Sticky traps were used to study the densities of male and female house flies (Musca domestica) and stable flies (Stomoxys calcitrans) at a dairy farm and a beef cattle pasture ca. 5 km apart in central Iowa, USA. Traps were designed to examine the distribution of the 2 species at 3 heights and at various sites. Flies were collected from 1 June to 20 September 1981. Fly densities at the 2 sites fluctuated synchronously within each species. House-fly and stable-fly densities varied independently. The proportion of male house flies was positively correlated with house-fly density. The proportion of male stable flies varied independently of stable-fly density. Stable flies clearly preferred lower perching sites, while house flies discriminated little between heights.
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Black et al. (1985) studied this question.