Scientific Name of Housefly

Houseflies belong to the order Diptera and genus Musca. Houseflies are often seen as a nuisance as well as a health hazard as they contaminate food with their feces. However, the larvae are considered useful as they can be used to feed livestock and farmed fish. Moreover, housefly larvae also have the potential to be used as an agent for biodegradation – able to recycle nutrients in nature.

Adult house flies grow to a length of 0.7 cm with a wingspan of around 1.5 cm. Moreover, males tend to have smaller-wings than females. The head of the fly is very distinct, with a convex front and an almost-flat conical back. The flies also have compound eyes which are capable of detecting colour spectrums which cannot be seen by humans. They are also very sensitive, able to recognize the subtlest of movements. Interestingly, houseflies are also able to process visual information nearly seven times quicker than a human. This means houseflies are effectively able to see the world in slow-motion. Hence, it makes them annoyingly hard to swat or kill.

Houseflies have mandibles, but they are vestigial. Instead, the other mouthparts form a tube-like structure called a proboscis, which is an organ adapted for a liquid diet.

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