Filth Fly Control on Horse Farms

animal body coloration and mouthparts stable flies are typically on the legs of the animal and have forwardprojecting mouthparts.
Stable flies hold their body at an angle to the surface on which they are resting.
Immature stable flies are often confused with other filth flies. Recognizing adults is important for deciding on a control method.
Learn About the Face Fly
General Biology
Preferred material and likely the only material for face fly egglaying is fresh cattle manure which makes face flies a primary concern in mixeduse facilities those with horses and cattle or at horse farms that are near cattle facilities. Development from egg to adult takes about two to three weeks depending on environmental conditions. Adult flies can travel several miles while searching for new hosts.
Identification
Face flies resemble house flies and distinguishing between the two can be difficult. Adults are ¼ to ⅓ inch long and like the house fly have a gray thorax and four black stripes. Female flies have a gray abdomen with yellowishorange sections toward the front of the abdomen.
Like the house fly the face fly has downwardfacing sponging mouthparts. The feeding behavior of the face fly can help distinguish it from other flies. Female face flies preferentially feed on the mucosa associated with the eyes and nose so they are often found on the face. However they can also be found on open wounds or in large groups resting on fence lines. Males feed on nectar and dung. Unlike house flies face flies are rarely found in barns or other buildings but they can enter buildings during the fall as they seek shelter in which to overwinter.
Both the larvae and the pupae of the face fly resemble house flies. However the pupae are calcified hardened which makes using biological control with parasitoids inadequate for control of this species as the

parasitoids cannot penetrate the calcified pupal case.
What You Need to Know about Face Flies
Location! Location! Location!
Watch for fly location on the animal body face flies are often found in large numbers on the head of the animal.
Adults look similar to adult house flies but have orangish sections on the sides of the abdomen.
Face fly larvae develop in cattle manure so larvae will not develop on equine farms unless cattle are also present. Adults will fly from local cattle farms thus adult control is necessary.
Learn About the Horn Fly
General Biology
Cattle manure is the requisite habitat for horn fly larval development and adults feed principally on cattle. However horn flies typically diapause similar to hibernation as pupae over the winter in most subtropical and temperate areas. Horn fly populations are a yearround nuisance to cattle in the southeastern United States with lower populations in the winter.
Identification
Adult horn flies have blackish or brownishgray bodies with wings that slightly overlap and are held flat over the abdomen. These flies are smaller ranging from about 16 to 15 inch in length and slightly narrower than the other filth flies. Instead of four stripes the thorax has two stripes just behind the head and no patterns on the abdomen. Horn flies are blood feeders with mouthparts that are similar to but shorter than those of stable flies.
Horn flies differ from stable flies in development substrate as well as other body features. Horn flies develop exclusively in fresh cattle manure whereas stable flies prefer decaying organic matter that is slightly older and from various sources. Horn flies are accidental pests of horses in that they can feed from horses but cannot complete their development in horse manure or horseassociated substrates.
A female horn fly can lay up to 100 to 200 eggs during her life of approximately six
to seven days. The time required for the horn fly to complete its life cycle is between 10 and 20 days depending on the temperature and time of year. They are typically found on horse facilities that are near cattle facilities. Horn flies are found on the withers and the back of the animal and will move to the belly during hot parts of the day. The larvae are offwhite or cream in color have a tapered appearance on one end and are rounded on the other end. They are slightly more elongated than other filth fly larvae. Pupae are similar to those of other filth flies.