Muscidae

Muscidae is a family of true flies in the order Diptera, commonly known as the houseflies and their relatives. The group comprises numerous species that inhabit human and animal environments, especially where decaying organic matter, manure, or spilled foods are present. The best-known member is Musca domestica, the common housefly. Other notable genera include Fannia (for example, Fannia canicularis, the lesser house fly), Stomoxys (including Stomoxys calcitrans, the stable fly), and Muscina (such as Muscina stabulans).

Muscids undergo complete metamorphosis, with life cycles that include eggs, maggot-like larvae, pupae, and adults. Females lay eggs on moist, decaying matter or manure; larvae develop through three instars, feeding on the substrate; pupation follows and adults emerge. Development time varies with temperature and food availability, ranging from about a week to several weeks. Adults are generally short-lived but highly fecund, and they feed on liquids and semi-liquids, often regurgitating to liquefy solid meals.

Ecology and economic importance stem from their ubiquity in human-impacted environments and their role as mechanical vectors. They can contaminate food and surfaces with bacteria and other pathogens, contributing to the spread of gastrointestinal illnesses in human settings and disease in livestock facilities. Control focuses on sanitation to remove breeding substrates, waste management, physical barriers such as screens, and targeted insecticides or trapping within an integrated pest management framework.