UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



BULLETIN No. 345 



Contribution from the Bureau of Entomology 

 L. O. HOWARD, Chief 



Washington, D. C. 



PROFESSIONAL PAPER 



February 5, 1916 



NOTES ON THE PREOVIPOSITION PERIOD OF THE 

 HOUSE FLY, MUSCA DOMESTICA L. 



By R. H. Hutchison, Scientific Assistant. 



CONTENTS. 



Pa^e. 



Introduction , 1 



The preoviposition period 3 



Copulation 12 



Longevity j 12 



Summary 13 



Literature cited 13 



INTRODUCTION. 



During recent years a great deal of emphasis has been laid upon 

 the use of flytraps as a means of reducing and controlling flies. The 

 popularity of trapping is based not only on the immediate results 

 obtained, but also upon the claim that many female flies will be 

 caught before they have laid their first eggs, and that thus the possi- 

 ble number of future generations will be greatly reduced. For much 

 the same reason it has been urged that trapping flies in the early 

 spring is effective in reducing the number of future generations. An 

 apparent justification for this method of control was found in the 

 published records of experiments and observations indicating a rather 

 long period of time between the emergence of the adult fly and the 

 first deposition of eggs. 



Entomologists have been aware that these methods of control were 

 founded upon a rather meager scientific basis. Comparatively few 

 accurate data have been published bearing upon the length of the 

 preoviposition period. The necessity of more data on this phase of 

 the life history of the house fly was clearly pointed out by Dr. L. O. 

 Howard (1911), and upon his suggestion work along these lines was 

 begun during the season of 1913. The work has been carried out 

 under the general direction of Mr. W. D. Hunter. A few experiments 

 on the preoviposition period were carried out by the writer during 

 the season of 1913 at Arlington, Va., and others during the spring of 



Note. — This paper is intended for entomologists and others who are interested in the extermination 

 of house flies. 



17268°— Bull. 345—16 



