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Musca autumnalis common names “Face Fly” or “Autumn housefly”
Family: Muscidae
Musca is a genus of flies, being a diverse group of some sixty species, including Musca domestica the “Common housefly”
Length 7 - 8 mm
Widespread and common throughout England and Wales, being a world-wide species and is now a pest in North America.
Flight time: March to October peaking in April and May
Having four dark stripes on the thorax, the male has an orange and black patterned abdomen with a prominent dark stripe down the centre, the female’s abdomen differs in colouring with a grey pattern.
Habitat: Swarms can be found wherever cattle is present, getting its common name from its habit of landing on the faces of cattle. Thus, feeding on liquids like tears, sweat and blood (from the bites of other flies). The adult flies are also found feeding on the nectar of varies wild flowers, as well as basking in the sunshine on various structures, like a south facing wall or fence. Enters houses for hibernation in the autumn when the “housefly” population starts to decline
Breeding takes place in cattle dung as the larvae are microbial grazers of dung. This fly is more associated with livestock waste as well as the dung of native animals.
Read MoreFamily: Muscidae
Musca is a genus of flies, being a diverse group of some sixty species, including Musca domestica the “Common housefly”
Length 7 - 8 mm
Widespread and common throughout England and Wales, being a world-wide species and is now a pest in North America.
Flight time: March to October peaking in April and May
Having four dark stripes on the thorax, the male has an orange and black patterned abdomen with a prominent dark stripe down the centre, the female’s abdomen differs in colouring with a grey pattern.
Habitat: Swarms can be found wherever cattle is present, getting its common name from its habit of landing on the faces of cattle. Thus, feeding on liquids like tears, sweat and blood (from the bites of other flies). The adult flies are also found feeding on the nectar of varies wild flowers, as well as basking in the sunshine on various structures, like a south facing wall or fence. Enters houses for hibernation in the autumn when the “housefly” population starts to decline
Breeding takes place in cattle dung as the larvae are microbial grazers of dung. This fly is more associated with livestock waste as well as the dung of native animals.
