Houseflies: The Buzz and How to Control These Pesky Pests
fly buzzing around the house e.g – Flies buzzing around the household can be a major annoyance and safety hazard. Not only are these little buggers pests – they also do spread disease and can contaminate your food. In this post we will discuss the life cycle, habits and treatment info related to house flies so that you may take better steps in controlling them.
The Life Cycle of a House Fly
House flies (Musca domestica) undergo complete metamorphosis, consisting of four stages: egg, larva (maggot), pupa and adult. Comprehending this life cycle is crucial to controlling their population effectively.
Egg Stage
House fly females lay their eggs, usually in batches of about 75-150 at a time; the total number varies between 100 and 1000 per female.
They are laid in damp decaying organic matter, such as garbage, manure or compost.
The eggs take less than 24 hours to hatch into larvae.
Larval Stage
The larvae are commonly called maggots, and they have no legs; instead, they tend to burrow into the migration habitat where crust flies are born.
This stage takes around 4-7 days, in which the maggots develop and shed their skins.
Upon maturing, they move to drier regions for pupation.
Pupal Stage
Its puparii are hard and dark.
Duration – This stage lasts for about 3-6 days which vary in accordance to the environmental conditions.
In this stage, the maggot develops an adult fly.
Adult Stage
Within several days, adult flies will eclose from the puparia and be ready to mate.
Their lifespan is approximately 15 – 30 days but the number of its offspring can quickly become large.
Behavior and Habits
These are drawn to a source of food or in an area where breeding happens, this is why they love kitchens and trash cans among others as well pet areas. Fast fliers, they can fly as for greater than 5 miles from their breeding site though typically remain near their food sources.
Feeding: These flies feed on a range of materials from sugars to decaying organic matter. Their mouthpart (sponging) is used for liquefying of solid foods before being eaten.
Resting Sites: This is common among flies especially in areas where they feed and these sites include walls, ceilings as well places that are closer to the food source. They like it when they can only move in at edges, corners.
Breeding Locations: Wet decomposing natural content is excellent for oviposition. Breeding sites include garbage bins, compost piles, animal feces and food spills.
Health Risks
Because of where they feed and breed flies are vectors for a number of different diseases. This food and surface contamination occurs either because the insects themselves have pathogens on their bodies, or that they are contaminated in a manner such as possessing these items in their gut.
Disease Transmission: Flies are second to cockroaches when it comes to being the dirtiest insects in terms of disease transmission that cause diseases such as typhoid fever, cholera, dysentery and food poisoning. The way they do this is by carrying all types of bacteria, viruses and parasites in their bodies that come from the trash, farms where pig feces are used to make food or any other unsanitary places.
Allergic Responses- Exemptional cases as not many people are allergic to fly bites or presence of flies that leads asthma and respiratory issues.
Effective Control Methods
Control involves a combination of sanitation, exclusion and the careful use of pesticides. The following tips will drastically increase your chances of being accepted:
Sanitation
Waste Management: Keep Dust Bins Closed Tightly, Clear Them After Regular Intervals Get rid of the residue or any other dust that tends to attract flies from your garbage cans.
But regularly and properly dispose of pet waste Shit attracts flies, as the old saying goes.
Food Storage: Keep food in airtight containers and prevent leaving out uncovered. Take care of spillage and crumbles straight away.
Exclusion
Windows and Doors: Fit flyscreens to windows or doors so that flies cannot enter the home. Patch any holes or rips in screens.
Seal Cracks and Gaps: Seal cracks, gaps in walls as well at doors or windows so that there are no entry ways for flies.
Biological Control
Natural Predators: Attract natural predators such as spiders, some beetles or bird species that eat flies.
Parasitic Wasps – These wasps lay their eggs in fly pupae, having the same effect on flies as birds ripping apart flowers looking for nuts.
Chemical Control
Insecticides-Use insecticides only as a last resort and follow the manufacturer’s direction. If you know where the flies rest, then spray these places like walls and ceilings.
The fly traps – of which there are a number commercially available fit for this purpose-will catch the flies and then kill them. Sticky traps, UV light traps and baited style of devices are just a few ways to tackle with them.
Physical Control
Traditional Fly Swatters: For killing individual flies a traditional fly swatter may do the trick.
Electric Fly Killers: These are also effective in high-fly areas and use UV light to attract flies before killing them.
Preventive Measures
It is an ongoing job to keep your flock from fly infestation, So here are some more cautionary techniques to keep the fly population down in your beautiful home.
They also advise: Regular Cleaning – Follow a regular routine for cleaning your home and particularly those areas like the food preparation counters as well as where it is going to be consumed.
Good sanitation: Have waste properly disposed and manage compost piles to minimize flies.
Landscaping – Maintain clean bushes and organic material away from all exiting and entrances areas. Prune shrubs and rake fallen leaves, fruit.
Conclusion
Flies House flies are a prevalent household pest that both carries potential for health risks and is an all-around nuisance. Knowledge of their life cycle and habits is essential if they are to be controlled effectively. Fly populations can be greatly decreased and a healthier, more comfortable environment maintained by implementing preventative measures including sanitation, exclusion; physical controls such as light traps, pest monitors; biological control agents like parasitic wasps that lay their eggs in fly larvae;; chemicals applied to outdoor areas where flies breed or rest; space sprays/mists for quick knockdown of adult flies inside structures.