Dispersal Patterns and Populations of the House Fly1 Affected by Sanitation and Weather in Rural Maryland2

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Abstract
Daily removal of fly-attractive materials from a dairy complex reduced the population of Musca domestica L. to ⅖ that found at a farm with poorly cleaned barns. Marked house flies tended to disperse upwind when a steady 2–7 mph wind blew from only 1 quarter, but dispersed randomly when the winds were variable. About 3 times as many males as females were recovered, but no differences were apparent in the rates or directions of dispersal of 1-, 2-, or 3-day-old house flies or of the 2 sexes. Rate of dispersal increased when temperatures were above 53°F and when suitable breeding materials were scarce at the emergence sites.