Insect identifier · Indoor insects
How to identify a House fly
Musca domestica
· Also called housefly, filth fly, do house flies bite, housefly identification
House flies do not bite. This page exists so ankle bites get routed to stable fly, not Musca.
A fly on the potato salad is almost never the fly that bit your ankle. House flies sponge liquids; they have no biting beak. If you felt a needle on the ankle, open the stable fly page. This page exists so “do house flies bite” has a clear answer and a next click. Sanitation and screens are the control story, not itch cream.
What does a house fly look like?
Gray thorax with dark stripes, sponging mouthparts, no forward biting beak.
House fly (Musca domestica) is 6–7 mm. Colors people notice: gray, black. Field marks: No forward-pointing biting beak; Sponging mouthparts; Gray thorax with dark stripes; Cannot bite skin. It is found both. If those marks are missing, open Stable fly, Horn fly before you force this name. Search phrases that belong on this page include what a house fly looks like and house fly identification.
Identification marks
- No forward-pointing biting beak
- Sponging mouthparts
- Gray thorax with dark stripes
- Cannot bite skin
Size: 6–7 mm
Colors: gray, black
Where: both
House fly vs Stable fly
This page exists to stop a mis-ID. No biting mouthparts. Ankle bites = stable fly. Small hummers = mosquitoes. If it sponged your sandwich, it is this fly.
- Stable fly identification (Stomoxys calcitrans)
- Horn fly identification (Haematobia irritans)
- Cluster fly identification (Pollenia spp.)
Range and season
Worldwide with people, warm months.
With people, garbage, and livestock, warm months, worldwide.
Worldwide with people.
Warm months
Common questions
Do house flies bite?
No. If something that looks like a house fly bit your ankle, it was likely a stable fly.
Why do they matter on a bite site?
Misidentification. Use this page to rule them out.
Disease?
They can contaminate food mechanically; they do not pierce skin.
Do house flies bite humans?
No. Musca domestica has no biting beak.
What fly looks like a house fly and bites?
The stable fly. Check the ankle-biting page.