Stable Fly, Stomoxys Calcitrans (Diptera: Muscidae)

The stable fly ( Stomoxys calcitrans L.), sometimes referred to as the dog fly or the biting house fly, is primarily a pest of cattle. This species closely resembles a house fly, but possesses piercing-sucking instead of sponging mouthparts. Both sexes of the stable fly feed on blood 2 to 3 times per day from a variety of warm-blooded animals including humans. The act of feeding by several flies can produce quite an annoyance to cattle. Fly avoidance behavior often includes constant stomping of feet, tail switching, and ‘bunching,’ whereby the herd gathers or ‘bunches’ together in a tight circle with heads facing inward to protect their front legs from feeding flies. When fly avoidance behavior takes up most of an animal’s daily activity, it is not eating. Stable flies have been reported to reduce weight gain in beef cattle and lower milk production in dairy cattle. Research has estimated an economic threshold of less than 1 to 5 feeding flies per front leg depending on animal size,...