The Large Housefly (Coenosia sexmaculata) is an insect in the Muscidae family of true flies.
The Large Housefly has a head, thorax (chest), and abdomen (stomach). It is black with four dark, longitudinal lines from its head to its tail. Its body and legs are slightly hairy. It has large, red, compound eyes. Near the compound eyes are three small simple eyes, called ocelli, and a pair of short antennae. It has six legs and one pair of membraneous (transparent) wings. Its mouthpart has a proboscis to suck liquid.
It can grow to 2 centimetres (one inch) long, with a wingspan of 2.5 centimetres (one inch).
The Large Housefly is found in Central Europe.
The Large Housefly feeds on liquid and food. It uses saliva to spit on food to soften it, which it then sucks up its proboscis into its mouth.
The female lays about 100 eggs on decaying organic matter, such as food, dead animals (carrion), or manure. After one day, the eggs hatch into white larvae, called maggots or grubs. Maggots like warm, damp, dark places. After about two weeks, the maggots become pupae (similar to a cocoon). After 2-5 days, adult flies emerge.
The stages, or life cycle, from an egg to an adult fly, is called metamorphosis.
The lifespan of a Large Housefly is about 4-6 weeks.
Location of photographs: Paris, France
Photographer: Martina Nicolls
Martina Nicolls: SIMILAR BUT DIFFERENT IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM