| Latin Name | Observation Date | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Musca domestica | Oct 08, 2026 | Natore, Bangladesh |
Scientific Name:
The scientific name of the common housefly is Musca domestica. Naturalist Carl Linnaeus first described and named this species in 1758.
Family and Genus:
Flies belong to the order Diptera in the animal kingdom. Its family is Muscidae, and its genus is Musca. A key defining feature of insects in the Diptera order is that they possess only a single functional pair of wings (two wings in total).
Origin and Habitat:
The common housefly is believed to have originated in the Middle East. However, alongside human movement and global settlement, it has spread to virtually every corner of the planet. From polar regions to the tropics, they thrive anywhere humans inhabit.
Food:
A fly's mouthparts are structured solely for taking in liquids. Since they cannot consume solid food directly, they secrete saliva to break down and liquefy solid matter before feeding. They then suck up the liquid using their sponge-like mouthparts. They derive nourishment from decaying organic matter, fresh and cooked food, fruits, and various waste materials.
Reproduction:
Flies reproduce at an extraordinarily rapid pace. A single female can lay around 500 eggs in several batches over her lifetime. She usually deposits them in rotting garbage, damp organic matter, or waste. The eggs hatch into larvae (maggots), transition into pupae, and develop into fully mature adult flies in just 7 to 10 days.
Benefits:
Flies serve a distinct purpose in the natural ecosystem. Their larvae accelerate the breakdown of decaying matter, acting as a natural waste-processing team. Furthermore, because of their rapid lifespan and simple biology, flies are widely used as model organisms in laboratory research covering genetics, DNA damage, and aging.
Harmful Aspects:
The primary drawback of houseflies in human environments is their role as disease vectors. After landing on unsanitary surfaces, they transfer harmful pathogens onto uncovered food and drinking water via their feet and mouthparts. This makes them a major transmitter of infectious diseases like diarrhea, typhoid, cholera, and dysentery.
I learned about them from various sites including iNaturalist, Wikipedia and Google.
(All posts are written in Bengali and translated into English using Google Translate.)
| Camera Used | Samsung SM-G973F |
|---|---|
| F-Stop | F2.4 |
| ISO speed | ISO |
| Focal length | 26mm |
| Flash | No |
| Editing app | Lightroom |
| Photography | (Musca domestica) |
| Photographer |  @mshbd |
| Location | Natore, Bangladesh |
| Link to original community |
|---|
| https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/406870228 |
| Latitude | Longitude | Map Link |
|---|---|---|
| 24.3360 | 89.1134 | https://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=12/24.3360/89.1134 |