What Are Different Types of Flies?

What Are Different Types of Flies?

Flies are some of the most common insects, with over 100,000 different species described throughout the world. Of the order Diptera, flies can range in size from 0.3 mm to over 2 inches long and come in all sorts of shapes and colors. But what defines a true fly? Are there categories of flies? Which ones are dangerous? Find out the differences between the many types of flies and what to do if you have a fly problem in or around your home. 

WHAT IS A TRUE FLY?

While many insects are called “flies,” a true fly of the order Diptera has some distinguishing features:

  • ONE PAIR OF WINGS 

True flies only use one pair of wings in order to fly. This is one of the easiest ways to distinguish flies from other insects like dragonflies, bees, wasps, and moths. 

  • HALTERES ORGANS 

In place of a second set of wings, flies have small balancing organs called halteres. These sometimes resemble smaller wings but can also look like appendages.  

  • COMPOUND EYES 

Flies have compound eyes, which means they see through multiple input lenses at once and have a fast reaction time.

TWO MAIN CATEGORIES OF FLIES

Within the Diptera order, scientists often classify flies into two main suborders: 

  • NEMATOCERA

Members of the Nematocera suborder of flies have elongated bodies, longer antenna segments, and larvae that are usually aquatic. The Nematocera suborder contains fly families like mosquitoes, gnats, and midges.

  • BRACHYCERA

The Brachycera suborder includes flies with shorter bodies and antennae. It includes common houseflies, fruit flies, and horseflies. This suborder is what most people think of when talking about flies.

ARE THERE DIFFERENT TYPES OF FLIES?

There are hundreds of thousands of fly species in the Diptera order. This massive group can be broken down into several different types of flies based on their habitat, behavior, and appearance. The main types of flies that interact with humans on a regular basis are filth flies, small indoor flies, biting flies, and mosquitoes. 

FILTH FLIES

Filth flies are flies that breed in waste, such as garbage or human and animal feces. Because of these unsanitary environments, filth flies often carry disease and contaminate human food and surfaces. Filth flies don’t bite people because their mouthparts are designed for sucking up liquid, not piercing skin. 

  • COMMON HOUSEFLIES

Common houseflies are brown or black in color, have stripes and hair on the thorax, and measure around ½ inch long. They tend to congregate indoors in the summer months when they’re looking for food sources and are ready to breed. 

Female houseflies can lay over 100 eggs at a time in waste areas like garbage cans and animal feces in the yard. It only takes about a day for these eggs to hatch. Housefly larvae are small, white maggots that squirm around, feeding in waste areas, until they’re able to pupate and eventually develop into adult flies. It takes a few days for maggots to become fully reproductive adults.

  • BLOWFLIES

Blowflies are larger than common houseflies and have shiny metallic green or blue bodies. The most common blowflies are greenbottle and bluebottle flies (named for their appearance similar to colorful glass bottles). These flies make a loud droning sound when they fly and feed mainly on animal feces and dead animals. 

If you notice a large number of blowflies indoors, there may be a dead animal somewhere in or near your house. They may be congregating to feed on a decaying pest like a rat or mouse for example. 

  • FLESH FLIES

Flesh flies are also larger than common houseflies and usually have three distinct stripes on their body. Unlike common houseflies and blowflies, flesh flies carry their eggs with them until they’re ready to hatch. They then deposit live larvae onto food sources like rotting meat, manure, or animal feces.

The red-tailed flesh fly (Sarcophaga haemorrhoidalis) is one of the more common species and is known to cause gastrointestinal myiasis in animals and occasionally in humans. Children and the elderly are more likely to encounter this phenomenon in which larvae hatch and feed on living tissue inside the body. Myiasis is identified when live larvae are found in feces. 

SMALL INDOOR FLIES

The most common small indoor flies are fruit flies, drain flies, and fungus gnats. All three of these fly types feed on organic matter, can be found in the kitchen or bathroom, and breed in large numbers—that’s why they’re often confused for one another. However, there are some key differences between these flies.

  • FRUIT FLIES

Fruit flies are light brown in color, have red or white eyes, and are much smaller than common houseflies. Fruit flies often enter homes through produce that is already infested with fruit fly eggs. 

Fruit flies are considered filth flies because they carry disease and often breed in garbage cans, slime made from organic matter, and overripe fruit.

  • DRAIN FLIES

Drain flies are brown or gray in color, small like fruit flies (about ⅕ inch long), and have distinctive fur on their body and wings, which is why they’re also known as “moth flies.” Drain flies can easily become a nuisance both indoors and out as they breed in sewers, drain pipes, plumbing, and garbage. 

If you have a debris buildup in your kitchen or bathroom pipes at home, you may see a sudden infestation of drain flies as they feed on and breed in the organic matter.

  • FUNGUS GNATS

Fungus gnats have more slender bodies (like a mosquito), which is why they fit into the Nematocera suborder. These flies are tiny, brown or black in color, and usually show up around decaying plant matter. 

BITING FLIES

Biting flies are not commonly found indoors, but they can be a nuisance to humans who encounter them outside. Biting flies have piercing mouthparts and feed on host blood. 

  • STABLE FLIES

The stable fly typically feeds on the blood of horses and cows, and both male and female stable flies bite. These flies are similar in size to common houseflies but have distinctive stripes and black spots on their bodies. 

  • HORSEFLIES AND DEERFLIES

Both of these flies are from the family Tabanidae and are found almost everywhere throughout the world. In both species, the females feed on the blood of humans and mammals, inflicting a painful bite that often leaves the skin irritated. Deerflies are about ¼ inch long, while horseflies are some of the largest biting flies, measuring over 1 inch long at times. 

  • BITING MIDGES

These tiny grayish flies are a big nuisance to both humans and animals all over the world. Biting midges are also known as “no-see-ums” and “punkies” or “moose flies” in Canada. In order to suck their host’s blood, biting midges inflict a sharp bite with a lingering burning sensation. Biting midges also transmit bluetongue virus, a serious livestock disease, in the United States.

  • SAND FLIES

These tiny flies are found in sandy climates all over the world, and their bite can be very dangerous to humans. Sand flies carry the parasitic disease known as leishmaniasis which causes sores and skin lesions.

  • BLACKFLIES

Blackflies breed in clean, running water since their larvae are aquatic. Several species of blackflies bite humans as well as other mammals and feed on the host’s blood. These flies are relatively small—about ⅛ inch long—and are also known as buffalo gnats.

MOSQUITOES

Although most people don’t think about mosquitoes as a type of fly, these insects do in fact belong to the same Diptera order—making them true flies. They fly with one set of wings and have halteres organs and compound eyes. 

Mosquitoes have elongated tube-like piercing mouthparts, lay eggs in water, and feed on host blood. They mainly live outdoors, but they can often find their way indoors as well.

These flies are a nuisance across the globe, but they particularly thrive in warmer, humid climates. Mosquito bites cause redness and itching and can transmit diseases like yellow fever, dengue fever, malaria, and Zika virus. 

HOW TO GET RID OF FLIES

The best way to get rid of flies in or around your home is to call your pest control provider for help. Many flies carry diseases and can be difficult to get rid of, which is why it’s best to have the help of professionals. 

In the meantime, try these tips to strengthen your defenses against flies:

GETTING RID OF FLIES INDOORS

  • REMOVE FOOD SOURCES

Any time food is left out, unsealed, or not properly stored, flies are much more likely to enter your home. Be sure to always place food in airtight containers, and avoid leaving scraps of food in the sink overnight. This applies to pet food as well—cat or dog food stored in an open bag is an invitation to flies and many other pests.

To avoid fruit flies, wash produce, store items in the fridge, and try to eat or dispose of fruit and vegetables before they become overripe. 

  • MANAGE TRASH

Always use trash cans with lids—especially for garbage containers in the kitchen that contain food waste. Filth flies are attracted to garbage and will breed in trash cans whenever they get the chance, so it’s also important to empty out your trash regularly.

If food is thrown away in other rooms of the house, be sure to remove that garbage ASAP so it doesn’t get forgotten.  

  • SEAL ENTRY POINTS

Flies often find their way indoors because of cracks and gaps in the home’s exterior. Use caulk to repair cracks in walls, windows, and doors, and replace weather stripping that’s been damaged. 

  • CLEAN AND DISINFECT

Even if your food is stored properly, entryways are sealed, and trash is managed, flies may still be attracted to a home that is dirty. Dust, food debris, dirty toilets, slime, grime, and drain buildup can all lead to fly infestations indoors. Clean out your garbage disposal regularly, disinfect high-traffic areas, and scrub bathrooms at least once a week.

GETTING RID OF FLIES OUTDOORS

  • MAINTAIN LANDSCAPING

Flies are attracted to decaying matter, so make sure to clear your landscaping of compost piles, discarded yard waste, and other garbage that might be enticing as a food source to them.

  • PICK UP ANIMAL WASTE

No one enjoys picking up after their pets, but animal waste is one of the biggest enticements to flies. During warmer months, be sure to properly dispose of animal waste at least twice per week, or flies will begin breeding in large numbers. 

  • PLANT HERBS AND FLOWERS

Another way to try and deter flies outside is by planting herbs and flowers that repel flies. Try fragrant herbs like rosemary, basil, mint, lavender, catnip, and sage.

At Joshua’s Pest Control, our friendly field experts are here to help guide you in getting rid of flies both inside and outside your home. Our professional-grade products and barrier treatments protect your property from invasive pests year-round. Contact us today for a free quote. 

SOURCES

AUTHOR BIO

Courtney Enzor has worked in the pest control industry for about a decade. From helping you build a fly trap to giving you the best tips for identifying various bugs, she loves answering all your pest-related questions and sharing her pest-related expertise through writing. At the end of the day, she hopes her content will help people avoid mishaps and keep families happy and healthy!

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