Size:
Adult -- About 6 to 8 mm long, this non biting fly resembles its close relative, the house fly
Color:
Male face flies are brown or orange with black bases and dorsal stripes, while females are primarily black with orange bases.
Face flies do not bite their victims. Rather, they annoy livestock by constantly alighting around eyes, nose, mouth, and wounds.
They will overwinter inside structures (in walls, attics, under siding, within voids of overhangs, in basements, and in other sheltered locations. They mate after emerging in the spring.
Although the preferred food of choice for the Face Fly is the mucus and the watery secretions around the eyes, nose and mouth of cattle and horses in the summer months. Face flies can transmit pinkeye to livestock.They will also feed on blood, flower nectar, and dung fluid.
Face flies do not bite their victims. Rather, they annoy livestock by constantly alighting around eyes, nose, mouth, and wounds. As a result, animals may hide in shady places, may not graze, may lose weight, and may produce less milk. Face flies sometimes carry the causative organisms of infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis (pinkeye), an eye disease of cattle. In addition, face flies sometimes transmit Thelazia eyeworms to horses and cattle. Thelazia eyeworms cause symptoms similar to those of bovine keratoconjunctivitis in the U.S. when large numbers of eye worms occur in the infected eye.
Face Fly Prevention Tips
- Begin searching for resting sites on the southern and western sides of the building because in fall and winter these walls receive the most sun and therefore are usually the warmest parts of the building. The flies are attracted to these warm areas when searching for protective wintertime harborage.
- Face flies are more difficult to control than horn flies because they spend less time on the animals than do horn flies. One of the most effective control methods is dust bags placed where cattle are forced to use them, such as on a mineral feeder or gateway. The dust bag should be placed low enough so that the cow must lift it up with its head.
- Cultural control methods, such as cleanup of barn and barnyard manure used effectively against the house fly and the stable fly Care not effective in controlling the face fly because it breeds in fresh manure.
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