M. domestica, as an adult, is 6-8 mm long with a 13-15 mm wingspan. It has a gray thorax with four longitudinal dark stripes. The front half of the abdomen is buff-colored and occasionally transparent at the sides with a central dark band broadening to cover the last abdominal segments.

The housefly passes through complete metamorphosis as egg, larva, pupa and adult. Development is temperature dependent, but under most conditions the life cycle is complete in 10-20 days. In the third of three larval stages, the mature larvae, or maggots, crawl away from their breeding place and burrow into loose ground nearby where they transform to the next stage, the pupa. When pupal development is complete and the adult fly is ready to emerge, it pushes the end of the pupa open with an extrudable saclike structure on the head. The adult continues to alternate expansion and contraction of this structure to clear a path through the soil to the surface.

M. domestica is extremely prolific and has tremendous potential for population increases. For example, in 1911 C.F. Hodge made the following estimation. Assume that one adult female deposits 120 to 150 eggs per "lot," with at least six lots at intervals of three or four days. A pair of flies beginning "operations" in April may be progenitors, if all were to live, of 1.91 x 10 flies in August.

That's almost 200 million trillion flies, or 191,000,000,000,000,000,000 flies.

That many flies would cover the earth with a layer at least 2.5 feet deep.

How is that for Godlike power ??!!

Blasphemous pamflet :

(this pamflet will not be helping man's lifespan...ooh the wrath!)

"The Bicycle"
(This one is good for the fly's abs and legs).

Carefully place the fly on its back on a table and affix to the table with double-sided sticky tape. The fly will struggle to free itself for hours, flailing its legs wildly. All the calories gained by nibbling on those crumbs in the kitchen will soon be burned up.

(Please obtain the fly's consent before conducting this one)

"The Drag Artist"

Using a pair of tweezers, gently remove the fly's wings and place them in a Tupperware™ box for safekeeping in the fridge. Attach a fresh stool (faeces of dog or a child preferred) to a piece of string. (Consent of dog required by English Law). Hold aloft before the fly, and proceed to drag the stool around the house. Watch as the fly follows the stench, all the while exercising its pecks and abs. A treat for all the family to watch. Please remember to re-attach the wings with Pritt-Stick™ after every session.

After all this ; pray for forgiveness........

"...This most beautiful system [the universe] could only proceed from the dominion of an intelligent and powerful being..."

                                                                                      Isaac Newton  (1642-1727)