Final answer:
The stable fly lays eggs in decomposing organic materials, where the larvae feed before maturing into adults.
Step-by-step explanation:
The stable fly, scientifically known as Stomoxys calcitrans, commonly lays its eggs in decomposing organic matter such as hay, straw, animal bedding, or rotting vegetable matter rather than laying eggs in trees like the hawthorn fly or in the bodies of other animals like the parasitoid wasp. The larvae, once hatched, feed on the decaying material before emerging as adult flies. The stable fly is a true fly and should not be confused with other egg-laying methods exhibited by different species such as birds, which lay their eggs in nests, or insects like butterflies, which lay eggs on specific types of plants that caterpillars will eat.