Face flies belong to the same genus, Musca, as the housefly. Face flies may transmit pathogens responsible for infecting the eye and causing pinkeye in cattle. Face flies spend relatively little time on their host. They remain on animals most of the time; taking frequent small blood meals per day. They take some 24 to 38 blood meals per day. Horn flies can affect performance and rate of gain as cattle spend more time under trees or in water looking for relief. They also carry disease. This is a plus. Fly control is aimed at the two most important pests: face flies and horn flies. These aspects of its life history make management of face fly a very difficult task. Instead, they have sucking mouthparts that they use to feed on ocular and nasal secretions. If you’re managing your fly population, but your neighbor isn’t, you may be getting “flies without borders” as they travel in search of a meal. The face fly is a non-biting/sucking fly that feeds on animal secretions and fecal liquids. The adult female flies tend to feed on secretions from the eyes, nostrils, and mouths of pastured cattle, causing extreme annoyance and allowing for the transmission of pinkeye and other eye diseases. Face fly maggots develop in freshly deposited cattle manure. It's all fenced in to provide a variety of grazing options. Like the horn fly, the larvae of face flies develop in manure. Some types of flies feed on cattle, causing anemia and affecting the production of milk. Flies of economic importance on western Canadian range are horn flies (Haematobia irritans); face flies (Musca autumnalis); and stable flies (Stomoxys calcitrans). “Another significant fly pest is the stable fly. The face fly resembles the house fly and is sometimes difficult to differentiate. Face flies (Musca autumnalis) are one of the key contributors of pinkeye transmission in cattle (Figure 1). Horn flies and face flies are the primary pests of cattle here in Burke County. It is an old-fashioned walk-through fly trap Simmons tried at her own ranch that is doing a good job of controlling face and horn flies in her cattle. These aspects of its life history make management of face fly a very difficult task. Proper management of these fly populations reduces the number of potential vectors and the incidence of pinkeye may be minimized. Simple design and efficient at capturing flies. If a confined dry lot is adjacent to an irrigated or native range pasture with grazing cattle, confined animals could be bothered by face flies. The face fly is similar to the closely related housefly but is slightly larger, ... On cattle and horses, they feed on secretions around the eyes, mouth and nostrils. You will often see a cluster of face flies around the eyes or mouth and nose of an animal. Feedyards don’t have face flies because of disturbance of manure and ground due to cattle densities. By contrast, male Face Flies feed only on nectar and manure. You will often see a cluster of face flies around the eyes or mouth and nose of an animal. Fortunately, we have a wide variety of fly control options. Face flies are found on range cattle throughout southern Canada and most of the USA. Horn flies feed on blood. It develops at old hay-feeding sites,” says Justin Talley, Extension entomologist at Oklahoma State University. Forsburg intensively grazes 16 head of Angus on 50 acres, which includes 38 acres of native perennial pasture, silvopasture and woods. Larvae develop in cow pats; adults feed on secretions from eyes and nose of cattle and horses and occasionally on blood exuding from horse fly bites. The face fly problem is real on cattle operations. Face flies require areas with higher levels of humidity and rainfall than our other major fly species. The larvae develop within the dung and pupate in the surrounding soil. Populations tend to peak in late summer. Face flies (Musca autumnalis) are pests of pastured livestock animals such as beef cattle, heifers, and horses. Go to greenpasturesfarm.net for more info. Face fly adults closely resemble houseflies – except they are slightly larger and darker. Face flies resemble house flies and feed on bodily secretions, usually around the eyes and mouth of cows. Horn flies, face flies, stable flies, ticks, lice and mites are the major external parasites in beef cattle. For this reason, face flies primarily attack the head, including the eyes , nose, and mouth. An online poll of webinar attendees showed 83% reported problems with face flies on their farm or with their cattle. As adults, females use their sponging proboscis with teeth to feed and scrape at wounds and around moist-mucus membranes of an animal’s face. You might not be able to completely eliminate flies, but you can reduce their numbers among your cattle, choosing from a handful of means. This article can help you make decisions about which products would fit your program, how to avoid causing insecticide resistance in flies, and ways to clean up your barn area to help control them. Face flies overwinter as adults in sheltered areas such as barns or attics and become active again in the spring. Measuring about 10 feet in length, the walk-through fly trap is constructed with a solid top and partially solid sides to create a dim interior. Their eggs hatch quickly and larvae move in two to four days to soil and become adults in less than three weeks. Traditionally, face fly population densities on NC cattle are highest in the spring, but may be significantly reduced in number under dry conditions. Hence, many of the products labeled for efficacious horn fly control indicate that they merely aid in face fly control. As well as disturbance to feeding (especially to horses), face flies can transmit the eyeworm Thelazia rhodesi to cattle and horses, and the bacterium Moraxella bovis , which causes infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis ('pink eye') in cattle. The horn fly is a small blood feeding fly found on the shoulders, back and belly region of cattle. Fly control is of major importance to cattle producers. Face flies are strong flyers and can move significant distances. Instead, they have sucking mouthparts that they use to feed on ocular and nasal secretions. Biology Face flies feed on the secretions of the eyes and nose for short periods of time; only a small percentage of the local face fly population may be found on animals at any one time. Female face flies are most readily attracted to grass-type manure and lay their eggs within 15 minutes after it is deposited. Unlike many other flies that affect cattle, face flies do not have biting mouthparts. In Nebraska and elsewhere, there are three fly species that economically impact pastured cattle; horn fly, face fly and stable fly. Horn Flies are about half the size of house flies and are dark gray. The manure cannot be disturbed or they won’t reproduce. Unlike many other flies that affect cattle, face flies do not have biting mouthparts. HORN FLY. Face flies superficially look like house flies but they lay their eggs only on fresh cattle manure in fields. They attack the face in order to feed on the mucus and watery secretions that are found around the eyes of their victim. For this reason, face flies primarily attack the head, including the eyes , nose, and mouth. Both face flies and horn flies can travel several miles in search of cattle. A variety of flies, including horn flies, face flies and stable flies, can have a major economic impact on beef cattle out on pasture or in a confined feedlot. With an ongoing fly management program, however, both you and your cattle … Face flies are a type of agricultural pest that attack the faces of cattle and, to a lesser extent, horses. Feeding a little garlic powder to cattle does keep flies away and there are finally numbers to show it. Warble or gad flies (Hypoderma bovis and Hypoderma lineatum), once a huge economic concern to the cattle industry, were practically eliminated with the advent of systemic avermectins and pour-on organophosphates. According to David Boxler, Extension educator-livestock Entomology at the University of Nebraska- there are mainly two key species of cattle flies that may concern you.They are the face fly and the horn fly.. Face fly. By Lee Townsend, Extension Entomologist. A larger proportion of face flies on the host will be females, as they have a higher need for protein provided by animal hosts. “This fly will cause cattle to stomp, stand in water, and bunch due to flies feeding on their legs. Face Flies Musca autumnalis. The four stage life cycle takes about 15 to 25 days. Overwintering face flies have habits similar to cluster flies … Face flies. The face flies use their abrasive spongy … Face flies are serious pests of cattle and may overwinter in homes or invade them during the summer. The life cycle takes about 2 weeks. The mouthparts consist of sponging labellae, and there are four longitudinal stripes on the abdomen. They require fresh manure to lay eggs. Especially if you live in a humid area, where flies might be more abundant, flies are more than an annoyance to cattle. The wet summer experienced throughout much of South Dakota has led to an increase in fly numbers, including face flies. Face flies spend the night off the cattle. Unlike the house fly, face flies are pests of cattle in pastures during the warm months. Beef cattle producers are strongly encouraged to assess their beef cattle herd for fly pressure and to do a good job of controlling these pests. “Animals aren’t going to graze as much and won’t grow as much,” he says. Face fly maggots develop in freshly deposited cattle manure. The adult female face flies cluster around an animal’s eyes, mouth and muzzle, causing extreme irritation. The adult flies will also feed on the hosts' blood through wounds such as horse-fly bites. Because of the extreme irritation these flies cause, small populations can do a lot of damage. “It’s so easy,” she says. These species breed in fresh manure but each presents a very different management problem. Hence, many of the products labeled for efficacious horn fly control indicate that they merely aid in face fly control. During extremely hot weather or when it rains, they may move to the protected underside of the animal. Unlike the House Fly, Face Flies are pests of cattle in pastures during the warm months. Biology Face flies feed on the secretions of the eyes and nose for short periods of time; only a small percentage of the local face fly population may be found on animals at any one time. Treatment Guidelines for Pasture Flies, Horn Flies and Face Flies . According to David Boxler, Extension educator-livestock Entomology at the University of Nebraska- there are mainly two key species of cattle flies that may concern you.They are the face fly and the horn fly.. Face fly. Horn fly control can mean an additional 12 to 20 pounds of weight per calf over the summer months and can result in less weight loss per nursing cow as well. They are blood-sucking flies that stay on the shoulders and backs of cattle almost continuously. They closely resemble the common housefly, and only an expert can tell them apart. 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