Horseflies and houseflies are both very common insects that we see quite often. Both look similar, but they are very different, and it can help spot the difference since houseflies are nearly harmless while a horsefly can deliver a painful bite. If you live on a farm or a rural setting, you’ve probably felt the bite, so we are going to help you recognize them from a distance. We’ll also help you learn how to spot the housefly and give you some other information about them so you can be more informed.
Visual Differences Left: Horse Fly (Image Credit: Martyn Fletcher, Wikimedia Commons CC BY 2.0) | Right: House fly (Image Credit: Gladson Machado, Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 3.0) At a Glance Housefly
Average height (adult): 6–7 millimeters
Lifespan: 2–4 weeks
Eggs: Batches of 100
Distribution: Worldwide
Diet: Nectar, plants
Horsefly
Average height (adult): 5–20 millimeters
Lifespan: 3–4 weeks
Eggs: Batches of 400–500
Distribution: Worldwide
Diet: Animal matter, feces, milk, sugar, rotting plants, and vegetables
Housefly Overview House fly (Image Credit: Gladson Machado, Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 3.0) Description The common housefly is a small insect that may have originated in ancient times around Iraq. It has since spread throughout the rest of the world following humans, and it is one of the most commonly seen insects worldwide. It’s small in size and only reaches a length of about 6–7 millimeters and is usually grey or black. The body will be slightly hairy, and it will have a single pair of membranous wings. These flies like to land on our food and can contaminate it with their feces, causing a health concern. It can also carry the disease on its body and in its feces that it can spread around. However, houseflies are important for the environment in that they break down and recycle organic matter. Breeding Female houseflies typically lay about 500 eggs in their lifetime over several batches of 80 to 150 eggs. The fly carefully places the eggs in decaying organic material like food waste and feces. The eggs hatch as maggots within a day and will begin to feed on the organic matter. It will take two to four weeks before it transforms into pupae, during which time it will avoid the light. This pupae state can last up to three weeks before the fly emerges as an adult. It usually lives about two to four weeks once it becomes an adult but can hibernate through the winter when the temperature gets below 40 degrees. Habitat Houseflies are common around humans, and they feed off our waste. You can usually find them easily by looking in the garbage can on a hot summer day when conditions are perfect for breeding. You will also see adult flies swarming around dog and cat feces, and they are looking for a place to lay their eggs.
Horsefly Overview Horse Fly (Image Credit: Martyn Fletcher, Wikimedia Commons CC BY 2.0) Description A Horsefly is a group of similar flies considerably larger than a housefly. These flies can often reach 1-inch in length and are agile fliers. It’s found worldwide except in Hawaii, Greenland, Iceland, and the polar regions. It prefers direct sunlight, often avoiding shady and dark areas. It has large compound eyes with short antennae. The head has short hairs, but there are none on the body. It may have a yellow body or black with a green sheen. Some species have noisy wings while others, including the common green horsefly, are silent. It typically feeds and nectar and other plant fluids and is an important pollinator in some parts of the world. Breeding Though the horsefly eats only plant fluids, most people will recognize them as biting flies. The reason these flies bite is because the females need blood to lay their eggs. She can lay up to 500 eggs, and she will deposit them on a leaf over the water. When they hatch, the larvae will fall into the water, where they can continue to develop. The larvae are carnivorous and will eat worms and arthropods. Because the female needs so much blood, these flies will relentlessly chase after their target. The females have mouths shaped like a spear, so they jab their prey to collect the blood. The males do not have the same mouthparts and do not bite. Habitat You will often find horseflies near water because that is where they lay their eggs. They especially like warm climates and can be a formidable enemy at the beach or near ponds and swampy areas. They can also transmit serious bloodborne diseases as they can bite several people each day. It likes to bite the legs, so you can get some relief by wearing pants. Image Credit: Erik_Karits, Pixabay
Final Thoughts Both houseflies and horseflies are a nuisance to humans, but horseflies are worse. Horseflies have a painful bite, and they can transmit disease. They are relentless and can easily ruin a picnic, walk, or trip to the beach, especially if you have small children. Houseflies are disgusting, and we could certainly do without the maggots in our garbage, but besides landing on our sandwich, they are usually quite harmless. It can transmit disease, and houseflies like to be around decaying things, so you don’t want it to land on you. We hope you have enjoyed this comparison of these two nuisance insects and have learned some new facts. If it’s helped you, please share this guide to the difference between the housefly and the horsefly on Facebook and Twitter.
Left: Horse Fly (Image Credit: Martyn Fletcher, Wikimedia Commons CC BY 2.0) | Right: House fly (Image Credit: Gladson Machado, Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 3.0)
Horseflies and houseflies are both very common insects that we see quite often. Both look similar, but they are very different, and it can help spot the difference since houseflies are nearly harmless while a horsefly can deliver a painful bite. If you live on a farm or a rural setting, you’ve probably felt the bite, so we are going to help you recognize them from a distance. We’ll also help you learn how to spot the housefly and give you some other information about them so you can be more informed.
Visual Differences
At a Glance
Housefly
Average height (adult): 6–7 millimeters
Lifespan: 2–4 weeks
Eggs: Batches of 100
Distribution: Worldwide
Diet: Nectar, plants
Horsefly
Average height (adult): 5–20 millimeters
Lifespan: 3–4 weeks
Eggs: Batches of 400–500
Distribution: Worldwide
Diet: Animal matter, feces, milk, sugar, rotting plants, and vegetables
Average height (adult): 6–7 millimeters
Lifespan: 2–4 weeks
Eggs: Batches of 100
Distribution: Worldwide
Diet: Nectar, plants
- Average height (adult): 6–7 millimeters
- Lifespan: 2–4 weeks
- Eggs: Batches of 100
- Distribution: Worldwide
- Diet: Nectar, plants
Average height (adult): 5–20 millimeters
Lifespan: 3–4 weeks
Eggs: Batches of 400–500
Distribution: Worldwide
Diet: Animal matter, feces, milk, sugar, rotting plants, and vegetables
- Average height (adult): 5–20 millimeters
- Lifespan: 3–4 weeks
- Eggs: Batches of 400–500
- Distribution: Worldwide
- Diet: Animal matter, feces, milk, sugar, rotting plants, and vegetables
Housefly Overview
Description
The common housefly is a small insect that may have originated in ancient times around Iraq. It has since spread throughout the rest of the world following humans, and it is one of the most commonly seen insects worldwide. It’s small in size and only reaches a length of about 6–7 millimeters and is usually grey or black. The body will be slightly hairy, and it will have a single pair of membranous wings. These flies like to land on our food and can contaminate it with their feces, causing a health concern. It can also carry the disease on its body and in its feces that it can spread around. However, houseflies are important for the environment in that they break down and recycle organic matter.
Breeding
Female houseflies typically lay about 500 eggs in their lifetime over several batches of 80 to 150 eggs. The fly carefully places the eggs in decaying organic material like food waste and feces. The eggs hatch as maggots within a day and will begin to feed on the organic matter. It will take two to four weeks before it transforms into pupae, during which time it will avoid the light. This pupae state can last up to three weeks before the fly emerges as an adult. It usually lives about two to four weeks once it becomes an adult but can hibernate through the winter when the temperature gets below 40 degrees.
Habitat
Houseflies are common around humans, and they feed off our waste. You can usually find them easily by looking in the garbage can on a hot summer day when conditions are perfect for breeding. You will also see adult flies swarming around dog and cat feces, and they are looking for a place to lay their eggs.
Horsefly Overview
A Horsefly is a group of similar flies considerably larger than a housefly. These flies can often reach 1-inch in length and are agile fliers. It’s found worldwide except in Hawaii, Greenland, Iceland, and the polar regions. It prefers direct sunlight, often avoiding shady and dark areas. It has large compound eyes with short antennae. The head has short hairs, but there are none on the body. It may have a yellow body or black with a green sheen. Some species have noisy wings while others, including the common green horsefly, are silent. It typically feeds and nectar and other plant fluids and is an important pollinator in some parts of the world.
Though the horsefly eats only plant fluids, most people will recognize them as biting flies. The reason these flies bite is because the females need blood to lay their eggs. She can lay up to 500 eggs, and she will deposit them on a leaf over the water. When they hatch, the larvae will fall into the water, where they can continue to develop. The larvae are carnivorous and will eat worms and arthropods. Because the female needs so much blood, these flies will relentlessly chase after their target. The females have mouths shaped like a spear, so they jab their prey to collect the blood. The males do not have the same mouthparts and do not bite.
You will often find horseflies near water because that is where they lay their eggs. They especially like warm climates and can be a formidable enemy at the beach or near ponds and swampy areas. They can also transmit serious bloodborne diseases as they can bite several people each day. It likes to bite the legs, so you can get some relief by wearing pants.
Final Thoughts
Both houseflies and horseflies are a nuisance to humans, but horseflies are worse. Horseflies have a painful bite, and they can transmit disease. They are relentless and can easily ruin a picnic, walk, or trip to the beach, especially if you have small children. Houseflies are disgusting, and we could certainly do without the maggots in our garbage, but besides landing on our sandwich, they are usually quite harmless. It can transmit disease, and houseflies like to be around decaying things, so you don’t want it to land on you.
We hope you have enjoyed this comparison of these two nuisance insects and have learned some new facts. If it’s helped you, please share this guide to the difference between the housefly and the horsefly on Facebook and Twitter.
Left: Horse Fly (Image Credit: Martyn Fletcher, Wikimedia Commons CC BY 2.0) | Right: House fly (Image Credit: Gladson Machado, Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 3.0)
