Before knowing how long do house flies live, we should have a brief knowledge about house flies. House flies, scientifically known as Musca Domestics, are one of the common types of flies. They are common all over the world and are widespread, especially in Australia. House flies are typically grayish in appearance, with black and white stripes on the throat part. They are small creatures with almost 6 to 7 millimeters in size. The most threatening and their avoidance is because of their swift ability to reproduce. Because of this ability, more and more house flies make space for themselves in rural and urban areas. And address different diseases within society.
From an ecological point of view, house flies serve as an important balance in nature. House flies actually break down complex organic materials into simpler ones. By doing so, they make it easy for other smaller organisms to decay on that dead material. Hence, it provides a balance in nature by breaking down decaying matter. However, house flies seem helpful for other organisms, but at the same time, they are a real threat to humans. Their presence is not only annoying for humans but also poses some health risks. Houseflies are famous for transmitting different bacteria and viruses by contacting food items and surfaces. So it is necessary to fly control at our places. In this article, there is a brief discussion about how long do house flies live.
What is the Life Cycle of a Fly?
Talking about the life of a fly includes four stages in total.
- Egg
- Larva
- Pupa
- Adult Fly
So, initially, it all starts with an egg. It is important to know that female flies look for a place to lay eggs where they can easily feed the larvae. Most probably, it could be a source of some food or wood. They also prefer the body of any animal or rotten flesh to lay their eggs. On average, a single female fly can lay more than 150 eggs at a time. That is the reason why Australia and even the whole world is full of flies. Once there is a sign of fly infestation, it won’t be possible to get rid of them easily and fully.
After the egg is laid, it is converted (by hatching) into a white plumbless creature called a larva. Once they are out of the shell, Maggots feed on the rotten flesh on which they were hatched. The time for a Maggot to stay in its larval stage varies from a few hours to some days. Once the larva has completed its days, it comes to the pupal stage. Pupal stage is very different from the larval stage. In the pupal stage, the pupae change their color from white to brown or red and also no longer remain cylindrical as in the larval position. For the secondary changes, pupae prefer a dark and hidden place to grow. In that period, pupae change into adult flies by growing wings, legs and other body parts like an average fly.
How Long Do House Flies Live in Australia?
There is a very famous misconception about house flies that the lifespan of a fly is just 24 hours. But that’s not true for all the flies, especially the ones roaming around your houses. Only Mayflies are the ones whose lifespan is about 24 hours. So you can imagine how badly house flies can affect your properties once they enter your houses.
The most familiar flies that you have to tolerate at your house are house flies. House flies increase in number within no time with the same procedure of the life cycle discussed above. At the end of the day, if most of the eggs survive, it will be no trouble but for you. Once a female fly has laid the eggs, those eggs continue to exist. These flies will stay at your house for 20 to 25 days or more than that. So, the average lifespan of a fly is almost a month.
Is Housefly Harmful for Humans?
Sadly, houseflies are not only an annoyance for humans but also a significant cause of many health hazards. They are particularly made to live and crop on things that have a negative effect on humans. House flies are one the most common pest species in Australia. They actually live in places surrounded by different toxic pathogens and bacteria. Once they stay there, they come to our houses, which are covered with bacteria and toxic particles. While they roam around our kitchen cabinets, on food and on different surfaces at our houses.
These flies leave bacteria and viruses on the surfaces and food items. Hence, as a result, they contaminate the food and our surroundings. While when we eat that contaminated food, we have a higher chance of food poisoning. There are also some other health issues originating from the contamination and bacteria transferred from house flies into us.
Strategies to Prevent House Fly Flying in Your House
However, where there are problems, there are always some solutions for that. Some strategies to prevent flies infestation are discussed below. By following these strategies, you will get rid of fly infestation before time.
- To avoid flies at home, you should keep the doors and windows closed or, better, if they are screened. It is more convenient to invest in fly screens for better ventilation systems.
- Sealing cracks and unwanted holes and gaps can be an efficient move to make. It will allow no entry for flies into your houses, at least from unnecessary cracks.
- Pursuing proper maintenance for cleanliness is crucial to avoid any pest infestation. Cleanliness and a hygienic environment keep the flies away from your houses.
- You can also use electric fly traps or zappers. These techniques are considered to be an advanced way to get rid of flies.
Conclusion
Hence, it is not easy to know how long do house flies live. The above article will help you understand that these are not pests that should be welcomed. House flies are not only a nuisance for us but also come up with some serious health hazards for humans. They have a four-stage life cycle. It includes an egg, larval stage, pupae stage and then finally, an adult fly. Housefly lifetime is calculated for about more than 20 to 25 days, or it could be even a month. They are known to be one of the longest-living insects in the world. There are some strategies which we can follow to avoid house flies at our properties. You can also hire professionals to properly inspect these flies at your house.
