Longevity, feeding behavior, and egg production of adult house flies (Diptera: Muscidae) provided with potential foods on dairy farms

Authors: GRIMENSTEIN, ANNA - Northern Illinois University; DOYLE, MELISSA - US Department Of Agriculture (USDA); KING, BETHIA - Northern Illinois University; Geden, Christopher

Submitted to: Journal of Insect Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/28/2025
Publication Date: 5/9/2025
Citation: Grimenstein, A.E., Doyle, M.A., King, B.H., Geden, C.J. 2025. Longevity, feeding behavior, and egg production of adult house flies (Diptera: Muscidae) provided with potential foods on dairy farms. Journal of Insect Science. 25(3). https://doi.org/10.1093/jisesa/ieaf045.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/jisesa/ieaf045

Interpretive Summary: House flies (Musca domestica L.) are important global pests in livestock facilities, as adult flies lay eggs in rotting organic matter such as manure and can transmit a wide range of disease-causing pathogens to humans and animals. While it is understood that the diet an adult fly receives can affect biological parameters, studies of foods accessible to house flies in their natural habitat are relatively few. The present study, conducted by scientists at Northern Illinois University and USDA, ARS, CMAVE (Gainesville, FL), examined the longevity, feeding duration, ovarian development, and egg production of adult house flies given different foods they might have access to on an US dairy farm. Longevity for male and female house flies given sucrose, buckwheat, or milk was higher than longevity for males and females given water. Female flies given silage also lived longer than females given water. For female flies, relative to a water diet, NHF feed, BeefMax, sorghum, soy, and CalfManna increased longevity, whereas hominy, wet brewers’ grain, citrus pellets, and calf manure did not. Both male and female flies spent more time feeding from sucrose, silage, dandelion, and buckwheat than from manure or white clover. Females given buckwheat produced less eggs both per day and over 7 d than females given sucrose or milk. Relative to a water diet, ovarian development to stage 4 was increased by Lab Diet, calf manure, CalfManna, BeefMax, NFH Feed, wet brewers’ grain, and calf manure; but not by hominy, sorghum, or citrus pellets. These results can be used to limit fly access to foods that substantially their likelihood of survival and reproduction.

Technical Abstract: House flies (Musca domestica L.) are an important pest in livestock facilities, as adult flies lay eggs in rotting organic matter such as manure. While it is understood that the diet an adult fly receives can affect biological parameters, studies of foods accessible to house flies in their natural habitat are relatively few. The present study examined the longevity, feeding duration, ovarian development, and egg production of adult house flies given different foods they might have access to on an USA dairy farm. Longevity for male and female house flies given sucrose, buckwheat, or milk was higher than longevity for males and females given water. Female flies given silage also lived longer than females given water. For female flies, relative to a water diet, NHF feed, BeefMax, sorghum, soy, and CalfManna increased longevity, whereas hominy, wet brewers’ grain, citrus pellets, and calf manure did not. Both male and female flies spent more time feeding from sucrose, silage, dandelion, and buckwheat than from manure or white clover. Females given buckwheat produced less eggs both per day and over 7 d than females given sucrose or milk. Relative to a water diet, ovarian development to stage 4 was increased by Lab Diet, calf manure, CalfManna, BeefMax, NFH Feed, wet brewers’ grain, and calf manure; but not by hominy, sorghum, or citrus pellets.