MISCELLANEOL'S NOTES OX ECONOMIC WORK 65 



NOTES ON PARASITIC AND HOUSEHOLD INSECTS 



C. W. HOWARD 



The housefly is the insect of this group which has attracted 

 perhaps the widest attention. Many observations have been made 

 locally upon its life history and habits, but special attention has 

 been given to two points, its control and the method l)v which it 

 passes the winter, ddie latter point is one of the few regarding 

 the housefly wdiich has not }'et been satisfactorily solved. Our 

 investigations upon this subject will be completed the coming spring 

 and the results published then. Work on control has been confined 

 to conditions met with in small towns and on farms. Fly control 

 in cities has been reduced to a comparatively easv routine system, 

 Init in rural districts it is not always so convenient to put control 

 measures into operation. In many places it is not possible to carry 

 out the measures recommended in any way at all adequate. Having 

 this in mind and also the part which the fly plaws in the transmission 

 of hvunan diseases, particularly of intestinal diseases, we have placed 

 considerable emphasis on the improvement of sanitary conditions 

 upon the farm, thus preventing; the flies from gaining access to 

 material which carries disease organisms. A leaflet has been pre- 

 pared outlining our recommendations and this has been widely 

 distributed, two editions having l:)een already exhausted. Feeling, 

 however, that an optical demonstration would be more effective, a 

 large model of a farmstead, 10x15 feet, was constructed, showing all 

 of the farm buildings and the various methods for fly destruction, 

 from the haulmg out of manure daily to spreading it thinly upon 

 the field where it will dry quickly, to the maggot trap and manure 

 closet or bin. A complete model of a septic tank connected with 

 the bath room and kitchen in the house, showed how to dispose of 

 household sewage so that flies could not get to it. A fly-proof 

 milk house, with screened enclosure for airing the milk l)uckets. 

 and fly-proof, sanitary earth closet completed the exhibit. These 

 models have been exhibited twice at the State Fair, and at three 

 countv fairs, Wheaton, llrown's A^alley and Winona. It has at- 

 tracted so much interest that we plan to exhil^t it at other county 

 fairs next fall. 



