The bite feels like a stab by a pin in the skin. Stable fly acquiring its next meal. Stable flies have a long, sharp proboscis. House flies, for example, can spread diseases such as food poisoning and dysentery. by Barb Ogg, PhD, Extension Educator. In fact, the economic impact to cattle on pasture is about equal to that of confined cattle. A variety of species around the world appear similar to the housefly, such as the lesser house fly, Fannia canicularis; the stable fly, Stomoxys calcitrans; and other members of the genus Musca such as M. vetustissima, the Australian bush fly and several closely related taxa that include M. primitiva, M. shanghaiensis, M. violacea, and M. varensis. Figure 7. The stable fly adult is similar to the house fly in size and color. Horn flies are small in size, approximately 3/16” in length and are usually found on the backs, sides and poll area of cattle. The stable fly also has a characteristic checkerboard pattern on the upper side of the abdomen. Because it has sponging or lapping mouthparts, the housefly cannot bite; a near relative, the stable fly, however, does bite. The stable fly has a shorter and wider abdomen than the house fly. House flies are primarily a nuisance, although they are potential disease vectors. Horse fly, any member of the insect family Tabanidae (order Diptera), but more specifically any member of the genus Tabanus. Stable flies have dark stripes on their back and a checkerboard-like pattern on the top of their abdomen. Stable flies also have long, bayonet … Flies, including stable flies and mosquitoes (which are also classified as flies, or Diptera), can inflict painful bites while feeding on the blood of Be sure and check the label to determine if it attracts this pest. Although some flies may be caught on the tapes, there is no attractiveness to them except the vertical surface for resting. All three are in the same family. During warmer months, house and stable flies are common pests around equine facilities. Muscid flies and their maggots breed most commonly in manure. These stout flies, as small as a housefly or as large as a bumble bee, are sometimes known as greenheaded monsters; their metallic or iridescent eyes meet dorsally in the male and are separate in the female. Length Stable flies are on average slightly smaller than house flies. Low-Toxic Fly Management for Horses. A dorsal comparison of adult stable fly, Stomoxys calcitrans (Linnaeus) (left), and house fly, Musca domestica Linnaeus (right). Historically, stable flies and house flies have been considered pests only in confinement facilities, but in recent years they have been found to be an important problem in pasture cattle. Horn Flies. There are many fly control options and strategies available to Nebraska livestock producers to help manage the three fly species that economically impact grazing cattle; the horn fly, face fly and stable fly. Stable flies and house flies on pasture cattle. OUCH! Insecticides can help to provide some temporary reduction of house fly and stable fly populations but cannot be the basis of effective fly management. The house fly and other types of “filth flies” can become nuisance pests, but also are important for their potential to harm humans and animals. House flies and stable flies need breeding material, moisture, and warmth to develop. Brisket There are four horizontal stripes on the breastpiece of the stable fly. Stable flies are slightly smaller than house flies. The house fly doesn't bite, unlike face flies, stable flies, and horn flies, which are also in the family Muscidae. It is about 1/4" long, and gray with 4 black stripes on the thorax. There are many house fly traps on the market but only two traps that attract the stable fly. Adult stable flies are typically 5–7 mm in length, and unlike the house fly, which has an unpatterned abdomen, stable fly abdomens have seven circular spots (Figure 3). Sticky tapes and baits are not effective for stable fly control. The house fly is often confused with the stable fly, Stomoxys calcitrans (Linnaeus), and the false stable fly, Muscina stabulans (Germar).