| Range: |
Worldwide (except Antarctica) |
| Habitat: |
Various habitats; found in and around houses, farms, and ranches |
| Conservation Status: |
Not listed by IUCN |
| Scientific Name: |
Musca domestica |
House flies are found virtually everywhere that people live. But their ability to spread disease makes them unwelcome companions. Flies also have a nasty (to us) habit of vomiting on their food before sucking it up with their sponge-like mouth parts!
The larval form of flies -- known as maggots -- play an important ecological role as decomposers of rotting plants and animals. After hatching from eggs laid on these unsavory carcasses, the maggots feed on the rotting flesh, thereby returning vital nutrients to the environment.
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