common.</p> + +<p>The adult fly, upon emerging from the puparium, works its way +upward through the soil or manure and upon reaching the air it +crawls about while its wings expand and the body hardens and +assumes its normal coloration. In from 2½ to 20 days, as previously +stated, the female is ready to deposit eggs. As in the case of other +periods of its life history, so the preoviposition period is prolonged +considerably by the lower temperatures of spring and fall. In midsummer, +with a developmental period of from 8 to 10 days from egg +to adult, and a preoviposition period of from 3 to 4 days, a new +generation would be started every 11 to 14 days. Thus the climate +of the District of Columbia allows abundance of time for the development +of from 10 to 12 generations every season.</p> + +<div class="caption center"><a href="images/7.jpg"> +<img src="images/t7.jpg" class="bimg" title="Fig. 7.--Pupæ of the house fly. About natural size. (Newstead.)" + alt="Fig. 7.--Pupæ of the house fly. About natural size. (Newstead.)" /></a><br /> + <span class="smcap">Fig</span>. 7.— Pupæ of the house fly. About natural size. (Newstead.)</div> + +<p>Flies usually remain near their breeding places if they have plenty +of food, but experiments recently made at Dallas, Tex., show that +they may migrate considerable distances; in fact, house flies, so +marked that the particular individuals could be identified, have been +recaptured in traps as far as 13 miles from the place where they +were liberated.</p> + + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7"> -7- </a></span></p> +<h2>HOW THE HOUSE FLY PASSES THE WINTER.</h2> + + +<p>The prevailing opinion that the house fly lives through the winter +as an adult, hiding in cracks and crevices of buildings, etc., appears +to be erroneous. Under outdoor conditions house flies are killed +during the first really cold nights, that is, when the temperature +falls to about 15° or 10° F. In rooms and similar places protected +from winds and partially heated during the winter flies have been +kept alive in cages for long periods, but they never lived through +the entire winter. In longevity experiments one record of 70 days +and another of 91 days was obtained. No uncaged house flies were +found during three seasons' observations in unheated and only partially +heated attics, stables, unused rooms, etc., where favorable +temperature conditions prevailed. The common occurrence in such +places of the cluster fly and a few other species, which may be easily +mistaken for the house fly, is responsible for the prevailing belief +as to the way the house fly overwinters. There is therefore no reliable +evidence whatever that adult house flies emerging during October +and November pass the winter and are able to deposit their eggs +the following spring, although they may continue active in heated +buildings until nearly the end of January. On the other hand, there +is evidence that house flies pass the winter as larvæ and pupæ , and +that they sometimes breed continuously throughout the winter. In +experiments at both Dallas, Tex., and Bethesda, Md., house flies have +been found emerging during April from heavily infested manure +heaps which had been set out and covered with cages during the preceding +autumn. In the Southern States, during warm periods in +midwinter, house flies may emerge and become somewhat troublesome; +they frequently lay eggs on warm days.</p> + +<p>The second way in which the house fly may pass the winter is by +continuous breeding. House flies congregate in heated rooms with +the approach of the winter season. If no food or breeding materials +are present they eventually die. However, where they have access to +both food and suitable substances for egg laying they will continue +breeding just as they do outdoors during the summer. Even in very +cold climates there are undoubtedly many places, especially in cities, +where house flies would have opportunity to pass the winter in this +manner.</p> + + + + +<h2>CARRIAGE OF DISEASE BY THE HOUSE FLY.</h2> + + +<p>The body of the house fly is covered thickly with hairs and bristles +of varying lengths, and this is especially true of the legs. Thus, +when it crawls over infected material it readily becomes loaded with +germs, and subsequent visits to human foods result in their contamination. +Even more dangerous than the transference of germs on the +legs and body of the fly is the fact that bacteria are found in greater +numbers and live longer in its alimentary canal. These germs are +voided, not only in the excrement of the fly, but also in small droplets +of regurgitated matter which have been called "vomit spots." When +we realize that flies frequent and feed upon the most filthy substances +(it may be the excreta of typhoid or dysentery patients or +the discharges of one suffering from tuberculosis), and that subsequently +they may contaminate human foods with their feet or excreta +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8"> -8- </a></span>or vomit spots, the necessity and importance of house-fly control is +clear.</p> + +<p>In army camps, in mining camps, and in great public works, where +large numbers of men are brought together for a longer or shorter +time, there is seldom the proper care of excreta, and the carriage of +typhoid germs from the latrines and privies to food by flies is common +and often results in epidemics of typhoid fever.</p> + +<p>And such carriage of typhoid is by no means confined to great +temporary camps. In farmhouses in small communities, and even in +badly cared for portions of large cities, typhoid germs are carried +from excrement to food by flies, and the proper supervision and +treatment of the breeding places of the house fly become most important +elements in the prevention of typhoid.</p> + +<p>In the same way other intestinal germ diseases, such as Asiatic +cholera, dysentery, enteritis (inflammation of the intestine), and +infantile diarrhea, are all so carried. There is strong circumstantial +evidence also that tuberculosis, anthrax, yaws, ophthalmia, smallpox, +tropical sore, and the eggs of parasitic worms may be and are carried +in this way. In the case of over 30 different disease organisms and +parasitic worms, actual laboratory proof exists, and where lacking +is replaced by circumstantial evidence amounting almost to certainty.</p> + + + +<h2>EXCLUDING AND CAPTURING FLIES.</h2> + + +<p>The principal effort to control this dangerous insect must be made +at the source of supply— its breeding places. Absolute cleanliness +and the removal or destruction of anything in which flies may breed +are essential; and this is something that can be done even in cities. +Perhaps it can be done more easily in the cities than in villages, on +account of their greater police power and the lesser insistence on the +rights of the individual. Once people are educated to the danger +and learn to find the breeding places, the rest will be easy.</p> + +<p>In spite of what has just been said, it is often necessary to catch or +otherwise destroy adult flies, or to protect food materials from +contamination and persons from annoyance or danger; hence the value +of fly papers and poisons, flytraps, and insect screens.</p> + + +<p class="bcenter"><b>THE USE OF INSECT SCREENS.</b></p> + +<p>A careful screening of windows and doors during the summer +months, with the supplementary use of sticky fly papers, is a +protective measure against house flies known to everyone. As regards +screening, it is only necessary here to emphasize the importance of +keeping food supplies screened or otherwise covered so that flies can +gain no access to them. This applies not only to homes but also to +stores, restaurants, milk shops, and the like. Screening, of course, +will have no effect in decreasing the number of flies, but at least it +has the virtue of lessening the danger of contamination of food.</p> + +<p>Insect screens for doors and windows should be well made and must +fit tightly, otherwise they will not keep insects out. It is equally +important that they be made of good and durable screen cloth. +Copper insect screen cloth, although a little higher in price, will prove +more economical in the long run, as it lasts many years. If, however, +the cost of copper screen cloth is objectionable, steel screen cloth, +either painted or galvanized, can be used. Painted steel screen cloth +will last one or more years without repainting, its durability depend<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9"> -9- </a></span>ing +upon the climate. In humid regions, of course, it will rust more +quickly than it will where the climate is dry. The same may be said +of galvanized steel insect screen cloth.</p> + +<p>Insect screen cloth made with 16 meshes to the inch is recommended, +for 16-mesh screen cloth will keep out flies and most mosquitoes<a name="FNanchor_9_9" id="FNanchor_9_9"></a><a href="#Footnote_9_9" class="fnanchor">[9]</a> and +other small insects which at times are found almost everywhere.</p> + + +<p class="bcenter"><b>FLY PAPERS AND POISONS.</b></p> + +<div class="figleft"><a href="images/8.gif"><img src="images/t8.jpg" class="smimg" alt="Fig. 8.--Conical hoop flytrap side view. A, Hoops forming +frame at bottom. B, Hoops forming frame at top. +C, Top of trap made of barrel head. D, Strips around +door. E, Door frame. F, Screen on door. G, Buttons +holding door. H, Screen on outside of trap. I, Strips +on side of trap between hoops. J, Tips of these strips +projecting to form legs. K, Cone. L, United edges of +screen forming cone. M, Aperture at apex of cone. +(Bishopp.)" title="Fig. 8.--Conical hoop flytrap side view. A, Hoops forming +frame at bottom. B, Hoops forming frame at top. +C, Top of trap made of barrel head. D, Strips around +door. E, Door frame. F, Screen on door. G, Buttons +holding door. H, Screen on outside of trap. I, Strips +on side of trap between hoops. J, Tips of these strips +projecting to form legs. K, Cone. L, United edges of +screen forming cone. M, Aperture at apex of cone. +(Bishopp.)" /></a><br /><p class="caption" style="text-align:left;"><span class="smcap">Fig</span>. 8.— Conical hoop flytrap side view. <i>A</i>, Hoops forming +frame at bottom. <i>B</i>, Hoops forming frame at top. +<i>C</i>, Top of trap made of barrel head. <i>D</i>, Strips around +door. <i>E</i>, Door frame. <i>F</i>, Screen on door. <i>G</i>, Buttons +holding door. <i>H</i>, Screen on outside of trap. <i>I</i>, Strips +on side of trap between hoops. <i>J</i>, Tips of these strips +projecting to form legs. <i>K</i>, Cone. <i>L</i>, United edges of +screen forming cone. <i>M</i>, Aperture at apex of cone. +(Bishopp.)</p></div> + +<p>The use of sticky fly papers to destroy flies that have gained access to +houses is well known. Fly-poison preparations also are common. Many of +the commercial fly poisons contain arsenic, and their use in the +household is attended with considerable danger, especially to children. +This danger is less with the use of a weak solution of formalin. A very +effective fly poison is made by adding 3 teaspoonfuls of the commercial +formalin to a pint of milk or water sweetened with a little brown sugar. +A convenient way of exposing this poison is by partly filling an +ordinary drinking glass with the solution. A saucer or plate is then +lined with white blotting paper cut the size of the dish and placed +bottom up over the glass. The whole is then quickly inverted and a small +match stick placed under the edge of the glass. As the solution +evaporates from the paper more flows out from the glass and thus the +supply is automatically renewed.</p> + + +<p class="bcenter"><b>FLY SPRAYS.</b></p> + +<p>Sprays designed to destroy or repel house flies fill a certain need +in connection with the house-fly problem. No very satisfactory repellent +substances for this insect have been found which are at the +same time adaptable to general use about the home, or places where +foods are handled. Extracts of pyrethrum flowers are now generally +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10"> -10- </a></span>available commercially, and these give fairly good results in the +destruction of house flies in buildings. Most of the sprays of pyrethrum +extract contain kerosene oil as a carrier, and undoubtedly +the kerosene has much to do with the toxicity of the spray. Such +materials are most applicable to buildings which become infested +with flies and which can be readily closed up at night and the air +within thoroughly saturated with the spray by means of an atomizer. +Under such conditions the flies are rather quickly overcome by the +spray and if a sufficient quantity is used they will not revive.</p> + + +<p class="bcenter"><b>FLYTRAPS.</b></p> + +<p>Flytraps may be used to advantage in decreasing the number of +flies. Their use has been advocated not only because of the immediate +results, but because of the chances that the flies may be caught +before they lay eggs, and the number of future generations will be +reduced greatly.</p> + +<p>Many types of flytraps are on the market. As a rule the larger +ones are the more effective. Anyone with a few tools can construct +flytraps for a small part of the price of the ready-made ones. +A trap (fig. 8) which is very effective in catching flies and is easily +made, durable, and cheap, may be made of four barrel hoops, four +laths, a few strips of boxing, and 8½ lineal feet of screening, 24 +inches wide. (For greater details see Farmers' Bulletin 734.)</p> + +<p>The effectiveness of the traps will depend on the selection of baits. +A good bait for catching house flies is 1 part of blackstrap molasses +to 3 parts of water, after the mixture has been allowed to ferment +for a day or two. Overripe or fermenting bananas crushed and +placed in the bait pans give good results, especially with milk +added to them. A mixture of equal parts brown sugar and curd of +sour milk, thoroughly moistened, gives good results after it has +been allowed to stand for three or four days.</p> + + + + +<h2>PREVENTING THE BREEDING OF FLIES.</h2> + + +<p>As previously stated, fly papers, poisons, and traps are at best +only temporary expedients. The most logical method of abating +the fly nuisance is the elimination or treatment of all breeding +places. It would appear from what is known of the life history +and habits of the common house fly that it is perfectly feasible for +cities and towns to reduce the numbers of this annoying and dangerous +insect so greatly as to render it of comparatively slight account. +On farms also, in dairies, and under rural conditions generally, +much can and should be done to control the fly, which here, +as elsewhere, constitutes a very serious menace to health.</p> + + +<p class="bcenter"><b>CONSTRUCTION AND CARE OF STABLES.</b></p> + +<p>In formulating rules for the construction and care of stables and +the disposal of manure the following points must be taken into consideration. +In the first place, the ground of soil-floor stables may +offer a suitable place for the development of fly larvæ . The larvæ +will migrate from the manure to the soil and continue their growth +in the moist ground. This takes place to some extent even when the +manure is removed from the stables every day. Even wooden floors +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11"> -11- </a></span>are not entirely satisfactory unless they are perfectly water-tight, +since larvæ will crawl through the cracks and continue their development +in the moist ground below. Water-tight floors of concrete or +masonry, therefore, are desirable. Flies have been found to breed +in surprising numbers in small accumulations of material in the +corners of feed troughs and mangers, and it is important that such +places be kept clean.</p> + + +<p class="bcenter"><b>FLY-TIGHT MANURE PITS.</b></p> + +<p>The Bureau of Entomology for a number of years has advised +that manure from horse stables be kept in fly-tight pits or bins. +Such pits can be built in or attached to the stable so that manure +can be easily thrown in at the time of cleaning and so constructed +that the manure can be readily removed. It is desirable that the +manure be placed in these fly-proof receptacles as soon as possible +after it is voided. The essential point is that flies be prevented +from reaching the manure, and for this reason the pit or bin must +be tightly constructed, preferably of concrete, and the lid kept closed +except when the manure is being thrown in or removed. The difficulty +has been that manure often becomes infested before it is put +into the container, and flies frequently breed out before it is emptied +and often escape through the cracks. To obviate these difficulties +a manure box or pit with a modified tent trap or cone trap attached +is desirable.</p> + +<p>In order to retain the fertilizing value of manure to the greatest +extent it is advisable that air be excluded from it as much as possible +and that it be protected from the leaching action of rains. This +being the case, there is really no necessity for covering a large portion +of the top of the box with a trap, but merely to have holes large +enough to attract flies to the light, and to cover these holes with ordinary +conical traps, with the legs cut off, so, that the bottoms of the +traps will fit closely to the box. The same arrangement can be made +where manure is kept in a pit. If manure boxes or pits are kept +fly tight they are satisfactory under farm or dairy conditions for +the storage of manure during the busy season when it can not be +hauled out daily.</p> + + +<p class="bcenter"><b>FREQUENCY WITH WHICH MANURE SHOULD BE REMOVED IN CITIES AND TOWNS.</b></p> + +<p>In deciding the question as to how often manure should be removed +in cities and towns, it should be borne in mind that when the +larvæ have finished feeding they will often leave the manure and +pupate in the ground below or crawl some distance away to pupate +in dé bris under boards or stones and the like. Hence the manure +should be removed before the larvæ reach the migratory stage; that +is to say, removal is necessary every three days, and certainly not less +frequently than twice a week during the summer months. A series +of orders issued in 1906 by the health department of the District of +Columbia, on the authority of the Commissioners of the District, +covers most of these points, and these orders, which may well serve +as a model to other communities desiring to undertake similar +measures, may be briefly condensed as follows:</p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12"> -12- </a></span></p> + + +<div class="blockquot"><b>HEALTH OFFICE REGULATIONS FOR CONTROL OF HOUSE FLIES IN CITIES.</b><br /> +<p style="position:relative; text-indent:1.6em; margin-top:0;" >All stalls in which animals are kept shall have the surface of the ground +covered with a water-tight floor. Every person occupying a building where +domestic animals are kept shall maintain in connection therewith a bin or pit +for the reception of manure and, pending the removal from the premises of +the manure from the animal or animals, shall place such manure in said bin +or pit. This bin shall be so constructed as to exclude rain water and shall +in all other respects be water-tight, except as it may be connected with the +public sewer. It shall be provided with a suitable cover and constructed so +as to prevent the ingress and egress of flies. No person owning a stable shall +keep any manure or permit any manure to be kept in or upon any portion of +the premises other than the bin or pit described, nor shall he allow any such +bin or pit to be overfilled or needlessly uncovered. Horse manure may be kept +tightly rammed into well-covered barrels for the purpose of removal in such +barrels. Every person keeping manure in the more densely populated parts +of the District shall cause all such manure to be removed from the premises +at least twice every week between June 1 and October 31, and at least once +every week between November 1 and May 31 of the following year. No person +shall remove or transport any manure over any public highway in any of the +more densely populated parts of the District except in a tight vehicle, which, if +not inclosed, must be effectually covered with canvas, so as to prevent the +manure from being dropped. No person shall deposit manure removed from +the bins or pits within any of the more densely populated parts of the District +without a permit from the health officer. Any person violating any of the provisions +shall, upon conviction thereof, be punished by a fine of not more than +$40 for each offense.</p></div> + +<p>Not only must horse stables be cared for, but chicken yards, piggeries, +and garbage receptacles as well. In cities, with better methods +of disposal of garbage and with the lessening of the number of +horses and horse stables consequent upon electric street railways, +bicycles, and automobiles, the time may come, and before very long, +when window screens may be discarded.</p> + + +<p class="bcenter"><b>DISPOSAL OF MANURE IN RURAL AND SUBURBAN DISTRICTS.</b></p> + +<p>The control of flies in rural and suburban districts offers a much +more difficult problem. Here it is often out of the question to remove +all manure from the premises twice a week, and the problem is to +find some method of disposal or storage which will conserve the +fertilizing value of the manure and at the same time prevent all +flies from breeding, or destroy such as do breed there.</p> + +<p>With this idea in mind, it has been recommended that stable +manure be collected every morning and hauled out at once and spread +rather thinly on the fields. This procedure is advisable from the +point of view of getting the maximum fertilizing value from the +manure. Immediate spreading on the fields is said largely to prevent +the loss of plant food which occurs when manure is allowed to stand +in heaps for a long time. This method will be effective in preventing +the breeding of flies only if the manure is hauled out promptly every +morning and spread thinly so that it will dry, since it is unfavorable +for fly development in desiccated condition. The proper scattering +of the manure on the fields is best and most easily and quickly accomplished +by the use of a manure spreader, and many dairies, and +even farms, are practicing the daily distribution of manure in this +way. Removal every three or four days will not be sufficient. Observations +have shown that if manure becomes flyblown and the +maggots attain a fairly good size before the manure is scattered on +the fields, they can continue their development and will pupate in the +ground.</p> + + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13"> -13- </a></span></p> +<p class="bcenter"><b>CHEMICAL TREATMENT OF MANURE TO DESTROY FLY MAGGOTS.</b></p> + +<p>During the summer months, when fly breeding is going on most +actively, the farmer is also busy and often can not spare the time to +remove manure regularly. The general practice, therefore, has been +to keep the manure in heaps located, as a rule, very near the stables. +How can fly breeding be prevented in such accumulations? As a +result of recent investigations, it is now possible to point out two +methods which are practical and effective.</p> + +<p>The first is the treatment of the manure pile with chemical substances +which will kill the eggs and maggots of the house fly. The +Bureau of Entomology, in cooperation with the Bureau of Chemistry +and the Bureau of Plant Industry, has conducted a series of experiments +in which a large number of chemicals were applied to infested +manure and observations made, not only on their efficiency in killing +the maggots but also as to their effect on the chemical composition and +bacterial flora of the manure. The object was to find some cheap +chemical which would be effective in destroying the fly larvæ and at +the same time would not reduce the fertilizing value of the manure.</p> + + +<p class="bcenter"><b>TREATMENT WITH HELLEBORE.</b></p> + +<p>Of the numerous substances tried, the one which seems best to +fulfill these conditions is powdered hellebore.<a name="FNanchor_10_10" id="FNanchor_10_10"></a><a href="#Footnote_10_10" class="fnanchor">[10]</a> For the treatment of +manure a water extract of the hellebore is prepared by adding ½ +pound of the powder to every 10 gallons of water, and after stirring +it is allowed to stand 24 hours. The mixture thus prepared is +sprinkled over the manure at the rate of 10 gallons to every 8 bushels +(10 cubic feet) of manure. From the result of 12 experiments with +manure piles treated under natural conditions it appears that such +treatment results in the destruction of from 88 to 99 per cent of the +fly larvæ .</p> + +<p>Studies of treated manure indicated that its composition and +rotting were not interfered with. Furthermore, several field tests +showed that there was no apparent injury to growing crops when +fertilized with treated manure.</p> + +<p>Since the solution is somewhat poisonous it should not be left +exposed where it might be drunk by livestock. It is quite safe to +say that chickens will not be injured by pecking at hellebore-treated +manure. This has been tested carefully. Hellebore can be obtained +both in ground and powdered form, but the powder gives the best +results in the destruction of fly larvæ .</p> + + +<p class="bcenter"><b>TREATMENT WITH POWDERED BORAX.</b></p> + +<p>Another chemical found to be even more effective as a larvicide is +powdered borax. This substance is available in commercial form in +all parts of the country. It has the advantage of being comparatively +nonpoisonous and noninflammable and is easily transported +and handled. The minimum amount necessary to kill fly larvæ was +found to be 0.62 pound per 8 bushels of manure, or about 1 pound per +16 cubic feet. Best results were obtained when the borax was applied +in solution, or when water was sprinkled on after the borax had been +scattered evenly over the pile. Borax is not only effective in killing +the larvæ , but when it comes in contact with the eggs it prevents them +from hatching. When applied at the rate of 1 pound to 16 cubic feet +it was found to kill about 90 per cent of the larvæ , heavier applications +killing from 98 to 99 per cent.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14"> -14- </a></span>Borax has no injurious effect on the chemical composition or rotting +of the manure. However, when added in large quantities with manure +to the soil it will cause considerable injury to growing plants. +A number of experiments have been conducted to determine the effect +on crops of the use of manure treated with borax as herein recommended. +When applied at the rate of 15 tons per acre it appears +that no injury as a rule will follow. Some crops are more sensitive +to borax than others, and also the tendency to injury appears to vary +on different soils. It is necessary, therefore, to repeat the warning +issued in connection with a previous bulletin<a name="FNanchor_11_11" id="FNanchor_11_11"></a><a href="#Footnote_11_11" class="fnanchor">[11]</a> on this subject, that +great care be exercised, in the application of borax, that the manure +does not receive more than 1 pound for every 16 cubic feet, and that +not more than 15 tons of manure so treated are applied to the acre.</p> + +<p>In view of the possible injury from the borax treatment as a result +of carelessness in applying it, or from other unforeseen conditions, it +is recommended that horse manure and other farmyard manures +which are to be used as fertilizer be treated with hellebore. Borax, +on the other hand, is such a good larvicide that it call be used with +advantage on the ground of soil-floor stables, in privies, on refuse +piles, and on any accumulations of fermenting organic matter which +are not to be used for fertilizing purposes.</p> + + +<p class="bcenter"><b>TREATMENT WITH CALCIUM CYANAMID AND ACID PHOSPHATE.</b></p> + +<p>Many experiments with mixtures of commercial fertilizers were +tried to determine whether fly larvæ would be killed by any substance +the addition of which would increase the fertilizing value of +the manure. A mixture of calcium cyanamid and acid phosphate +was found to possess considerable larvicidal action. Several experiments +showed that ½ pound of calcium cyanamid plus ½ pound of +acid phosphate to each bushel of manure give an apparent larvicidal +action of 98 per cent. The mixture in the form of a powder was +scattered evenly over the surface and then wet down with water. +The use of this mixture adds to the manure two important elements, +nitrogen and phosphorus.</p> + + +<p class="bcenter"><b>MAGGOT TRAP FOR DESTRUCTION OF FLY LARVÆ FROM HORSE MANURE.</b></p> + +<p>The second method of handling manure is one which does not require +the application of chemicals. It is based on the fact, mentioned +on page 4, that the larvæ of the house fly, a few hours before they +are ready to pupate, show a strong tendency to migrate. This migration +takes place mostly at night, and the larvæ sometimes crawl considerable +distances from the manure pile. Now it is possible by +means of a very simple arrangement called a maggot trap to destroy +fully 99 per cent of all maggots breeding in a given lot of manure. +A successful maggot trap which the Maryland Agricultural College +constructed at the college barn is shown in Figure 9. The trap was +designed by R. H. Hutchison and constructed under his supervision. +The manure, instead of being thrown on the ground, is heaped carefully +on a slatted platform, which stands about 1 foot high. This +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15"> -15- </a></span>particular platform measures 10 by 20 feet. There are six 2 by 4 +pieces running lengthwise 2 feet apart. Across these are nailed +1-inch strips with ½ to 1 inch spaces between them. The wooden +platform stands on a concrete floor, and a rim or wall of concrete +4 inches high surrounds the floor. The floor slopes a little toward +one corner from which a pipe leads to a small cistern near by. This +pipe is plugged with a stopper of soft wood, and the concrete floor +is filled with water to a depth of 1 inch in the shallowest part. Flies +will lay their eggs on the manure as usual, but the maggots, when +they have finished feeding and begin to migrate, crawl out of the +manure, drop into the water below, and are drowned. Each week +the plug is removed from the pipe, and all the maggots are washed +into the cistern. The floor is then cleaned of any solid particles by +means of a long-handled stable broom or by a strong stream of water +from a hose. The pipe being again plugged, the floor is again partly +filled with water and the trap is ready for another week's catch. A +platform of this size will hold the manure accumulating from four +horses during the period of four months, or about 20 days' accumulation +from 25 horses, if the heap is well built and made at least 5 feet +high.</p> + + +<div class="caption center"><a href="images/9.jpg"><img src="images/t9.jpg" class="bimg" +alt="Fig. 9.--A maggot trap for house-fly control. View showing the concrete basin containing +water in which larvæ are drowned, and the wooden platform on which manure is +heaped. (Hutchison.)" title="Fig. 9.--A maggot trap for house-fly control. View showing the concrete basin containing +water in which larvæ are drowned, and the wooden platform on which manure is +heaped. (Hutchison.)" /></a><br /><span class="smcap">Fig</span>. 9. +A maggot trap for house-fly control. View showing the concrete basin containing +water in which larvæ are drowned, and the wooden platform on which manure is +heaped. (Hutchison.)</div> + +<p>Experience with this maggot trap clearly indicates that best results +can be secured if the manure is compactly heaped on the platform +and kept thoroughly moistened. It is best to apply a small amount +of water each morning after the stable cleanings have been added +to the pile. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16"> -16- </a></span>It should be borne in mind that in order to make this trap a success +the platform beneath the pile must be kept comparatively free +of accumulations of manure, and moisture applied regularly to drive +the maggots out.</p> + + +<p class="bcenter"><b>COMPACT HEAPING OF MANURE.</b></p> + +<p>Another method of disposing of manure has been recommended +by English writers. The manure is built up in a compact rectangular +heap, the sides of which are beaten hard with shovels. The +ground around the edges of the heap is made smooth and hard and +loose straw is placed in small windrows around the manure pile +about 1 foot from the edge. The exclusion of the air, together +with the high temperature and gases formed by fermentation, tends +to make the heap unfavorable for the development of fly larvæ . +Those which do happen to develop in the surface layers will migrate +and pupate in the ring of straw around the heap, where they are +destroyed by burning.</p> + + +<p class="bcenter"><b>GARBAGE DISPOSAL AND TREATMENT OF MISCELLANEOUS BREEDING PLACES.</b></p> + +<p>It is just as true under farm conditions as in cities that breeding +places other than horse manure must be attended to. Garbage must +be disposed of, hog and poultry manure must be cared for, and especially +on dairy farms it is extremely important that every precaution +be taken to prevent the contamination of milk by flies.</p> + +<p>It is very desirable that all refuse possible, accumulated from +cities and towns, be burned. Incineration has been practiced successfully +by a number of towns and cities with populations of from +10,000 to 15,000 and over. In larger cities provision should be +made for burning carcasses as well as garbage and other refuse. If +city and town garbage is sold to hog feeders the municipal authorities +should have control of the sanitary conditions about the feeding +yards, as there is great danger from fly breeding in such places if +not kept clean.</p> + + +<p class="bcenter"><b>SEWAGE DISPOSAL IN RELATION TO THE PREVENTION OF FLY-BORNE DISEASES.</b></p> + +<p>In the consideration of these measures we have not touched upon +the remedies for house flies breeding in human excrement. On +account of the danger of the carriage of typhoid fever, the dropping +of human excrement in the open in cities or towns, either in vacant +lots or in dark alleyways, should be made a misdemeanor, and the +same care should be taken by the sanitary authorities to remove or +cover up such depositions as is taken in the removal of the bodies of +dead animals. For modern methods of sewage disposal adapted for +farm use one should consult Department of Agriculture Department +Bulletin No. 57. In the absence of modern methods of sewage disposal, +absolutely sanitary privies are prime necessities, whether in +towns or on farms. Directions for building and caring for such +privies will be found in Farmers' Bulletin 463 and in Yearbook +Separate 712, "Sewage Disposal on the Farm." The box privy is +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17"> -17- </a></span>always a nuisance from many points of view, and is undoubtedly +dangerous as a breeder of flies which may carry the germs of intestinal +diseases. The dry-earth treatment of privies is unsatisfactory. +No box privy should be permitted to exist unless it is thoroughly +and regularly treated with some effective larvicide. Since +the fecal matter in such privies is seldom used for fertilizing purposes +it may well be treated liberally with borax. The powdered +borax may be scattered two or three times a week over the exposed +surface so as to whiten it.</p> + + + + +<h2>WHAT COMMUNITIES CAN DO TO ELIMINATE THE HOUSE FLY.</h2> + + +<p>Antifly crusades have been very numerous in recent years, and +some have been noteworthy both in methods and in results. However, +it will not be amiss here to emphasize the importance of concerted, +organized effort on the part of whole communities, not only +cities, but suburban and rural neighborhoods as well. By the most +painstaking care one may prevent all fly breeding on his premises, +but it will avail him little if his neighbors are not equally careful. +Some sort of cooperation is necessary. One of the first and most +important elements in any antifly crusade is a vigorous and continued +educational campaign. It has been the experience of those +who have undertaken such crusades that people generally regard +the fly as a somewhat harmless nuisance and that the first work of +the campaign was to bring the people to a realization of the dangers +from flies and the possibility of getting rid of them. In the educational +campaign every possible means of publicity can be employed, +including newspapers, lectures, moving pictures, posters, handbills, +cartoons, instruction in schools, etc.</p> + +<p>The antifly crusade is a matter of public interest and should be +supported by the community as a whole and engineered by the health +officers. But health officers can do little toward the necessary work +of inspection and elimination without funds, and therefore the support +of the campaign must manifest itself in increased appropriations +for public-health work. Very often it is lack of funds which +prevents the health officers from taking the initiative in the antifly +crusades, and there must necessarily be much agitation and education +before they can profitably take up the work. Right here lies +a field for civic associations, women's clubs, boards of trade, etc., +to exercise their best energy, initiative, and leadership.</p> + + + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18"> -18- </a></span></p> +<h2>ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE WHEN THIS PUBLICATION WAS LAST PRINTED</h2> + +<table summary="ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE WHEN THIS PUBLICATION WAS LAST PRINTED"> +<tr><td class="roles">Secretary of Agriculture</td><td> <span class="smcap">Arthur M. Hyde.</span></td></tr> +<tr><td>Assistant Secretary</td><td> <span class="smcap">R. W. Dunlap.</span></td></tr> +<tr><td>Director of Scientific Work</td><td> <span class="smcap">A. F. Woods.</span></td></tr> +<tr><td>Director of Regulatory Work</td><td> <span class="smcap">Walter G. Campbell.</span></td></tr> +<tr><td>Director of Extension Work</td><td> <span class="smcap">C. W. Warburton.</span></td></tr> +<tr><td>Director of Personnel and Business Administration</td><td> <span class="smcap">W. W. Stockberger.</span></td></tr> +<tr><td>Director of Information</td><td> <span class="smcap">M. S. Eisenhower.</span></td></tr> +<tr><td>Solicitor</td><td> <span class="smcap">E. L. Marshall.</span></td></tr> +<tr><td>Bureau of Agricultural Economics</td><td> <span class="smcap">Nils A. Olsen</span>, <i>Chief</i>.</td></tr> +<tr><td>Bureau of Agricultural Engineering</td><td> <span class="smcap">S. H. McCrory</span>, <i>Chief</i>.</td></tr> +<tr><td>Bureau of Animal Industry</td><td> <span class="smcap">John R. Mohler</span>, <i>Chief</i>.</td></tr> +<tr><td>Bureau of Biological Survey</td><td> <span class="smcap">Paul G. Redington</span>, <i>Chief</i>.</td></tr> +<tr><td>Bureau of Chemistry and Soils</td><td> <span class="smcap">H. G. Knight</span>, <i>Chief</i>.</td></tr> +<tr><td>Office of Cooperative Extension Work</td><td> <span class="smcap">C. B. Smith</span>, <i>Chief</i>.</td></tr> +<tr><td>Bureau of Dairy Industry</td><td> <span class="smcap">O. E. Reed</span>, <i>Chief</i>.</td></tr> +<tr><td>Bureau of Entomology</td><td> <span class="smcap">C. L. Marlatt</span>, <i>Chief</i>.</td></tr> +<tr><td>Office of Experiment Stations</td><td> <span class="smcap">James T. Jardine</span>, <i>Chief</i>.</td></tr> +<tr><td>Food and Drug Administration</td><td> <span class="smcap">Walter G. Campbell</span>, <i>Director of Regulatory Work, in Charge.</i></td></tr> +<tr><td>Forest Service</td><td> <span class="smcap">R. Y. Stuart</span>, <i>Chief</i>.</td></tr> +<tr><td>Grain Futures Administration</td><td> <span class="smcap">J. W. T. Duvel</span>, <i>Chief</i>.</td></tr> +<tr><td>Bureau of Home Economics</td><td> <span class="smcap">Louise Stanley</span>, <i>Chief</i>.</td></tr> +<tr><td>Library</td><td> <span class="smcap">Claribel R. Barnett</span>, <i>Librarian</i>.</td></tr> +<tr><td>Bureau of Plant Industry</td><td> <span class="smcap">William A. Taylor</span>, <i>Chief</i>.</td></tr> +<tr><td>Bureau of Plant Quarantine</td><td> <span class="smcap">Lee A. Strong</span>, <i>Chief</i>.</td></tr> +<tr><td>Bureau of Public Roads</td><td> <span class="smcap">Thomas H. MacDonald</span>, <i>Chief</i>.</td></tr> +<tr><td>Weather Bureau</td><td> <span class="smcap">Charles F. Marvin</span>, <i>Chief</i>.</td></tr> +</table> + +<p class="center">U. S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1938<br /> +For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, Washington, D. C. Price 5 cents</p> +<hr /> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_1_1" id="Footnote_1_1"></a><a href="#FNanchor_1_1"><span class="label">[1] </span></a> <i>Musca domestica</i> L.</p></div> +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_2_2" id="Footnote_2_2"></a><a href="#FNanchor_2_2"><span class="label">[2] </span></a> <i>Stomoxys calcitrans</i> L.</p></div> +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_3_3" id="Footnote_3_3"></a><a href="#FNanchor_3_3"><span class="label">[3] </span></a> <i>Pollenia rudis</i> Fab.</p></div> +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_4_4" id="Footnote_4_4"></a><a href="#FNanchor_4_4"><span class="label">[4] </span></a> <i>Calliphora erythrocephala</i> Meig.</p></div> +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_5_5" id="Footnote_5_5"></a><a href="#FNanchor_5_5"><span class="label">[5] </span></a> <i>Phormia regina</i> Meig. and <i>P. terrae-novae</i> Desv.</p></div> +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_6_6" id="Footnote_6_6"></a><a href="#FNanchor_6_6"><span class="label">[6] </span></a> <i>Lucilia caesar</i> L., <i>L. sericata</i> Meig., and other species of the genus.</p></div> +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_7_7" id="Footnote_7_7"></a><a href="#FNanchor_7_7"><span class="label">[7] </span></a> <i>Fannia canicularis</i> L.</p></div> +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_8_8" id="Footnote_8_8"></a><a href="#FNanchor_8_8"><span class="label">[8] </span></a> <i>Drosophila ampelophila</i> Loew.</p></div> +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_9_9" id="Footnote_9_9"></a><a href="#FNanchor_9_9"><span class="label">[9] </span></a> Where the yellow fever or dengue fever mosquito occurs, 18-mesh screen cloth (or 16-mesh screen cloth made from extra heavy wire) should be used.</p></div> +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_10_10" id="Footnote_10_10"></a><a href="#FNanchor_10_10"><span class="label">[10] </span></a> <i>Veratrum viride</i> or <i>V. aloum.</i></p></div> +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_11_11" id="Footnote_11_11"></a><a href="#FNanchor_11_11"><span class="label">[11] </span></a> Department Bulletin 118, U. S. Department of Agriculture, p. 25.</p></div> + + +<div style="border:dashed 1px; padding:2em; margin:3em;">Transcriber's note: +footnotes 10 & 11 renumbered to avoid the confusion generated by two footnote 9's. +</div> + +</div> + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The House Fly and How to Suppress It, by +L. O. Howard and F. C. Bishopp + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE HOUSE FLY AND HOW TO *** + +***** This file should be named 18050-h.htm or 18050-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/1/8/0/5/18050/ + +Produced by K.D. 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O. Howard and F. C. Bishopp + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The House Fly and How to Suppress It + U. S. Department of Agriculture Farmers' Bulletin No. 1408 + +Author: L. O. Howard and F. C. Bishopp + +Release Date: March 26, 2006 [EBook #18050] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE HOUSE FLY AND HOW TO *** + + + + +Produced by K.D. Thornton and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE + +FARMERS' BULLETIN No. 1408 + +_The_ HOUSE FLY AND HOW TO SUPPRESS IT + +[Illustration: fly] + +[Illustration: USDA seal] + + + + +The presence of flies is an indication of uncleanliness, insanitary +conditions, and improper disposal of substances in which they breed. +They are not only annoying; they are actually dangerous to health, +because they may carry disease germs to exposed foods. + +It is therefore important to know where and how they breed, and to apply +such knowledge in combating them. This bulletin gives information on +this subject. Besides giving directions for ridding the house of flies +by the use of screens, fly papers, poisons, and flytraps, it lays +especial emphasis on the explanation of methods of eliminating breeding +places and preventing the breeding of flies. + +This bulletin supersedes Farmers' Bulletin 851. + +Washington, D. C. Issued April, 1925; revised November, 1926 + + + + +THE HOUSE FLY[1] AND HOW TO SUPPRESS IT. + +By L. O. HOWARD, _Chief of the Bureau of Entomology_, and F. C. BISHOPP, +_Entomologist_. + + * * * * * + + + CONTENTS. + Page. + Kinds of flies found in houses 1 + Where the true house fly lays its eggs 2 + How the house fly passes the winter 6 + Carriage of disease by the house fly 6 + Excluding and capturing flies 7 + The use of screens 7 + Fly papers and poisons 8 + Fly sprays 8 + Flytraps 9 + Preventing the breeding of flies 9 + Construction and care of stables 9 + Fly-tight manure pits 10 + Frequency with which manure should be removed in cities and towns 10 + Health office regulations for control of house flies in cities 10 + Disposal of manure in rural and suburban districts 11 + Chemical treatment of manure to destroy fly maggots 12 + Maggot trap for destruction of fly larvae from horse manure 13 + Compact heaping of manure 15 + Garbage disposal and treatment of miscellaneous breeding places 15 + Sewage disposal in relation to the prevention of fly-borne diseases 15 + What communities can do to eliminate the house fly 16 + + + * * * * * + + +KINDS OF FLIES FOUND IN HOUSES. + + +Several species of flies are found commonly in houses. Some of them so +closely resemble the true house fly that it requires very careful +observation to distinguish them from it. + +One of these is the biting stable fly[2] (fig. 1). It occurs frequently +in houses and differs from the house fly in the important particular +that its mouth parts are formed for piercing the skin. This fly is so +often mistaken for the house fly that most people think that the house +fly can bite. + +Another frequent visitant of houses, particularly in the spring and +fall, is the cluster fly.[3] It is somewhat larger than the house fly, +and is distinguished by its covering of fine yellowish hairs. +Occasionally this fly occurs in houses in such numbers as to cause great +annoyance. It gets its name of "cluster fly" from its habit of +collecting in compact groups or clusters in protected corners during +cold periods. + +Several species of metallic greenish or bluish flies also are found +occasionally in houses. These include a blue-bottle fly,[4] the black +blowflies,[5] and the green-bottle (fig. 2) flies.[6] They breed in +decaying animal matter. + +[Footnote 1: _Musca domestica_ L.] +[Footnote 2: _Stomoxys calcitrans_ L.] +[Footnote 3: _Pollenia rudis_ Fab.] +[Footnote 4: _Calliphora erythrocephala_ Meig.] +[Footnote 5: _Phormia regina_ Meig. and _P. terrae-novae_ Desv.] +[Footnote 6: _Lucilia caesar_ L., _L. sericata_ Meig., and other species +of the genus.] + +There is still another species, smaller than any of those so far +mentioned, which is sometimes called the "lesser house fly."[7] This +insect is distinguished from the ordinary house fly by its paler and +more pointed body. The male, which is commoner than the female, has +large pale patches at the base of the abdomen, which are translucent +when the fly is seen on the window pane. These little flies are not the +young of the larger flies. Flies do not grow after the wings have once +expanded and dried. + +[Footnote 7: _Fannia canicularis_ L.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 1.--The stable fly. Much enlarged.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 2.--One of the green-bottle flies (_Lucilia +caesar_). Much enlarged.] + +In late summer and autumn many specimens of a small fruit fly, known as +the "vinegar fly,"[8] make their appearance, attracted by the odor of +overripe fruit. + +All of these species, however, are greatly dwarfed in numbers by the +common house fly. In 1900 the senior author made collections of the +flies in dining rooms in different parts of the country, and found that +the true house fly made up 98.8 per cent of the whole number captured. +The remainder comprised various species, including those mentioned +above. + +[Footnote 8: _Drosophila ampelophila_ Loew.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 3.--The true house fly. Enlarged.] + + + + +WHERE THE TRUE HOUSE FLY LAYS ITS EGGS. + + +The true house fly (fig. 3), which is found in nearly all parts of the +world, is a medium-sized fly with four black stripes on the back and a +sharp elbow in one of the veins of the wings. The house fly can not +bite, its mouth parts being spread out at the tip for sucking up liquid +substances. + +The eggs (figs. 4, 5) are laid upon horse manure. This substance seems +to be its favorite larval food. It will breed also in human excrement, +and because of this habit it is very dangerous to the health of human +beings, carrying as it does the germs of intestinal diseases, such as +typhoid fever and cholera, from the excreta to food supplies. It has +also been found to breed freely in hog manure, in considerable numbers +in chicken dung, and to some extent in cow manure. Indeed, it will lay +its eggs on a great variety of decaying vegetable and animal materials, +but of the flies that infest dwelling houses, both in cities and on +farms, a vast proportion come from horse manure. + +[Illustration: FIG. 4.--Eggs of the house fly. About natural size. +(Newstead.)] + +It often happens, however, that this fly is very abundant in localities +where little or no horse manure is found, and in such cases it breeds in +other manure, such as chicken manure in backyard poultry lots, or in +slops or fermenting vegetable material, such as spent hops, moist bran, +ensilage, or rotting potatoes. Accumulations of organic material on the +dumping grounds of towns and cities often produce flies in great +numbers. + +[Illustration: FIG. 5.--Eggs of the house fly. Highly magnified. +(Newstead.)] + +The house fly begins laying eggs in from 2 1/2 to 20 days after +emerging, the time interval depending to a large extent upon +temperature, humidity, and character and abundance of food. The number +of eggs laid by an individual fly at one time ranges from 120 to 159 and +a single female will usually lay two and sometimes four such batches. +Dunn has recently reported that in Panama a fly may deposit as many as +2,367 eggs in 21 batches, and sometimes an interval of only 36 hours may +occur between the deposition of large batches of eggs. The enormous +numbers in which the insects occur are thus plainly accounted for, +especially when the abundance and universal occurrence of appropriate +larval food is considered. The eggs are deposited below the surface in +the cracks and interstices of the manure, several females usually +depositing in one spot, so that the eggs commonly are found in large +clusters (fig. 4) in selected places near the top of the pile, where a +high degree of heat is maintained by the fermentation below. The second +batch of eggs is laid from 8 to 10 days after the first. The eggs +usually hatch in less than 24 hours. Under the most favorable conditions +of temperature and moisture the egg state may last hardly more than 8 +hours. The maggots which issue from the eggs are very small and +transparent. They grow rapidly, completing the growth of the larva stage +in three days under the most favorable conditions, although this stage +usually lasts from 4 to 7 days. The larval period may be prolonged +greatly by low temperature or by dryness or scarcity of the larval food. +As the larvae (fig. 6) attain full size they gradually assume a creamy +white color. A few hours before pupation they become very restless and +migrate from their feeding ground in search of a favorable place in +which to pass the pupa stage. They will often congregate at the edges of +manure piles near the ground or burrow into the soil beneath, or they +may crawl considerable distances away from the pile to pupate in the +ground or in loose material under the edges of stones, boards, etc. + +[Illustration: FIG. 6.--Larvae, or maggots, of the house fly. About +natural size. (Newstead.)] + +The pupae (fig 7), or "sleepers," are more or less barrel shaped and dark +brown in color. In midsummer this stage usually lasts from 3 to 6 days. +The pupa stage is easily affected by temperature changes and may be +prolonged during hibernation for as long as 4 or 5 months. Numerous +rearing experiments in various parts of the country have shown that the +shortest time between the deposition of eggs and the emergence of the +adult fly is 8 days, and 10 and 12 day records were very common. + +The adult fly, upon emerging from the puparium, works its way upward +through the soil or manure and upon reaching the air it crawls about +while its wings expand and the body hardens and assumes its normal +coloration. In from 2 1/2 to 20 days, as previously stated, the female +is ready to deposit eggs. As in the case of other periods of its life +history, so the preoviposition period is prolonged considerably by the +lower temperatures of spring and fall. In midsummer, with a +developmental period of from 8 to 10 days from egg to adult, and a +preoviposition period of from 3 to 4 days, a new generation would be +started every 11 to 14 days. Thus the climate of the District of +Columbia allows abundance of time for the development of from 10 to 12 +generations every season. + +[Illustration: FIG. 7.--Pupae of the house fly. About natural size. +(Newstead.)] + +Flies usually remain near their breeding places if they have plenty of +food, but experiments recently made at Dallas, Tex., show that they may +migrate considerable distances; in fact, house flies, so marked that the +particular individuals could be identified, have been recaptured in +traps as far as 13 miles from the place where they were liberated. + + + + +HOW THE HOUSE FLY PASSES THE WINTER. + + +The prevailing opinion that the house fly lives through the winter as an +adult, hiding in cracks and crevices of buildings, etc., appears to be +erroneous. Under outdoor conditions house flies are killed during the +first really cold nights, that is, when the temperature falls to about +15 deg. or 10 deg. F. In rooms and similar places protected from winds and +partially heated during the winter flies have been kept alive in cages +for long periods, but they never lived through the entire winter. In +longevity experiments one record of 70 days and another of 91 days was +obtained. No uncaged house flies were found during three seasons' +observations in unheated and only partially heated attics, stables, +unused rooms, etc., where favorable temperature conditions prevailed. +The common occurrence in such places of the cluster fly and a few other +species, which may be easily mistaken for the house fly, is responsible +for the prevailing belief as to the way the house fly overwinters. There +is therefore no reliable evidence whatever that adult house flies +emerging during October and November pass the winter and are able to +deposit their eggs the following spring, although they may continue +active in heated buildings until nearly the end of January. On the other +hand, there is evidence that house flies pass the winter as larvae and +pupae, and that they sometimes breed continuously throughout the winter. +In experiments at both Dallas, Tex., and Bethesda, Md., house flies have +been found emerging during April from heavily infested manure heaps +which had been set out and covered with cages during the preceding +autumn. In the Southern States, during warm periods in midwinter, house +flies may emerge and become somewhat troublesome; they frequently lay +eggs on warm days. + +The second way in which the house fly may pass the winter is by +continuous breeding. House flies congregate in heated rooms with the +approach of the winter season. If no food or breeding materials are +present they eventually die. However, where they have access to both +food and suitable substances for egg laying they will continue breeding +just as they do outdoors during the summer. Even in very cold climates +there are undoubtedly many places, especially in cities, where house +flies would have opportunity to pass the winter in this manner. + + + + +CARRIAGE OF DISEASE BY THE HOUSE FLY. + + +The body of the house fly is covered thickly with hairs and bristles of +varying lengths, and this is especially true of the legs. Thus, when it +crawls over infected material it readily becomes loaded with germs, and +subsequent visits to human foods result in their contamination. Even +more dangerous than the transference of germs on the legs and body of +the fly is the fact that bacteria are found in greater numbers and live +longer in its alimentary canal. These germs are voided, not only in the +excrement of the fly, but also in small droplets of regurgitated matter +which have been called "vomit spots." When we realize that flies +frequent and feed upon the most filthy substances (it may be the excreta +of typhoid or dysentery patients or the discharges of one suffering from +tuberculosis), and that subsequently they may contaminate human foods +with their feet or excreta or vomit spots, the necessity and importance +of house-fly control is clear. + +In army camps, in mining camps, and in great public works, where large +numbers of men are brought together for a longer or shorter time, there +is seldom the proper care of excreta, and the carriage of typhoid germs +from the latrines and privies to food by flies is common and often +results in epidemics of typhoid fever. + +And such carriage of typhoid is by no means confined to great temporary +camps. In farmhouses in small communities, and even in badly cared for +portions of large cities, typhoid germs are carried from excrement to +food by flies, and the proper supervision and treatment of the breeding +places of the house fly become most important elements in the prevention +of typhoid. + +In the same way other intestinal germ diseases, such as Asiatic cholera, +dysentery, enteritis (inflammation of the intestine), and infantile +diarrhea, are all so carried. There is strong circumstantial evidence +also that tuberculosis, anthrax, yaws, ophthalmia, smallpox, tropical +sore, and the eggs of parasitic worms may be and are carried in this +way. In the case of over 30 different disease organisms and parasitic +worms, actual laboratory proof exists, and where lacking is replaced by +circumstantial evidence amounting almost to certainty. + + + + +EXCLUDING AND CAPTURING FLIES. + + +The principal effort to control this dangerous insect must be made at +the source of supply--its breeding places. Absolute cleanliness and the +removal or destruction of anything in which flies may breed are +essential; and this is something that can be done even in cities. +Perhaps it can be done more easily in the cities than in villages, on +account of their greater police power and the lesser insistence on the +rights of the individual. Once people are educated to the danger and +learn to find the breeding places, the rest will be easy. + +In spite of what has just been said, it is often necessary to catch or +otherwise destroy adult flies, or to protect food materials from +contamination and persons from annoyance or danger; hence the value of +fly papers and poisons, flytraps, and insect screens. + + +THE USE OF INSECT SCREENS. + +A careful screening of windows and doors during the summer months, with +the supplementary use of sticky fly papers, is a protective measure +against house flies known to everyone. As regards screening, it is only +necessary here to emphasize the importance of keeping food supplies +screened or otherwise covered so that flies can gain no access to them. +This applies not only to homes but also to stores, restaurants, milk +shops, and the like. Screening, of course, will have no effect in +decreasing the number of flies, but at least it has the virtue of +lessening the danger of contamination of food. + +Insect screens for doors and windows should be well made and must fit +tightly, otherwise they will not keep insects out. It is equally +important that they be made of good and durable screen cloth. Copper +insect screen cloth, although a little higher in price, will prove more +economical in the long run, as it lasts many years. If, however, the +cost of copper screen cloth is objectionable, steel screen cloth, either +painted or galvanized, can be used. Painted steel screen cloth will last +one or more years without repainting, its durability depending upon the +climate. In humid regions, of course, it will rust more quickly than it +will where the climate is dry. The same may be said of galvanized steel +insect screen cloth. + +Insect screen cloth made with 16 meshes to the inch is recommended, for +16-mesh screen cloth will keep out flies and most mosquitoes[9] and +other small insects which at times are found almost everywhere. + +[Footnote 9: Where the yellow fever or dengue fever mosquito occurs, +18-mesh screen cloth (or 16-mesh screen cloth made from extra heavy +wire) should be used.] + + +FLY PAPERS AND POISONS. + +[Illustration: FIG. 8.--Conical hoop flytrap side view. _A_, Hoops +forming frame at bottom. _B_, Hoops forming frame at top. _C_, Top of +trap made of barrel head. _D_, Strips around door. _E_, Door frame. _F_, +Screen on door. _G_, Buttons holding door. _H_, Screen on outside of +trap. _I_, Strips on side of trap between hoops. _J_, Tips of these +strips projecting to form legs. _K_, Cone. _L_, United edges of screen +forming cone. _M_, Aperture at apex of cone. (Bishopp.)] + +The use of sticky fly papers to destroy flies that have gained access to +houses is well known. Fly-poison preparations also are common. Many of +the commercial fly poisons contain arsenic, and their use in the +household is attended with considerable danger, especially to children. +This danger is less with the use of a weak solution of formalin. A very +effective fly poison is made by adding 3 teaspoonfuls of the commercial +formalin to a pint of milk or water sweetened with a little brown sugar. +A convenient way of exposing this poison is by partly filling an +ordinary drinking glass with the solution. A saucer or plate is then +lined with white blotting paper cut the size of the dish and placed +bottom up over the glass. The whole is then quickly inverted and a small +match stick placed under the edge of the glass. As the solution +evaporates from the paper more flows out from the glass and thus the +supply is automatically renewed. + + +FLY SPRAYS. + +Sprays designed to destroy or repel house flies fill a certain need in +connection with the house-fly problem. No very satisfactory repellent +substances for this insect have been found which are at the same time +adaptable to general use about the home, or places where foods are +handled. Extracts of pyrethrum flowers are now generally available +commercially, and these give fairly good results in the destruction of +house flies in buildings. Most of the sprays of pyrethrum extract +contain kerosene oil as a carrier, and undoubtedly the kerosene has much +to do with the toxicity of the spray. Such materials are most applicable +to buildings which become infested with flies and which can be readily +closed up at night and the air within thoroughly saturated with the +spray by means of an atomizer. Under such conditions the flies are +rather quickly overcome by the spray and if a sufficient quantity is +used they will not revive. + + +FLYTRAPS. + +Flytraps may be used to advantage in decreasing the number of flies. +Their use has been advocated not only because of the immediate results, +but because of the chances that the flies may be caught before they lay +eggs, and the number of future generations will be reduced greatly. + +Many types of flytraps are on the market. As a rule the larger ones are +the more effective. Anyone with a few tools can construct flytraps for a +small part of the price of the ready-made ones. A trap (fig. 8) which is +very effective in catching flies and is easily made, durable, and cheap, +may be made of four barrel hoops, four laths, a few strips of boxing, +and 8 1/2 lineal feet of screening, 24 inches wide. (For greater details +see Farmers' Bulletin 734.) + +The effectiveness of the traps will depend on the selection of baits. A +good bait for catching house flies is 1 part of blackstrap molasses to 3 +parts of water, after the mixture has been allowed to ferment for a day +or two. Overripe or fermenting bananas crushed and placed in the bait +pans give good results, especially with milk added to them. A mixture of +equal parts brown sugar and curd of sour milk, thoroughly moistened, +gives good results after it has been allowed to stand for three or four +days. + + + + +PREVENTING THE BREEDING OF FLIES. + + +As previously stated, fly papers, poisons, and traps are at best only +temporary expedients. The most logical method of abating the fly +nuisance is the elimination or treatment of all breeding places. It +would appear from what is known of the life history and habits of the +common house fly that it is perfectly feasible for cities and towns to +reduce the numbers of this annoying and dangerous insect so greatly as +to render it of comparatively slight account. On farms also, in dairies, +and under rural conditions generally, much can and should be done to +control the fly, which here, as elsewhere, constitutes a very serious +menace to health. + + +CONSTRUCTION AND CARE OF STABLES. + +In formulating rules for the construction and care of stables and the +disposal of manure the following points must be taken into +consideration. In the first place, the ground of soil-floor stables may +offer a suitable place for the development of fly larvae. The larvae will +migrate from the manure to the soil and continue their growth in the +moist ground. This takes place to some extent even when the manure is +removed from the stables every day. Even wooden floors are not entirely +satisfactory unless they are perfectly water-tight, since larvae will +crawl through the cracks and continue their development in the moist +ground below. Water-tight floors of concrete or masonry, therefore, are +desirable. Flies have been found to breed in surprising numbers in small +accumulations of material in the corners of feed troughs and mangers, +and it is important that such places be kept clean. + + +FLY-TIGHT MANURE PITS. + +The Bureau of Entomology for a number of years has advised that manure +from horse stables be kept in fly-tight pits or bins. Such pits can be +built in or attached to the stable so that manure can be easily thrown +in at the time of cleaning and so constructed that the manure can be +readily removed. It is desirable that the manure be placed in these +fly-proof receptacles as soon as possible after it is voided. The +essential point is that flies be prevented from reaching the manure, and +for this reason the pit or bin must be tightly constructed, preferably +of concrete, and the lid kept closed except when the manure is being +thrown in or removed. The difficulty has been that manure often becomes +infested before it is put into the container, and flies frequently breed +out before it is emptied and often escape through the cracks. To obviate +these difficulties a manure box or pit with a modified tent trap or cone +trap attached is desirable. + +In order to retain the fertilizing value of manure to the greatest +extent it is advisable that air be excluded from it as much as possible +and that it be protected from the leaching action of rains. This being +the case, there is really no necessity for covering a large portion of +the top of the box with a trap, but merely to have holes large enough to +attract flies to the light, and to cover these holes with ordinary +conical traps, with the legs cut off, so, that the bottoms of the traps +will fit closely to the box. The same arrangement can be made where +manure is kept in a pit. If manure boxes or pits are kept fly tight they +are satisfactory under farm or dairy conditions for the storage of +manure during the busy season when it can not be hauled out daily. + + +FREQUENCY WITH WHICH MANURE SHOULD BE REMOVED IN CITIES AND TOWNS. + +In deciding the question as to how often manure should be removed in +cities and towns, it should be borne in mind that when the larvae have +finished feeding they will often leave the manure and pupate in the +ground below or crawl some distance away to pupate in debris under +boards or stones and the like. Hence the manure should be removed before +the larvae reach the migratory stage; that is to say, removal is +necessary every three days, and certainly not less frequently than twice +a week during the summer months. A series of orders issued in 1906 by +the health department of the District of Columbia, on the authority of +the Commissioners of the District, covers most of these points, and +these orders, which may well serve as a model to other communities +desiring to undertake similar measures, may be briefly condensed as +follows: + + + HEALTH OFFICE REGULATIONS FOR CONTROL OF HOUSE FLIES IN CITIES. + + All stalls in which animals are kept shall have the surface of the + ground covered with a water-tight floor. Every person occupying a + building where domestic animals are kept shall maintain in + connection therewith a bin or pit for the reception of manure and, + pending the removal from the premises of the manure from the animal + or animals, shall place such manure in said bin or pit. This bin + shall be so constructed as to exclude rain water and shall in all + other respects be water-tight, except as it may be connected with + the public sewer. It shall be provided with a suitable cover and + constructed so as to prevent the ingress and egress of flies. No + person owning a stable shall keep any manure or permit any manure + to be kept in or upon any portion of the premises other than the + bin or pit described, nor shall he allow any such bin or pit to be + overfilled or needlessly uncovered. Horse manure may be kept + tightly rammed into well-covered barrels for the purpose of removal + in such barrels. Every person keeping manure in the more densely + populated parts of the District shall cause all such manure to be + removed from the premises at least twice every week between June 1 + and October 31, and at least once every week between November 1 and + May 31 of the following year. No person shall remove or transport + any manure over any public highway in any of the more densely + populated parts of the District except in a tight vehicle, which, + if not inclosed, must be effectually covered with canvas, so as to + prevent the manure from being dropped. No person shall deposit + manure removed from the bins or pits within any of the more densely + populated parts of the District without a permit from the health + officer. Any person violating any of the provisions shall, upon + conviction thereof, be punished by a fine of not more than $40 for + each offense. + +Not only must horse stables be cared for, but chicken yards, piggeries, +and garbage receptacles as well. In cities, with better methods of +disposal of garbage and with the lessening of the number of horses and +horse stables consequent upon electric street railways, bicycles, and +automobiles, the time may come, and before very long, when window +screens may be discarded. + + +DISPOSAL OF MANURE IN RURAL AND SUBURBAN DISTRICTS. + +The control of flies in rural and suburban districts offers a much more +difficult problem. Here it is often out of the question to remove all +manure from the premises twice a week, and the problem is to find some +method of disposal or storage which will conserve the fertilizing value +of the manure and at the same time prevent all flies from breeding, or +destroy such as do breed there. + +With this idea in mind, it has been recommended that stable manure be +collected every morning and hauled out at once and spread rather thinly +on the fields. This procedure is advisable from the point of view of +getting the maximum fertilizing value from the manure. Immediate +spreading on the fields is said largely to prevent the loss of plant +food which occurs when manure is allowed to stand in heaps for a long +time. This method will be effective in preventing the breeding of flies +only if the manure is hauled out promptly every morning and spread +thinly so that it will dry, since it is unfavorable for fly development +in desiccated condition. The proper scattering of the manure on the +fields is best and most easily and quickly accomplished by the use of a +manure spreader, and many dairies, and even farms, are practicing the +daily distribution of manure in this way. Removal every three or four +days will not be sufficient. Observations have shown that if manure +becomes flyblown and the maggots attain a fairly good size before the +manure is scattered on the fields, they can continue their development +and will pupate in the ground. + + +CHEMICAL TREATMENT OF MANURE TO DESTROY FLY MAGGOTS. + +During the summer months, when fly breeding is going on most actively, +the farmer is also busy and often can not spare the time to remove +manure regularly. The general practice, therefore, has been to keep the +manure in heaps located, as a rule, very near the stables. How can fly +breeding be prevented in such accumulations? As a result of recent +investigations, it is now possible to point out two methods which are +practical and effective. + +The first is the treatment of the manure pile with chemical substances +which will kill the eggs and maggots of the house fly. The Bureau of +Entomology, in cooperation with the Bureau of Chemistry and the Bureau +of Plant Industry, has conducted a series of experiments in which a +large number of chemicals were applied to infested manure and +observations made, not only on their efficiency in killing the maggots +but also as to their effect on the chemical composition and bacterial +flora of the manure. The object was to find some cheap chemical which +would be effective in destroying the fly larvae and at the same time +would not reduce the fertilizing value of the manure. + + +TREATMENT WITH HELLEBORE. + +Of the numerous substances tried, the one which seems best to fulfill +these conditions is powdered hellebore.[10] For the treatment of manure a +water extract of the hellebore is prepared by adding 1/2 pound of the +powder to every 10 gallons of water, and after stirring it is allowed to +stand 24 hours. The mixture thus prepared is sprinkled over the manure +at the rate of 10 gallons to every 8 bushels (10 cubic feet) of manure. +From the result of 12 experiments with manure piles treated under +natural conditions it appears that such treatment results in the +destruction of from 88 to 99 per cent of the fly larvae. + +Studies of treated manure indicated that its composition and rotting +were not interfered with. Furthermore, several field tests showed that +there was no apparent injury to growing crops when fertilized with +treated manure. + +Since the solution is somewhat poisonous it should not be left exposed +where it might be drunk by livestock. It is quite safe to say that +chickens will not be injured by pecking at hellebore-treated manure. +This has been tested carefully. Hellebore can be obtained both in ground +and powdered form, but the powder gives the best results in the +destruction of fly larvae. + +[Footnote 10: _Veratrum viride_ or _V. aloum_.] + + +TREATMENT WITH POWDERED BORAX. + +Another chemical found to be even more effective as a larvicide is +powdered borax. This substance is available in commercial form in all +parts of the country. It has the advantage of being comparatively +nonpoisonous and noninflammable and is easily transported and handled. +The minimum amount necessary to kill fly larvae was found to be 0.62 +pound per 8 bushels of manure, or about 1 pound per 16 cubic feet. Best +results were obtained when the borax was applied in solution, or when +water was sprinkled on after the borax had been scattered evenly over +the pile. Borax is not only effective in killing the larvae, but when it +comes in contact with the eggs it prevents them from hatching. When +applied at the rate of 1 pound to 16 cubic feet it was found to kill +about 90 per cent of the larvae, heavier applications killing from 98 to +99 per cent. + +Borax has no injurious effect on the chemical composition or rotting of +the manure. However, when added in large quantities with manure to the +soil it will cause considerable injury to growing plants. A number of +experiments have been conducted to determine the effect on crops of the +use of manure treated with borax as herein recommended. When applied at +the rate of 15 tons per acre it appears that no injury as a rule will +follow. Some crops are more sensitive to borax than others, and also the +tendency to injury appears to vary on different soils. It is necessary, +therefore, to repeat the warning issued in connection with a previous +bulletin[11] on this subject, that great care be exercised, in the +application of borax, that the manure does not receive more than 1 pound +for every 16 cubic feet, and that not more than 15 tons of manure so +treated are applied to the acre. + +In view of the possible injury from the borax treatment as a result of +carelessness in applying it, or from other unforeseen conditions, it is +recommended that horse manure and other farmyard manures which are to be +used as fertilizer be treated with hellebore. Borax, on the other hand, +is such a good larvicide that it call be used with advantage on the +ground of soil-floor stables, in privies, on refuse piles, and on any +accumulations of fermenting organic matter which are not to be used for +fertilizing purposes. + +[Footnote 11: Department Bulletin 118, U. S. Department of Agriculture, +p. 25.] + + +TREATMENT WITH CALCIUM CYANAMID AND ACID PHOSPHATE. + +Many experiments with mixtures of commercial fertilizers were tried to +determine whether fly larvae would be killed by any substance the +addition of which would increase the fertilizing value of the manure. A +mixture of calcium cyanamid and acid phosphate was found to possess +considerable larvicidal action. Several experiments showed that 1/2 +pound of calcium cyanamid plus 1/2 pound of acid phosphate to each +bushel of manure give an apparent larvicidal action of 98 per cent. The +mixture in the form of a powder was scattered evenly over the surface +and then wet down with water. The use of this mixture adds to the manure +two important elements, nitrogen and phosphorus. + + +MAGGOT TRAP FOR DESTRUCTION OF FLY LARVAE FROM HORSE MANURE. + +The second method of handling manure is one which does not require the +application of chemicals. It is based on the fact, mentioned on page 4, +that the larvae of the house fly, a few hours before they are ready to +pupate, show a strong tendency to migrate. This migration takes place +mostly at night, and the larvae sometimes crawl considerable distances +from the manure pile. Now it is possible by means of a very simple +arrangement called a maggot trap to destroy fully 99 per cent of all +maggots breeding in a given lot of manure. A successful maggot trap +which the Maryland Agricultural College constructed at the college barn +is shown in Figure 9. The trap was designed by R. H. Hutchison and +constructed under his supervision. The manure, instead of being thrown +on the ground, is heaped carefully on a slatted platform, which stands +about 1 foot high. This particular platform measures 10 by 20 feet. +There are six 2 by 4 pieces running lengthwise 2 feet apart. Across +these are nailed 1-inch strips with 1/2 to 1 inch spaces between them. +The wooden platform stands on a concrete floor, and a rim or wall of +concrete 4 inches high surrounds the floor. The floor slopes a little +toward one corner from which a pipe leads to a small cistern near by. +This pipe is plugged with a stopper of soft wood, and the concrete floor +is filled with water to a depth of 1 inch in the shallowest part. Flies +will lay their eggs on the manure as usual, but the maggots, when they +have finished feeding and begin to migrate, crawl out of the manure, +drop into the water below, and are drowned. Each week the plug is +removed from the pipe, and all the maggots are washed into the cistern. +The floor is then cleaned of any solid particles by means of a +long-handled stable broom or by a strong stream of water from a hose. +The pipe being again plugged, the floor is again partly filled with +water and the trap is ready for another week's catch. A platform of this +size will hold the manure accumulating from four horses during the +period of four months, or about 20 days' accumulation from 25 horses, if +the heap is well built and made at least 5 feet high. + +[Illustration: FIG. 9. A maggot trap for house-fly control. View showing +the concrete basin containing water in which larvae are drowned, and the +wooden platform on which manure is heaped. (Hutchison.)] + +Experience with this maggot trap clearly indicates that best results can +be secured if the manure is compactly heaped on the platform and kept +thoroughly moistened. It is best to apply a small amount of water each +morning after the stable cleanings have been added to the pile. It +should be borne in mind that in order to make this trap a success the +platform beneath the pile must be kept comparatively free of +accumulations of manure, and moisture applied regularly to drive the +maggots out. + + +COMPACT HEAPING OF MANURE. + +Another method of disposing of manure has been recommended by English +writers. The manure is built up in a compact rectangular heap, the sides +of which are beaten hard with shovels. The ground around the edges of +the heap is made smooth and hard and loose straw is placed in small +windrows around the manure pile about 1 foot from the edge. The +exclusion of the air, together with the high temperature and gases +formed by fermentation, tends to make the heap unfavorable for the +development of fly larvae. Those which do happen to develop in the +surface layers will migrate and pupate in the ring of straw around the +heap, where they are destroyed by burning. + + +GARBAGE DISPOSAL AND TREATMENT OF MISCELLANEOUS BREEDING PLACES. + +It is just as true under farm conditions as in cities that breeding +places other than horse manure must be attended to. Garbage must be +disposed of, hog and poultry manure must be cared for, and especially on +dairy farms it is extremely important that every precaution be taken to +prevent the contamination of milk by flies. + +It is very desirable that all refuse possible, accumulated from cities +and towns, be burned. Incineration has been practiced successfully by a +number of towns and cities with populations of from 10,000 to 15,000 and +over. In larger cities provision should be made for burning carcasses as +well as garbage and other refuse. If city and town garbage is sold to +hog feeders the municipal authorities should have control of the +sanitary conditions about the feeding yards, as there is great danger +from fly breeding in such places if not kept clean. + + +SEWAGE DISPOSAL IN RELATION TO THE PREVENTION OF FLY-BORNE DISEASES. + +In the consideration of these measures we have not touched upon the +remedies for house flies breeding in human excrement. On account of the +danger of the carriage of typhoid fever, the dropping of human excrement +in the open in cities or towns, either in vacant lots or in dark +alleyways, should be made a misdemeanor, and the same care should be +taken by the sanitary authorities to remove or cover up such depositions +as is taken in the removal of the bodies of dead animals. For modern +methods of sewage disposal adapted for farm use one should consult +Department of Agriculture Department Bulletin No. 57. In the absence of +modern methods of sewage disposal, absolutely sanitary privies are prime +necessities, whether in towns or on farms. Directions for building and +caring for such privies will be found in Farmers' Bulletin 463 and in +Yearbook Separate 712, "Sewage Disposal on the Farm." The box privy is +always a nuisance from many points of view, and is undoubtedly dangerous +as a breeder of flies which may carry the germs of intestinal diseases. +The dry-earth treatment of privies is unsatisfactory. No box privy +should be permitted to exist unless it is thoroughly and regularly +treated with some effective larvicide. Since the fecal matter in such +privies is seldom used for fertilizing purposes it may well be treated +liberally with borax. The powdered borax may be scattered two or three +times a week over the exposed surface so as to whiten it. + + + + +WHAT COMMUNITIES CAN DO TO ELIMINATE THE HOUSE FLY. + + +Antifly crusades have been very numerous in recent years, and some have +been noteworthy both in methods and in results. However, it will not be +amiss here to emphasize the importance of concerted, organized effort on +the part of whole communities, not only cities, but suburban and rural +neighborhoods as well. By the most painstaking care one may prevent all +fly breeding on his premises, but it will avail him little if his +neighbors are not equally careful. Some sort of cooperation is +necessary. One of the first and most important elements in any antifly +crusade is a vigorous and continued educational campaign. It has been +the experience of those who have undertaken such crusades that people +generally regard the fly as a somewhat harmless nuisance and that the +first work of the campaign was to bring the people to a realization of +the dangers from flies and the possibility of getting rid of them. In +the educational campaign every possible means of publicity can be +employed, including newspapers, lectures, moving pictures, posters, +handbills, cartoons, instruction in schools, etc. + +The antifly crusade is a matter of public interest and should be +supported by the community as a whole and engineered by the health +officers. But health officers can do little toward the necessary work of +inspection and elimination without funds, and therefore the support of +the campaign must manifest itself in increased appropriations for +public-health work. Very often it is lack of funds which prevents the +health officers from taking the initiative in the antifly crusades, and +there must necessarily be much agitation and education before they can +profitably take up the work. Right here lies a field for civic +associations, women's clubs, boards of trade, etc., to exercise their +best energy, initiative, and leadership. + + + + +ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE WHEN THIS +PUBLICATION WAS LAST PRINTED + + _Secretary of Agriculture_ ARTHUR M. HYDE. + + _Assistant Secretary_ R. W. DUNLAP. + + _Director of Scientific Work_ A. F. WOODS. + + _Director of Regulatory Work_ WALTER G. CAMPBELL. + + _Director of Extension Work_ C. W. WARBURTON. + + _Director of Personnel and Business + Administration_ W. W. STOCKBERGER. + + _Director of Information_ M. S. EISENHOWER. + + _Solicitor_ E. L. MARSHALL. + + _Bureau of Agricultural Economics_ NILS A. OLSEN, _Chief_. + + _Bureau of Agricultural Engineering_ S. H. MCCRORY, _Chief_. + + _Bureau of Animal Industry_ JOHN R. MOHLER, _Chief_. + + _Bureau of Biological Survey_ PAUL G. REDINGTON, _Chief_. + + _Bureau of Chemistry and Soils_ H. G. KNIGHT, _Chief_. + + _Office of Cooperative Extension Work_ C. B. SMITH, _Chief_. + + _Bureau of Dairy Industry_ O. E. REED, _Chief_. + + _Bureau of Entomology_ C. L. MARLATT, _Chief_. + + _Office of Experiment Stations_ JAMES T. JARDINE, _Chief_. + + _Food and Drug Administration_ WALTER G. CAMPBELL, _Director_ + _of Regulatory Work, in Charge._ + + _Forest Service_ R. Y. STUART, _Chief_. + + _Grain Futures Administration_ J. W. T. DUVEL, _Chief_. + + _Bureau of Home Economics_ LOUISE STANLEY, _Chief_. + + _Library_ CLARIBEL R. BARNETT, _Librarian_. + + _Bureau of Plant Industry_ WILLIAM A. TAYLOR, _Chief_. + + _Bureau of Plant Quarantine_ LEE A. STRONG, _Chief_. + + _Bureau of Public Roads_ THOMAS H. MACDONALD, _Chief_. + + _Weather Bureau_ CHARLES F. MARVIN, _Chief_. + + +U. S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1938 + + +For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, Washington, D. C. +Price 5 cents + + +[Transcriber's Note: +Footnotes 10 & 11 renumbered to avoid the confusion generated +by two footnote 9's.] + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The House Fly and How to Suppress It, by +L. O. Howard and F. C. Bishopp + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE HOUSE FLY AND HOW TO *** + +***** This file should be named 18050.txt or 18050.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/1/8/0/5/18050/ + +Produced by K.D. 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