1000 eggs (LaBrecque et al., 1972), and produce 5 to 20 or more batches 

 of eggs with each batch containing 120 to 150 eggs (James, 19^7). Popu- 

 lation increases of up to six-fold can rapidly occur in field popula- 

 tions of house flies if conditions are right (LaBrecque et al., 1972). 

 House flies oviposit all day without regard to time, with no more eggs 

 laid in the morning than in the afternoon (Meyer et al., 1978). 

 Larval habi tats 



Larvae of M. domestica will develop in any decaying and fermenting 

 organic material (James, 19^+7), in kitchen refuse and decaying vege- 

 tables (Bishopp et al., 1915), and in manure of all types (Bishopp et al. 

 1915; James, 19^7), especially horse manure (Hewett, 191'-*, James and 

 Harwood, 1969). 



House fly larvae developing in media such as corpses or garbage 

 cannot be killed by burying the media less than 1.2 m deep. Larvae 

 will climb to within 30.5 cm of the soil surface, pupate and about 90% 

 will survive (Mel lor, 1919). Larvae that develop in microbial contami- 

 nated media may produce adults free from contamination (Greenberg, 

 1973). 



As in other families of diptera, males of M. domestica emerge 

 from their puparia before the females (Mel lor, 1919). 

 Adult dispersion patterns 



In most experiments designed to study house fly dispersal patterns, 

 marked flies were released and recaptured at different intervals from 

 the release point. Results indicate that flies can disperse from 

 3.3 (Quarterman et al., 195*0 to 20.0 km (Bishopp and Laake, 1921: 

 Lindquist et al., 1951). Greenberg (1973) reported a dispersion cf 

 2.3 to 1 1 .8 km wi thin 2k hr. 



