Are there too many flies in your house? Maybe there are flies eggs in house. Most insects' life cycles begin from the eggs laid in various locations. While fly egg locations depend on the species, there are many ideal indoor spots for these pests.
It's far from comforting to know that they can hatch and reproduce very quickly if you don't deal with it. So, what do fly eggs look like and where do flies lay eggs inside house?
Fly egg have a distinct look and can help you identify fly nests in the house and prevent an infestation. Here's how to identify the fly eggs:
Appearance
Fly eggs typically look like a small clumped cluster of small grains of rice. When you spot them, they could easily be mistaken for rice grains and could easily be crammed into any nook or crevice. The eggs will hatch within 24 hours. and house fly larvae emerge.
Their larvae, or maggots appear similar to pale worms. The sole purpose of the larvae is to eat and store energy for pupation.
Size
The fly eggs are also quite small and typically measure about 1.2 millimeters (0.05 inches) in terms of length and are laid one by one, piled up all together in small groups. They are tiny and thus can be really challenging to find with just the naked eye.
Shape And Texture
The shapes of the eggs are ovular or cylindrical. Furthermore, they have a wet and sticky texture when freshly laid. This allows them to easily stick and adhere to any surface when they are laid by the female fly. The eggs are also quite soft and easy to crush.
Color And Condition
When laid, the fly eggs start off with a whitish to pale yellow color when they are freshly laid. However, as time goes on and they become more developed and mature, they will go through a color change.
As they develop, they darken in color, turning either reddish-brown or black, and coincides with the development, growth, and transformation of the larva in the egg. In fact, you may even be able to see the outline of the developing maggot inside the eggs.
Count
Wondering how many eggs can a fly lay? A single female fly is capable of laying 75 to 150 eggs over a 3-4 day period and can generally lay up to 500 eggs in her short lifespan.
The number of eggs produced by the female fly is directly proportional to their size which in itself is dependent on their level of nutrition as a larva. The optimal weather and climatic conditions for the maximum amount of egg production is between 77-86°F (25-30°C).
Flies typically lay their eggs in dark, warm, and secluded locations that provide protection and ample access to food. Here are some of the most common places where pregnant flies deposit their eggs, including but not limited to:
Uncovered Garbage Cans
In most areas, garbage wastes are generally carried out on a weekly if not a monthly basis. This means throughout the entire week or month, the meat and vegetable leftovers in the garbage could be rotting and putrefying providing the most optimal location for flies to lay eggs.
When garbage is uncovered, it is capable of producing a whole lot of flies within a week, especially during hot summers. Scraps might not be a lot to us but to flies it's a whole lot of food.
Animal Feces
Another nasty prime fly-attracting material is a decaying piece of animal excreta which may range from animal manure to feces and everything in between. Flies have powerful antenna sensory organs for detecting smell and feces are the second easiest to discover after rotting carrion.
Thus, paired with their abundance, the feces provide all the nutrients required by the maggots to grow from it making it the ideal and well-protected breeding habitat for flies.
Animal Carcasses
A dead animal carcass easily attracts a wide swarm of insects. However, nothing is more capable of finding a carcass than a fly. A rodent dead within the voids of the walls is easily found and consumed by flies.
In cities, fly larvae also feed on a mouse, pigeon, or dead raccoon in a chimney. Even a small carcass of a mouse is capable of producing a surprising amount of flies.
Damaged or cracked pieces of vegetables can also attract flies so make sure to dispose of them properly from your property. A rotten tomato, potato, or fermenting overripe fruits can breed dozens of flies.
Therefore, getting rid of them is essential if you want to avoid a fly infestation.
Beer, Wine, and Vinegar
The fragrance of beer, wine, cider, and vinegar is also capable of attracting flies. They contain yeast which produces small quantities of volatile compounds which smell like ripening fruit. The similarity of this compound to an overripe fermenting fruit causes flies to be attracted.
Some species of flies are capable of thriving and hatching eggs in beers and other similar fermented liquids.
Dirty Drains
Some fly species of flies thrive on moisture and often lay their eggs in the sticky slimy film that develops in drain pipes and sewers over time. Or sometimes the drains have stuck pieces of decomposing food materials.
It is necessary to periodically clear the drains to prevent a potential fly infestation from drainage areas.
Sugar And Sugary Syrups
Some species of flies are capable of thriving and hosting maggot larvae purely on sugar or sugary beverages thus, they are highly attracted by any open sources of sugar or beverage bottles where they will reproduce and lay eggs.
Spilled Animal Feed
Another common reason for you to see a swarm of flies in your home might be because of animal feed left out in the open. While not very common, some flies might choose to lay eggs on grain-based animal feed which will be used as a source of food for the maggot larvae.
So make sure to not overfill the animal bowl so much that your pet won't be able to finish it or cover the bowl when not in use.
How Long do Flies Eggs Take to Hatch?
Fly eggs will easily hatch the first within 24 hours of being laid. These white eggs as they become developed within the day eventually turn from their white sheen to a reddish-brown or black exterior alongside the development of the larva maggot in the egg.
Depending on the species, the flies might even be able to hatch as early as 8 hours and in most cases, you can see the outline of the developing maggot which looks like tiny pale white worms inside the eggs as they eventually begin to hatch and emerge from the eggs.
Egg Laying Behavior
The fly eggs are often laid together in clusters as a common strategy to maximize their offspring's survival and access to a food source upon hatching.. Furthermore, the female flies also make use of their ovipositors to lay eggs directly into crevices or the surface of the rotten substrate material.
A benefit to this strategy is the maggots being able to feed on the carcass of rotting corpses and vegetables which is a successful strategy to provide ample nutrition for the maggots.
Flies eat such a wide range and variety of food that it would be easier to list out what they don't eat rather than what they do eat. In general, all flies are attracted to organic decaying material with different species preferring different types of organic decomposition.
Flies are only capable of ingesting liquids, thus they can turn solids into liquids by vomiting their stomach content on it to turn into a slurpable soup before using their mouthparts to suck the food.
House Flies
House flies are generalist feeders even amongst the fly family meaning they will eat anything from overripe and decomposing fruits and vegetables to flesh and fecal matter.
Like many other insects, they also have no qualms about feeding on sugary substances that are easy to digest and provide a vast amount of energy.
Blow Flies
Blow flies are fairly large in the fly family and generally have metallic blue, green, bronze, or black reflective sheens on their exoskeletons. They are usually the first insects to arrive on a freshly created carrion.
They are known for burrowing themselves into their food which happens to be carrion corpses where they feed, develop, and lay eggs.
Flesh Flies
Aptly named, flesh flies feed and lay their eggs on carrion or scraps of meat on which to lay their eggs. Adult flesh flies are 3 times larger than a housefly with three dark stripes on the thorax.
The main difference between a blowfly and a flesh fly is flesh fly will also infest wounds and cause internal parasitism while blowflies only bloat carrion.
Horse Flies
Female horseflies feed on blood and are equipped with blade-like mouthparts that slash tissues and blood vessels. Once the blood flows to the wounds, The females then use their sponge-like mouthparts to suck up the blood.
The males have similar but much weaker mouthparts, despite this, the males only feed on pollen and nectar.
Stable Flies
Both sexes of the stable flies bite and drink the blood of animals, including humans often around the ankles. The females require blood to develop larva eggs which results in them biting people. Their bites are painful but do not transmit disease to humans.
The main difference between stable flies and horseflies is that males of horseflies cannot bite and horsefly larva are incapable of thriving on manure.
Black Flies
Adult black flies feed on flower nectars but the females require a blood meal for egg development which also requires them to bite people. Although unlike the stable flies, they only bite shortly before laying eggs.
Cluster flies generally lay eggs in the soil outdoors as their larvae feed on earthworms and redworms. When these maggots mature into adults, they prefer to overwinter in homes and may be encountered in your living spaces.
While their maggots feed on various worms found in the soil, since all flies do not have jaws cluster flies feed on flower nectars as an adult.
Fruit Flies
Fruit flies are generally attracted to and feed on fermented foods and liquids such as beer, wine, cider, syrup, soda pop, and vinegar as well as pickles, brine, and more. This makes the fruit flies a pest and a menace in the food industry.
Aside from that, fruit flies also feed on ripe and overripe fruits such as bananas, grapes, peaches, pineapples, and tomatoes making them an extremely common sight in homes.
Phorid Flies
The larvae of phorid flies feed on various decomposing organic of both plant and animal origin. The flies often feed on organic gunk found in pipes and drains.
Their common food sources and the locations where they are found are overripe fruits, vegetables, liquefied garbage, sewage, and carrion.
Drain Flies
Drain fly adults often rest on bathroom walls and in your kitchen. Their larvae are laid in the drain pipes where they survive being submerged in the gelatinous muck that accumulates in the floor, sinks, and toilet drains
Adults feed on fruits and vegetables while the larvae feed on the same gelatinous muck that they call their home.
Fungus Gnats
Fungus gnats are relatively long-legged flies which could easily be mistaken for tiny mosquitoes. The adults feed on flower nectars while their larva feeds on plant roots, fungi, and other organic material found in the soil.
Most fungus gnat infestations can often be attributed to pigeon droppings near plant pots which encourage the development of fungi.
Sometimes after finding some maggots in your pantry food supply, you may begin to wonder, "Where did flies come from? Do flies nest or something, and if so what does a fly nest look like?" Try as you might, you will never find a fly nest in house.
This is because, unlike most other flying insects, flies are not eusocial and do not build nests. Instead, they simply reproduce, feed, and lay eggs in any potential sources of food. So the answer to where do fly live is nowhere because they only live for 4 days tops.
Fruits And Drains
The closest equivalent we have for nests for flies are drain flies and fruit flies laying eggs in drains, under plant leaves, and in fruits. Don't be mistaken however as these aren't proper nests as they show none of the nesting sophistication of the ants, bees, or wasps.
They are simply laying eggs there out of convenience due to the availability of food.
Maintaining cleanliness is one of the most effective strategies for eliminating flies from your home. These pests are highly attracted to food scraps and garbage. Regularly cleaning your kitchen, and dining areas.
Furthermore, properly sealing the foods in airtight containers in your pantry as well as tightly closing the lid of garbage is essential for preventing fly infestations.
Remove Food Sources
House flies are opportunistic feeders that thrive on readily available nourishment. They will have no business being in your home if there isn't any scent of food kept in airtight containers that readily attracts them. This also includes pantry staples like grains, cereals, snacks, and perishable items that should be kept in the refrigerator.
Remember to avoid leaving pet food out overnight, as this can attract flies. Flies have one of the best-smelling abilities in the insect kingdom which is the result for their incursion into homes.
Limit Moisture
Limiting moisture in your home can also prevent fly infestation as the fly species thrive in damp environments. Eliminate all sources of standing water and while there's nothing that can be done for the dampness of a sink, clear the sink pipes regularly.
Additionally, you should also fix any leaks in your pipes and plumbing water that can accumulate and create a breeding ground for these insects. If available you can make use of exhaust fans and dehumidifiers to reduce humidity levels in your home.
Sealing entry points is crucial for flies to infiltrate your home. They can crawl through small gaps and crevices. Make use of door screens and rubber curtains as well as conduct a thorough inspection of your home, focusing on entry areas near windows, pipes, and doors.
Look for cracks in the foundation, gaps in door frames, and any openings in walls or ceilings. Use caulk or weather stripping and seal these entry points. Additionally, ensure door and window screens are intact and free from tears.
Declutter
Decluttering your home is vital in preventing and eliminating fly infestations. Cluttered environments provide ample hiding spots and make it difficult to discover a potential infestation while also making it difficult to keep the area clean.
Organize your living space systematically by removing unnecessary items, reducing potential hiding places, and making it easier to clean your home and maintain hygiene.
Inspections
Just as sanitation is the key to successful fly management, inspection is the cornerstone of sanitation. To be able to eliminate the potential fly infestation sites in your home, you must also be able to locate the attracting material first.
Conduct a thorough inspection of your residence. If there is already an infestation, identify the fly type so you can specifically search for the offending materials that attract the particular fly species.
Insecticides
The use of pesticides is generally not the best option for managing flies as it only offers temporary relief and the problem won't truly be eliminated without ensuring proper hygiene of the vicinity as well as elimination of fly-attracting materials.
Chemical control can still be a valuable component for managing flies. Place fly strips and contact pesticides labeled for fly control to kill adult flies. Some commercial over-the-counter bait pesticides are also available for outdoor garbage fly control.
Baits and traps are highly effective for monitoring and reducing fly populations within the home. These products contain food-based scents or pheromones that lure the flies to the sticky trap or bait station.
You can also make DIY solutions using vinegar or sugar syrup to attract and trap flies in a bottle with a narrow entrance or make using smells that flies hate such as citrus and essential oils such as rosemary, peppermint, etc.
Why To Get Rid Of Flies?
The two-winged flies do not sting or bite but despite this, they are a substantial threat to human health. These pests can carry up to 100 different disease-causing germs such as Norovirus, Salmonella, E. Coli, etc that are carried by these flies.
The flies pick up these pathogens as they go from rotting organic material to freshly made foods and act as disease vectors. Hence it’s important to take preventive measures and make sure these flies stay away from your homes.
