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A closer look · Insect guide

House Fly

Musca domestica

The house fly is a familiar dull-gray fly found around homes. Its pale, legless larvae are called maggots.

What does a house fly look like?

Adults are about a quarter inch long and gray. Metallic green or blue flies may belong to different groups.

What do house flies eat?

Adults use liquid food or liquefy food before taking it in. Larvae develop in suitable moist material with available food.

Is every indoor fly a house fly?

No. Blow flies, bottle flies and other flies also enter buildings. Color, size and the place where you find them help narrow the possibilities.

Try one observation

If a fly rests on a window, note its color and approximate size without touching it. Record uncertainty if details are not visible.

Observe without handling or collecting. These clues are a starting point, not a confirmed identification.

Source & further reading

University of Maryland Extension — Flies indoors

Published . Short introductory summary; consult the source for detail and regional context.

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