Common house fly - Musca domestica

Distribution and habitat

The housefly is distributed throughout the world and is closely linked to humans.
These creatures, which can sometimes occur in large numbers, are unwelcome because they are potential carriers of disease.
A female lays up to 150 eggs in decaying matter and, because they develop very quickly (10 days in warm weather!), the species can reproduce very quickly.

Way of life and characteristic features

The housefly is approx. 6-9 mm in size and can excrete enzymes from its tarsi which enable it to taste with its feet. It also has a strong sense of smell. It has sticky pads under its claws that enable it, for example, to land upside down on the ceiling.
The housefly feeds on waste and particularly favours products containing sugar.