The house fly family ‘Muscidae’ is large. In Europe, there are approximately 600 known species; worldwide, there are 4’000. The color often is gray to black. However, there also are flies with other colors such as bright green and blue. There are species that absorb liquids, blood-sucking species and robber flies. Many flies feed on pollen and nectar. The larvae mainly feed on decaying material or manure.
The spotted housefly is a common and widespread member of the housefly family. It can be found in most parts of Europe and also in North Africa. It favors meadows, hedgerows and roadside verges. Often it can be seen nectaring on flowers, especially umbellifers.