Organic Insecticides | Organic Pesticides | EcoSMART Bug Spray

Life Cycle of a House Fly

A house fly goes through four stages of life- a full metamorphosis.

Stages:

• Egg
• Larva
• Pupa
• Adult

Females lay up to 150 eggs at a time in soft, wet places like manure or decaying plants or animals. They are very small and white, like small grains of rice.

Eggs turn into larva after about 12 hours. A house fly larva is called a maggot. A maggot looks like a small white worm with a pointed mouth and beady black eyes. And a larva has two holes on its behind (yes, its butt!) that are used for breathing. It spends all its time eating, growing, and molting (shedding its skin, like snakes do).

After 5 days, the larva turns into a pupa. A pupa is a brown case that houses the larva, which is now inactive. Over a period of 3-6 days, the larva steadily grows into an adult house fly.

The adult stage is the final stage of the house fly. The house fly breaks open the pupa and emerges with wet, soft wings. (Once the house fly breaks through the pupa it will not grow any larger.) The wings dry and the fly’s blood flow hardens them, and it is now ready to infest your garbage. And, after 2-3 days, it is ready to breed (ensuring infestation for years to come!) The house fly will survive anywhere from 15 days to 2 months.

Pest Status

While they can’t bite you, houseflies are most certainly pests (just like that cousin that won’t leave.) They are even classified under the name “filth flies” because they congregate and eat in disease-ridden places.

They only eat liquids, but can also liquefy solids. To do this, almost like a sci-fi mutant bug (or a cow), they regurgitate (vomit) the solid onto human food.

And that’s why they’re dangerous! They spread diseases because you ingest their fly-vomit on your food…disgusting! And if you think that’s gross, check out some of the diseases they carry.

Diseases houseflies carry:

• Typhoid fever
• Cholera
• Dysentery
• Salmonella
• E-Coli
• Leprosy
• Even anthrax!

House Fly Control

Houseflies can become not only a major annoyance but a major health problem, too. Prevention is the easiest way to avoid the diseases these little buggers spread. But if you already have an infestation, there are steps you can take to send them to fly heaven (if all dogs go to heaven, maybe flies do also).

Prevention

Now you know about the diseases houseflies can spread, but how can you stop them from ever getting the chance to infect your family?

• Effective trash disposal is key to preventing fly breeding. Make sure your trash cans have tight fitting lids and take your trash out regularly.
• Place outside cans as far from your home as possible. Houseflies don’t travel very far – simply placing your cans farther from your home may prevent them from coming inside.
• Straw is a major breeding ground for houseflies, especially if it’s wet. Don’t use it for bedding, animal feed, or fertilizer, if you can help it.

Proper window and door screens go a long way in keeping unwanted fly guests from coming in. All screens should be the right size for the window or door so there are no exposed spaces. And of course, the screen shouldn’t have any holes. Remember, flies are only ¼” long!

How to get rid of houseflies

You hear a familiar and constant buzzing. You see small black dots in the corner of your bedroom ceiling. You are afraid to open the lid to your trashcan. It’s all too clear. You have a house fly infestation.

Here are some ways to get rid of them:

Traps: Fly traps are a relatively inexpensive and popular way to get rid of houseflies. Using the right trap and putting them in the right places is key to their success.

If you do use traps, keep the following in mind:

• White surfaces and fragrant materials attract flies. Sugar, fruit, meat, and molasses all make flies come buzzing. Bating traps with these ingredients may increase their effectiveness.
• Ultraviolet light traps are a popular way to get rid of flies. They either collect flies in a cone with a sticky strip (popular in restaurants) or electrocute the flies (gruesome but effective.)
• Place them inside AND outside. This ensures total fly elimination (muhahaha.) Indoors, place one for every 30 feet of wall space but not within 5 feet of food preparation areas. Outdoors, place them near entrances to buildings, in alleyways, beneath trees, or near animal dwellings.

Sticky fly paper is useful for a small infestation in a concealed area.

And of course, the classic and economical fly swatter is always a great option for the occasional straggler.



Chemical methods should be a last resort. The University of California: Davis points out that infestations are rare when proper sanitation methods are employed. But if all else fails, an aerosol insecticide can be a last resort. But we all know that insecticides can be dangerous, especially for children and pets.

Try EcoSMART

If you decide to use insecticide to get rid of houseflies, why not do it safely and organically? EcoSMART’s Flying Insect Killer is an environmentally-friendly solution to your fly problem. And you can safely use EcoSMART’s Flying Insect Killer around children and pets! Try EcoSMART to get rid of flies, all flying insects, and all other pests!