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Australian Wildlife

  Lesser House Fly (Fannia canicularis)





Lesser House Fly | Fannia canicularis photo
Lesser house fly

Image by Quark67 - Some rights reserved.    (view image details)







LESSER HOUSE FLY FACTS

Identification
The Lesser House Fly is grey black with three indistinct black stripes along the thorax. Female have grey oval abdomen; males have narrower abdomen with pale yellow patches. When at rest they hold their wings over the back forming a narrow V-shape (compared to the common house fly which forms a broader V-shape). The legs are black and the halteres yellow. It is commonly seen in the house, and has distinctive flight pattern where it darts around in square or triangular patterns in a shaft of light or under a light fitting.

Size
length 5mm to 6mm

Breeding
Breeds in decaying organic matter. Eggs hatch in 24 hours. Larvae take from 3 to 60 days to mature depending on climate and time of year. Adults emerge from pupa after 3 to 28 days.



Classification
Class:Insecta
Order:Diptera
Family:Fanniidae
Genus:Fannia
Species:canicularis
Common Name:Lesser House Fly