1.

Introduction to
Flying Insects
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Introduction to Flies
• Flying insects carry disease and if not
properly controlled can cause
contamination within the food chain

• In non-food areas, they give rise to the

perception that the hygiene at a
particular location is poorly managed

• It is important to ensure a proactive

flying insect control programmes is in
place as part of the wider pest control
strategy
 Introduction to Flies

Flies are insects of the order

Diptera.

In the order Diptera there are

over 3500 species.

© Brandenburg UK Ltd 2008

 Introduction to Flies

Under optimal conditions a pair

of house flies can produce 191
quintillion
(191,000,000,000,000,000,000) in
4 months

© Brandenburg UK Ltd 2008

 Introduction to Flies

A house fly can travel between

1.5 and 3kms in a day

© Brandenburg UK Ltd 2008

Fly Facts
The lifecycle of a fly
• The average life cycle is
between 8 days to 2 months
• House flies watch each other
constantly and follow each
other to find food sources
• Flies spread diseases quickly
because they move from
rotting disease laden garbage,
to utensils and foods
 Fly Facts
Typical Anatomy

• Wings
• Legs
• Abdomen
• Compound Eye
• Antennae
• Thorax
• Hairs
• Sponge like mouth parts

© Brandenburg UK Ltd 2008

Flying Insects
A compound eye
• Flies eyes feature thousands
of receptors.

• The images that they see is a

sum of all the pictures from
each receptor

• Flies have a very wide sphere

of view due to this and can
detect very fast movement
 The Danger of Flies

They are known to carry

pathogenic bacteria such as
Salmonella, Listeria & E-Coli.

© Brandenburg UK Ltd 2008

Fly Facts: Flying insects
as Vectors of disease

• The common house fly can carry up

to 1.9 million bacteria on its body
Salmonella E. Coli Cholera
• Up to 33 million micro-organisms
flourish in a fly’s gut
• Flies deposit thousands of
bacterium every time they land
• For every fly you see, 19 more are Typhoid Dysentery Tuberculosis

hidden from view

What is foodborne
illness? How does food
become contaminated
• Eating or drinking contaminated food and
drinks can lead to a foodborne illness. Microbiological

• In instances where two or more people get

sick from the same food or drink source this is
classed as a foodborne illness outbreak. Chemical

• The three main ways food becomes

contaminated are:
• Microbiological; Chemical; Physical
Physical
Flying insects and
disease in the USA
• Despite the United States having one of the
safest food systems in the world, the Federal
Government and Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (CDC) estimates that there
are about 48 million cases of foodborne
illnesses annually

• This is the equivalent of:

• 1 in 6 Americans becoming sick,
• An estimated 128,000 people being
hospitalised
• 3,000 deaths
Source FDA - What You Need to Know About Foodborne Illness-Causing Organisms in the U.S.
http://www.fda.gov/food/resourcesforyou/consumers/ucm103263.htm
Flying insects and
disease in the USA
• Each year food-borne
illnesses cost the United
States an estimated $152
billion in health-related
expenses.

• This equates to $1,850 on

average per illness.

Source: Business Week - Food borne illnesses in US cost $152 billion

http://www.businessweek.com/lifestyle/content/healthday/636595.html
Flying insects and
disease in Canada
• 11 million people in Canada suffer
foodborne illness each year. This costs
nearly $1.1 billion

• The number of foodborne illnesses from

Salmonella and E- coli are greater in
Canada than America

• More than half of all foodborne illnesses

are picked up in restaurants, cafeterias
and other food service providers.
Sources: Costs of acute bacterial foodborne disease in Canada and the United States. International Journal of Microbiology
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2701860
The Globe and Mail - Higher rate of foodborne illness in Canada than US: report –
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/food-and-wine/higher-rate-of-food-borne-illness-in-canada-than-us-
report/article2331264
Fly Facts:
The potential effects of
reducing foodborne illness
• Reducing foodborne illnesses by 10%
would keep 5 million Americans from
getting sick each year,

• Preventing a single case of E-coli

O157:H7 would save an estimated $7
million

CDC and Food Safety - http://www.cdc.gov/foodborneburden/PDFs/CDC-and-Food-Safety.pdf

Common Flies
House Fly Face Fly Fruit Fly Flesh Fly Drain Fly
Musca Domestica Musca autumnalis Drosophilia Sarcophagidea rudis Psychoda alternata
Melanogaster Say

6-7mm in length 6mm in length 3mm in length 12mm in length 3mm in length
Medium to dark grey Medium to dark grey Tan color, red eyes Medium to dark grey Brownish grey to
in color in color in color black color
Breed around Breed in fresh cow Breed wherever food Breed around animal Breed around drains
garbage and manure is allowed to rot. carcasses and human and wet areas such
decaying fruit and Over ripened fruit excrement as sinks and shower
vegetables and vegetables trays
Can trasmit E. coli, Transmits pinkeye Associated with In close contact with In contact with
Salmonella, and and Thelazia worms Salmonella and E. E. Bacillus spores,
Typhoid to cattle coli. coli, salmonella and Salmonella and
Vibrio choleae Shigella
Electromagnetic
spectrum
Filth Fly Peak Eye Sensitivity

House fly (Musca domestica)

340-360nm

Lesser House fly (Fannia canicularis)

340-350nm

Bluebottle fly (Calliphora vomitoria)

344nm

Fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster)

345-375nm

Department of Immunology, The University of Texas M D Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd.,
Box 178, Houston, TX 77030
What does a fly see?

What awe
flysee.
sees
The basics of flying
insect attraction:
How UVA is produced
• UVA bulbs are used in Insect light traps to attract
flies.

• These bulbs are designed in a very similar way as

normal fluorescent lights, except that a different
phosphor is used on the inside of the tube, which
emits UV instead of visible light.
Above: Image of a Brandenburg TT insect
light trap taken with a UV camera
T8 15W lamp
 Insect Light Traps:
Important Considerations
• Response to light varies with the insect and conditions.

• Flies do not see ILTs more than 30 meters away.

• Response increases greatly within 3-4 meters.

• Response can be delayed – flies may ignore a trap for a

while before becoming attracted.
Flies may not be responsive to
an ILT until they have been
• Flies demonstrate intermittent periods of being inside for quite some time.
attracted to ILTs.

• Most flies fly in a zone within 2 meters from the floor

(consider this when placing Insect light traps).
What are the key
factors in an Insect Light
Trap (ILT)?
• Studies* have shown that the degree of
attraction increases with increasing light
intensity, and also with increased size of
the UV-emitting area.

“Brightness and size of the UV-target

were the two most important parameters
influencing catch”*
* Pickens,LG; Thimijan,RW (1986): Design parameters that affect the performance of UV-emitting traps in attracting house flies
(Diptera: Muscidae).
From Attraction to
Capture
• Once attracted towards an insect light trap, a
flying insect will be killed or captured.
• The two most common methods for capture
or kill are:
• High voltage grid for killing flying insects
(not suitable for areas of food
preparation/service)
• Control or sticky board – for capturing
flying insects whole
• Further details on which type of insect light
trap is appropriate are available
Any Questions?
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