Stable fly

{{Short description|Species of fly}} {{Distinguish|horse fly}} {{Speciesbox | image = Stomoxys calcitrans on aloe vera.jpg | taxon = Stomoxys calcitrans | authority = (Linnaeus, 1758) | synonyms = *''Conops calcitrans'' Linnaeus, 1758 * ''Musca occidentis'' Walker, 1853 * ''Stomoxis dira'' Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830 * ''Stomoxis inimica'' Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830 * ''Stomoxys cybira'' Walker, 1849 * ''Stomoxys parasita'' Fabricius, 1781 }}

'''''Stomoxys calcitrans''''' is known by the common names '''stable fly''', '''barn fly''', '''biting house fly''', '''dog fly''', and '''power mower fly'''.<ref>{{cite thesis|hdl=2097/1072 | last= Talley|first= Justin L.| title= Management and Characterization of Stable Fly Larval Habitats at Round Bale Feeding Sites in Pastures| url= http://krex.k-state.edu/dspace/bitstream/2097/1072/1/JustinTalley2008.pdf| publisher= Kansas State University| page=2|year= 2008| access-date=2009-04-06}}, citing {{cite book|last1=Hall|first1= R.D. |first2= J.P. |last2=Smith|year= 1986|chapter=Life history and economic importance of the stable fly|title=Stable fly biology and control in cattle feedlots|publisher= Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station |id=Publication 86–362–D}}</ref> Unlike most members of the family Muscidae, ''Stomoxys calcitrans'' ('sharp mouth' + 'kicking') and others of its genus suck blood from mammals. Now found worldwide, the species is considered to be of Eurasian<ref name=Bishop>{{Cite journal|last=Bishopp|first=F.C.|year= 1913|title= The Stable Fly (Stomoxys caclitrans L.) An Important Live Stock Pest|journal=Journal of Economic Entomology|volume= 6|pages= 112–126|doi= 10.1093/jee/6.1.112|issue=1}}</ref> or African origin.<ref name=fofonoff2020>{{cite web|url=https://invasions.si.edu/nemesis/chesreport/species_summary/stomoxys%20calcitrans|title=''Stomoxys calcitrans''|website=National Exotic Marine and Estuarine Species Information System: Chesapeake Bay Introduced Species Database|last1=Fofonoff|first1=P.W.|last2=Ruiz|first2=G.M.|last3=Steves|first3=B.|last4=Hines|first4=A.H.|last5=Carlton|first5=J.T.|publisher=Smithsonian Environmental Research Center|access-date=7 February 2025|year=2020}}</ref>

==Physical features== The stable fly resembles the common housefly (''Musca domestica''), though smaller, and on closer examination has a slightly wider and spotted abdomen.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://entomology.cornell.edu/cals/entomology/extension/vet/aid/cow/stablefly.cfm |title=Veterinary Entomology |publisher=Entomology.cornell.edu |date= |access-date=2013-11-27}}</ref> Adults are generally about {{Convert|6|-|8|mm|frac=16|abbr=in}} in length and a lighter color than the housefly. Unlike the housefly, where the mouth part is adapted for sponging, the stable fly mouth parts have biting structures.<ref name=Farmnote>{{cite web|last=Dadour|first=Ian|title=Stable Fly- Farmnote 101/1994|url=http://www.agric.wa.gov.au/PC_92852.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203003644/http://www.agric.wa.gov.au/PC_92852.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=3 December 2013|work=Department of Agriculture and Food|publisher=Government of Western Australia|access-date=26 November 2013}}</ref> An additional distinction from ''M. domestica'' is in the aristae, which bear a single, superior row of hairs in ''S. calcitrans'' instead of two opposing rows.<ref>{{cite book|last=Service|first=Mike|edition=Fifth|title=Medical Entomology for Students|year=2012|pages=142,151–153|isbn=978-1-107-66818-8|publisher=Cambridge University Press}}</ref>

==Habitat== As its name suggests, the stable fly is abundant in and around where cattle are kept. Its maggots are often seen in the rotting manure near cattle and poultry.<ref>{{Cite journal|pmid=10633577|year=1999|last1=Cook|first1=DF|last2=Dadour|first2=IR|last3=Keals|first3=NJ|title=Stable fly, house fly (Diptera: Muscidae), and other nuisance fly development in poultry litter associated with horticultural crop production|volume=92|issue=6|pages=1352–7|journal=Journal of Economic Entomology|doi=10.1093/jee/92.6.1352|doi-access=free}}</ref> It also occurs in coastal areas where larvae may inhabit masses of decaying aquatic vegetation deposited ashore.<ref name=fofonoff2020/>

==Biology== right|thumb|''Stomoxys calcitrans'' laying an egg The earliest and one of the most comprehensive accounts of stable fly biology was presented by F. Bishopp in 1913.<ref name=Bishop /> The adults of both sexes feed on the blood of warm-blooded animals during the daytime. For egg production, the female requires its abdomen to be engorged with blood. The female takes approximately 2–5 minutes to engorge, after which it becomes sluggish for a while. The eggs are laid among putrefying organic materials such as hay, manure, and wood. Males usually die after mating and the females after laying eggs. The life cycle has a duration of about two weeks at temperatures around {{Convert|27|°C|°F}}. The duration is highly dependent on temperature and nutrient quality available for the larvae. Bishopp (1913) noted that the larvae can endure for more than 30 days in less nutritious environs.<ref name=Bishop />

==Economic impact== Cattle heavily infested with stable flies have been noted to become anemic and milking cows have been observed to show lower milk production.<ref>{{cite journal|year= 1997|title= Calculating Economic Injury Levels for Stable Flies (Diptera: Muscida) on Feeding Heifers|journal= Journal of Economic Entomology|volume= 90|issue=1|pages= 6–10|pmid=9071886|last1= Catangui|first1= MA|last2= Campbell|first2= JB|last3= Thomas|first3= GD|last4= Boxler|first4= DJ|doi= 10.1093/jee/90.1.6}}</ref> The stable fly bites humans at rest in the outdoors. In many parts of the world, the species is a carrier of trypanosomid parasites.<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Janovy|first1= J.|first2= L.|last2= Roberts|year= 2000|title= Foundations of Parasitology|edition= 6th|location= USA|publisher= The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.}}</ref> Some of the reported parasites and diseases for which the stable fly might be a vector include ''Trypanosoma evansi'' (the agent of Surra), ''Trypanosoma brucei'', brucellosis, equine infectious anemia, African horse sickness (AHS), Lumpy skin disease (LSD)<ref name="LSD">{{Cite journal|last1=Yeruham |first1=I |last2=Nir |first2=O |last3=Braverman |first3=Y |last4=Davidson |first4=M |last5=Grinstein |first5=H |last6=Haymovitch |first6=M |last7=Zamir |first7=O |date=July 22, 1995 |title=Spread of Lumpy Skin Disease in Israeli Dairy Herds |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/14667744 |journal=The Veterinary Record |volume=137-4 |issue=4 |pages=91–93 |doi=10.1136/vr.137.4.91 |doi-broken-date=12 July 2025 |pmid=8533249 |s2cid=23409535 }}</ref> and fowlpox.<ref>{{cite web|last=Newberry |first=Jennifer |url=http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Stomoxys_calcitrans.html |title=ADW: Stomoxys calcitrans: INFORMATION |publisher=Animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu |date=2005-02-22 |access-date=2013-11-27}}</ref><ref name="Baldacchino">{{cite journal|doi=10.1051/parasite/2013026|url= |pmc=3756335|title=Transmission of pathogens by ''Stomoxys'' flies (Diptera, Muscidae): A review|year=2013|last1=Baldacchino|first1=Frédéric|last2=Muenworn|first2=Vithee|last3=Desquesnes|first3=Marc|last4=Desoli|first4=Florian|last5=Charoenviriyaphap|first5=Theeraphap|last6=Duvallet|first6=Gérard|journal=Parasite|volume=20|page=26|pmid=23985165}} {{open access}}</ref> ''S. calcitrans'' is also reported to be a vector of ''Bacillus anthracis'', the causative agent of anthrax.<ref name="Baldacchino" /><ref>{{Cite journal |pmc= 2289988 |year= 2008 |last1= Mongoh |first1= MN |last2= Dyer |first2= NW |last3= Stoltenow |first3= CL |last4= Khaitsa |first4= ML |title= Risk Factors Associated with Anthrax Outbreak in Animals in North Dakota, 2005: A Retrospective Case-Control Study |volume= 123 |issue= 3 |pages= 352–359 |journal= Public Health Reports |doi= 10.1177/003335490812300315 |pmid= 19006977 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |pmc= 260614 |year= 1987 |last1= Turell |first1= MJ |last2= Knudson |first2= GB |title= Mechanical transmission of Bacillus anthracis by stable flies (Stomoxys calcitrans) and mosquitoes (Aedes aegypti and Aedes taeniorhynchus) |volume= 55 |issue= 8 |pages= 1859–1861 |journal= Infection and Immunity |doi= 10.1128/iai.55.8.1859-1861.1987 |pmid= 3112013 }}</ref> <gallery mode=packed> Stomoxys calcitrans-sucking blood.jpg|Sucking human blood </gallery>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== {{Commons category|Stomoxys calcitrans}} {{Wikispecies|Stomoxys calcitrans}} * [http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Stomoxys_calcitrans.html University of Michigan]

Category:Muscidae Category:Veterinary entomology Category:Flies of Europe Category:Insects described in 1758 Category:Animal taxa named by Carl Linnaeus Category:Flies of New Zealand