Specy

Housefly

Insects

The housefly is a fly of the suborder Cyclorrhapha that likely originated in the Middle East and has since spread worldwide as a close commensal of humans. Adults are gray to black in color, with four dark longitudinal lines on the thorax, slightly hairy bodies, and a single pair of membranous wings. Its compound eyes are red, set noticeably farther apart in the somewhat larger female than in the male.

Facts
Classification
Diet
Carnivore 2
System (Realm)
Terrestrial 3
Relationship to People
Agricultural or Structural Pest 1
Relationship to People
Disease Vector 1
Living or Extinct
Yes 4
Scientific Name
Musca domestica 1
Conservation Status
Not Evaluated 7
Activity Pattern
Diurnal 2
Identification
Distinguishing Appearance
Large compound eyes that almost touch in males but are more widely separated in females. 1
Comparison
NatureServe Rank
GNR Unranked 5
CITES Appendix
Not Listed 6
Connections

Child Taxon Of

Diptera, Taxa
Source Catalogue of Life
In the Other Atlases

Found In

Belgium

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Costa Rica

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Denmark

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Norway

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Portugal

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Spain

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Sweden

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

United States

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Sources
1. Housefly - Wikipedia
  • Wikidata claim P225 taxon name
    Musca domestica
  • Description section
    The pair of large compound eyes almost touch in the male, but are more widely separated in the female.
  • can carry pathogens...contaminate food, and contribute to the transfer of food-borne illnesses
  • in numbers, they can be physically annoying. For these reasons, they are considered pests
View the Source
2. Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology: Animal Diversity Web: Musca domestica
Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology
  • Key Behaviors
    Key Behaviors flies diurnal diurnal motile motile migratory migratory Range territory size 27 to 9000 m^2 Average territory size 400 m^2
  • Primary Diet, Musca domestica
    Primary Diet carnivore carnivore
View the Source
3. GBIF Species API
GBIF Species API
  • System (Realm): Terrestrial
View the Source
4. Catalogue of Life
Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life
  • Living or Extinct: Yes
View the Source
5. NatureServe Explorer: Musca domestica
NatureServe ExplorerGlobal rank (roundedGRank)
Quote, Global rank (roundedGRank)
"roundedGRank": "GNR"
View the Source
6. UNEP-WCMC Species+ database (CITES Secretariat): Species+: Insecta
UNEP-WCMC Species+ database (CITES Secretariat)Species+ taxon_concepts, id 28
Quote, Species+ taxon_concepts, id 28
"cites_listing":"I/II/III/NC","eu_listing":"A/B/C/NC","higher_taxa":{"kingdom":"Animalia","phylum":"Arthropoda","class":"Insecta","order":null,"family":null},"synonyms":[],"common_names":[{"name":"Insectos","language":"ES"},{"name":"Insects","language":"EN"},{"name":"Insectes","language":"FR"},{"name":"昆虫纲","language":"ZH"}],"cites_listings":[]
View the Source
7. GBIF (IUCN Red List category): GBIF IUCN Red List category for Musca domestica
GBIF (IUCN Red List category)GBIF taxon key 1524843, category field
Quote, GBIF taxon key 1524843, category field
"category": "NOT_EVALUATED"
View the Source
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
International Union for Conservation of NatureView the Source
Wikidata: Housefly
Wikidata Q166111, class allow-list match (w-wdresolver-0926)View the Source
Comments (0)
No comments yet. Be the first to share a thought.
Reader Challenges (0)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.

Nature Atlas

How Nature Works
Sign In
Text size
100%
Theme

Switch Atlas