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Common Housefly Soars to First Place at Nikon’s Small World

fly-blog2 MELVILLE, N.Y., Oct. 6, 2005 — Bristling with sharp, sensitive antennae, bulbous eyes with 4,000 lenses, and a mouth that sucks up food using a bellows-like pump in its head, the common housefly is one of 119,500 known species of fly, and this year’s winning image in Nikon’s Small World competition.

Founded in 1975 to recognize excellence in photography through the microscope, the competition is the leading forum for celebrating the beauty and complexity of objects seen through the light microscope. This year’s winning photographers will be recognized this evening at New York’s famed Hudson Theatre where Nikon will unveil the complete gallery of winning photographs set to tour science and art museums across the nation beginning January 1st.

The top three images include Mr. Charles Krebs’ photomicrograph of a common housefly, Mr. Thomas Deerinck’s quantum dot fluorescence image of a mouse kidney section, and Mr. Stefan Eberhard’s crystallized image of vitamin A.

“Nikon’s Small World provides a unique opportunity for people to see ordinary things in an extraordinary way,” said Lee Shuett, executive vice president, Nikon Instruments. “Modern microscopes have become information technology platforms that combine sophisticated optics, internet communications and advanced software to unveil amazing new worlds in miniature. Tonight, we will honor and celebrate each Small World contributor as we congratulate the 2005 winners.”

Small World Gallery

By admin|August 16th, 2015|Common Housefly|Comments Off

Flies are known for Carrying Disease

Everyone knows that house flies aren’t welcome around food. But University of Florida scientists have discovered five new reasons why.

Researchers with UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences have documented five more bacteria species carried by house flies, and all of them cause illness in humans, ranging from food poisoning to respiratory infections.

In the current issue of Florida Entomologist, the researchers describe collecting house flies near rear entrances and trash bins at four restaurants in Gainesville. About 20 flies from each location were collected in sterile containers and returned to the campus laboratory.

The team used fatty acid analysis and DNA sequencing to identify a total of 11 pathogens carried by the flies – five of them not previously linked to house flies: Acinetobacter baumanni, Bacillus pumilus, Cronobacter sakazakii, Methylobacterium persicinum and Staphylococcus sciuri.

The findings reinforce the notion that fly control is key, especially around food sources, said UF’s Jerry Butler, a retired entomology professor who led the research team.

“People need to know that there’s a reason for health requirements in restaurants,” he said. “Most people have a good immune response, but there are those who are susceptible.” They include infants, seniors and people whose immune systems are compromised by illness or chemotherapy.

Fly control is a day-to-day battle because the insects are so mobile, traveling up to 10 miles in just a couple days’ time, Butler said.

Until this study, house flies were known to carry some 200 bacteria. But both Butler and researcher Jim Maruniak, a UF associate professor of insect pathology, said they expect additional research would turn up even more.

“It just shows you don’t need a lot of flies to contaminate food sources,” Maruniak said.

By admin|August 16th, 2015|House Fly|Comments Off

NMSU professor focuses on house fly research

Not every idea for scientific research comes from deep intellectual conversations. Sometimes, the most mundane situations can spark the interest of the scientist.

Man shows house flies in a lab. Alvaro Romero, NMSU professor of Urban Entomology, will start researching house flies in January 2015. His research aims to inform and educate people about the possible health dangers of large populations of flies.

Alvaro Romero, New Mexico State University professor of Urban Entomology, who is known for his bed bug program, is interested in researching urban pests that most affect people’s everyday lives including house flies.

“This summer I attended an outdoor wedding in Hatch,” he recounted. “I was surprised at how many flies there were. Usually, flies appear when there is food, animals, fecal matter or garbage in the area, but there were no such things in the proximity of that area. The number of flies around tables was very irritant.”

The focus of his research is primarily to shed light on the role of house flies in the transmission of human and animal pathogens. This research will provide the public useful information about health issues that can arise from fly infestation.

Romero plans to collaborate with other NMSU researchers as well as experts from other universities. “House flies are present all year round, especially during the summer and they are definitely a nuisance,” Romero said.

In 2013 heconducted a survey asking Las Cruces residents which insects they saw most frequently and about 50 percent reported house flies, followed by ants and cockroaches.

“This survey confirmed to us that flies are a big problem in this area,” Romero said. “We are in an area where temperature is high almost all year and that creates a great environment for the reproduction of flies, which can complete their life cycle very quickly – in 10 days or less.”

By admin|July 6th, 2015|House Fly|Comments Off

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Common Housefly Soars to First Place at Nikon’s Small World

UF discovers house flies carrying five new illness-causing bacteria

NMSU professor focuses on house fly research