G94-1204 Face Fly Control Guide

The face fly congregates about the eyes and nose of animals, causing annoyance and possible disease transmission. This NebGuide discusses face fly breeding and effective controls. The face fly closely resembles the house fly except it is slightly larger and darker. Other differentiating characteristics include: 1) the abdomen of the male face fly is orange and the female has an orange stripe; the abdomen of the house fly is white or light grey and 2) the compound eyes of male face flies nearly touch but are separated in the house flies. The persistence and habit of congregating about the eyes and nose of animals helps distinguish the face fly from the house fly in the field. House flies may congregate on the faces of cattle in confined feedlots or dairy pens. Face flies are pasture flies and are not found in feedlots