Fly Facts - Four Seasons Pest Solutions

Fly Facts

Flies are a common pest that people encounter worldwide. Considering where they land, feed and reproduce, it’s no wonder they’re filthy. Without control measures, a few can become many. Control begins with sanitation and well-sealed structures. Infestations don’t occur where sanitation is well-kept, and the building is well-sealed. However, infestations seemingly appear from nowhere when one or both of these are not up to par.

Fly-Free Since 1978

Four Seasons Pest Solutions has been providing customers with fly-free lives since 1978, and we have no intentions to stop! Although flies may seem harmless, some pose unique and severe threats to humans and animals. Each species carries baggage and, in many cases, its own secrets. Below are the primary pest fly species for Kentucky and Tennessee.

House Flies

Scientific Name: Musca Domestica
Color: Gray to black with four longitudinal lines across the thorax
Size: 1/8 to 1/4 inch long
Shape: Triangular when viewed from above. The body has a rounded silhouette. Slightly hairy with a single pair of membranous wings
Region: Found throughout the world
Food Sources: Human food, plant and animal matter, and feces. They can only eat liquids and therefore regurgitate digestive fluids onto solid foods to liquefy them.
Life Expectancy: 15 – 25 days with adequate food

Threats:

Known to spread diseases like Anthrax, Cholera, Salmonella, Tuberculosis, Typhoid, Dysentery, and others
Can spread over 100 known pathogens
Can cause food poisoning
Will spread bacteria to food products
Cannot bite or sting

Habits:

Outside can be seen on plants, fences, trash cans, the ground, vehicles, the side of a home, compost piles, and more
Indoors can be seen resting on nearly any surface and buzzing through the structure, even landing on humans
Prefers to rest near sources of food from 4-10 feet off the ground
Commonly plague outdoor events, especially those with food
They are known to infest poultry coups when feces is allowed to build up

Reproduction and Lifecycle:

House flies undergo complete metamorphosis with four distinct stages: egg, maggot (larva), pupa, and adult. Musca domestica can overwinter in the larval and pupal stages, especially where manure piles or other sources of warmth may be located. In warm conditions, the metamorphosis can be completed in just 7 -10 days, whereas in cooler, less hospitable conditions, as much as two months may be necessary. In regions like Kentucky and Tennessee, 10 – 12 generations may be hatched yearly.

Understanding the lifecycle of the house fly can help reduce infestations

Eggs

Eggs are roughly 1.2mm long. They are laid by the female one at a time in groups or piles of 75 -150. The female will lay approximately 500 eggs in 3 – 4 days, and several females may lay their eggs near one another.

Larva

Larva begin at about 4-9mm long and are cylindrical with an off-white color. The body tapers toward the head, which has a set of hooks. As a full-grown maggot, the larvae see three instars, finally reaching 6-12mm. They begin feeding as soon as they hatch and develop within 3-13 days if conditions are favorable or 13-30 days if conditions are less hospitable.

Areas with high nutrient availability, like manure, compost piles, or sand and soil rich with nutrients, provide optimal conditions for larva development. Once fully developed, the mature maggot might crawl 5 – 50 feet away to a cool, dry place with abundant breeding material. Here, the maggot will continue metamorphosis into the pupal stage.

Pupa

Once maggots begin the pupal stage, the last larval exoskeleton is used to form a pupal case in which the stage will complete. The shape now takes on a more oval appearance. This stage will last 2 – 6 days in optimal conditions or 30 days in less favorable conditions. Once completed, the adult fly emerges from the pupal casing using the ptilinum on its head’s front. The ptilinum swells and shrinks, acting like a hammer beating against the pupal case until it breaks through.

Adult

Females are around 6 – 7 mm long, while males tend to be smaller. Males and females are easy to tell apart if observed with magnification, especially. The eyes of a male almost touch together, while females have a definitive space between their eyes.

Nests and Colonies:

House flies neither nest nor colonize. However, it has been estimated that under optimal conditions, one pair of mating flies could potentially produce as many as 191,010,000,000,000,000,000 (191 quintillion) offspring between April and October.

Flies develop in large numbers quite commonly, especially in places like poultry, dairy, and other similar farms. A structure stationed nearby, such as a farm or other favorable environment, may see heavy infestations suddenly and for an extended period. Often, those situations are tough to eliminate since the source of the infestation is out of your control.

Preventative Measures:

Sanitation, sanitation, sanitation.
No food or other materials should be left where flies can lay eggs.
Remove wet manure from farms a minimum of twice per week.
Remove wet straw from any setting near a building.
Straw is a strong breeding ground for flies. Please don’t use it as bedding.
Garbage cans and dumpsters should have tight-fitting lids.
Garbage receptacles should be located away from structures.
All garbage should be placed in plastic bags and tightly sealed before discarding.
Window screens must be in good repair.

Fruit Flies

Scientific Name: Drosophila melanogaster
Color: Dull tan to brownish yellow or brownish black. Eyes are typically red
Size: Approximately 1/8 inch
Shape: Like a miniature version of the house fly
Region: Found throughout the world
Food Sources: Attracted to yeast resulting from decomposition of plant matter. Sap flows, mushrooms and overripe fruits and produce
Life Expectancy: 8 – 20 days

Threats:

Infest areas where ripe, rotting, or decayed fruit and produce are available
Will infest where fermented items like beer, wine, and liquor are present
Can breed and develop in drains, disposals, garbage cans, and mop buckets or sinks
Attacks and punctures the skin of overripe fruits and vegetables and lays eggs
Can cause food poisoning
Spread bacteria, including E. coli, salmonella, and Listeria
Unable to bite or sting

Habits:

Drawn toward any food source
Thrive on rotting plants and fruit
Eggs are usually laid on unripe or slightly ripened fruit
Can overwinter in storage facilities and destroy large volumes of food
All Argentine ant castes are the same size, including the queen
Will be drawn to sweets and oily foods and are omnivorous
Indoors they will colonize around areas of moisture
Colonies can grow to cover several miles of territory and contain hundreds of queens
Queens may be regularly seen working alongside other workers
Quickly grow in number, and large colonies are formed

Reproduction and Lifecycle:

Reproduction is rapid, and a pair of fruit flies will produce hundreds of offspring in a few weeks. Females lay eggs on unripe or slightly ripe fruit. The eggs hatch into larvae within 30 hours, and the tiny maggots eat the fruit. Complete metamorphosis has finished within two days, and adults emerge. Sexual maturity begins at one week old. Adult females can lay up to 2000 eggs. Reproduction can go year-round.

Nests and Colonies:

Fruit flies don’t nest or colonize but can be present in great numbers.

Preventative Measures:

Sanitation
Clean sticky spills right away
Dispose of any decaying food
Don’t allow fruits and vegetables to overripen indoors
Washcloths and mops (especially in commercial kitchens) should be cleaned right away and stored dry
Keep garbage disposals and drains clean and free of debris
Only buy fruit you can quickly consume (within a day or two at most)
Wash produce when bringing it indoors
Rinse recyclable items before placing them in bins
Empty garbage daily

DIY Treatments:

Apple cider vinegar trap: Fill the bottom of a small container (like a cup) with 2-4 ounces of ACV. Place plastic wrap tightly over the top and stretch until firmly fitted and clear. Poke small holes through the top with a fork or toothpick. Flies go in and cannot get out. The ACV draws them to the cup. Place them anywhere fruit flies are active.
Beer or wine trap: Follow instructions for Apple Cider Vinegar trap
Rotten fruit trap: Follow instructions for Apple Cider Vinegar trap
Yeast trap: Follow instructions for Apple Cider Vinegar trap but swap the vinegar for ¼ cup of water, a teaspoon of sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon of activated dry yeast.

Horse Flies

Scientific Name: Tabanidae
Color: Vary from black, gray, brown with potential patterns of metallic blue, green and yellow. Can have stripes on abdomen and thorax. Can also be uniformly colored including eyes and wings
Size: 3/8 to 1-1/8 inch long
Shape: Triangular when viewed from above, varying by species
Region: Found throughout the world
Food Sources: Males feed on nectar and pollen. Females eat both nectar and pollen but require a blood meal in order to produce eggs
Life Expectancy: 30 – 60 days

Threats:

Heavy infestations may suck as much as 3 ounces of blood per day from a host
Able to spread anthrax, tularemia, and trypanosomiasis
May threaten agricultural work and force humans to work at night in heavy infestations
Females can inflict painful bites on animals and humans. Males cannot bite

Habits:

Primarily attack moving, dark and shiny objects
Attracted to carbon dioxide, sweat, and warmth
Attracted to light
Strong, fast fliers
Often rest on paths and small roads
Inactive at night

Reproduction and Lifecycle:

Fresh and saltwater marshes and streams, moist soil, and moist decaying wood provide development sites for horseflies. Females lay eggs on damp soil or vegetation overhanging water. The eggs hatch into larvae within a couple of days. The larva undergoes 6-13 stages depending on the horsefly species. The last stage overwinters as a larva and enters the pupal stage when spring arrives. This stage lasts a week to three weeks; the adult will emerge by early summer. A few species take 2-3 years to develop, while most take only one year. Only one generation occurs each year.

Nests and Colonies:

Horse flies neither nest nor colonize and are rarely seen in large numbers.

Preventative Measures:

Insect repellants
Cover exposed skin
Wear lighter-colored, dull clothing

Blow/Bottle Flies

Scientific Name: Calliphora spp./Lucilia sericata
Color: Varies from metallic blue, metallic green, metallic bronze or shiny black
Size: 1/8 to 5/8 inch long
Shape: Triangular when viewed from above. Slightly larger than house flies
Region: Found throughout the world
Food Sources: Decaying meat, dung
Life Expectancy: 21 – 28 days

Threats:

Can transmit pathogens to open wounds and cause diseases like plague, anthrax, tularemia and tuberculosis
Could possibly spread bacteria which cause serious diarrhea and cholera
Maggots in living animals (including livestock) may cause a parasitic condition known as myiasis
Do not bite or sting

Habits:

Lay eggs on meat (dead animals) or decomposing matter
Thrive in warm, humid climates
Bottle flies are good pollinators
Bottle flies may feed on nectar when other food sources are scarce

Reproduction and Lifecycle:

Once a female blow fly has had a protein meal, she will lay her eggs in decaying organic matter (animal carcass etc.), a wound, eyes, ears, or nose. After the larval stage has finished, the maggots leave their food source, burrow into the ground and pupate. Finally, complete metamorphosis has taken place and adult flies emerge.

Nests and Colonies:

Blow/bottle flies do not nest or colonize. Can be seen in large numbers around the breeding sites and food sources.

Preventative Measures:

Sewer pipes should be in working order
remove all sources of rotting, decaying organic matter

Moth/Drain Flies

Scientific Name: Psychoda
Color: Light tan or gray to black with a mottled appearance
Size: 1/8 inch long
Shape: Triangular when viewed from above. Moth-like shape and appearance
Region: Found throughout the world
Food Sources: Nectar, polluted water
Life Expectancy: 20 days

Threats:

Do not bite or sting
Can pose the risk of respiratory problems in extreme infestations due to inhalation of fine hair-like scales that can fall from the wings and bodies
Simple nuisance

Habits:

Breed in very rich, moist organic decaying matter
Most active during evening hours
May appear suddenly from sink drains, bathtub drains, or other drains
They can be found resting on walls of bathrooms and other areas where drains may be present
Pupal stages feed on algae, fungi, bacteria, and sludge found in drains and other areas

Reproduction and Lifecycle:

Drain flies lay 30 to 100 eggs in wet or moist decaying organic matter. After hatching, the larvae feed on the organic decaying matter. The larvae resemble mosquito larvae, and the larval stage lasts about two weeks before the pupal stage begins. The pupal stage lasts only 36 hours before adults emerge. The developmental time from egg to adult is one to four weeks. Adults typically live for an additional two weeks. Emergence begins at the beginning of spring and peaks in late summer.

Nests and Colonies:

Moth flies do not nest or colonize but can be found in huge numbers where conditions are favorable.

Preventative Measures:

Keep drains clean and free of decaying organic matter
- Bathtubs
- Sinks
- Toilets
- Floor drains
Keep gutters clean and free of organic decaying matter

DIY Control Measures:

Most moth fly issues come from drain problems. When the P-trap of a drain dries out, moth flies may be able to enter from the septic system or sewer system. Usually, unused drains like floor drains and spare restroom drains are found to be the culprit. Keeping water added to these drains is crucial in DIY control measures. Once the flies are present, simple over-the-counter insecticides sprayed directly into the air can kill the existing flies. If all drains have been fixed or re-filled with water, problems should subside.

Fungus Gnat Flies

Scientific Name: Lycoriella spp
Color: Dark Brown/Black/Gray
Size: 2 – 8 mm long (0.08 – 0.3 inches)
Shape: Mosquito like appearance with small body and long legs
Region: Found throughout the world
Food Sources: Larvae eat fungi, roots and organic matter in soil. Adults eat nectar
Life Expectancy: 8 days

Threats:

Larvae are known to cause damage to potted plants in greenhouses and nurseries
They can carry the disease pythium on their feet, causing “damping off”
Cannot bite or sting
Pose no threat to humans but can be annoying by commonly flying into human eyes, ears, and nose

Habits:

Adults are primarily active at dusk
Breed in rotting wood, under bark, over-watered plants, animal waste
Also breed in mulch around structures
Found in dark, damp areas during the day
Can be seen walking rapidly across the soil of potted plants
Weak fliers

Reproduction and Lifecycle:

The female deposits 100 to 300 eggs in batches of 2 to 30 in shaded, moist areas with decaying organic matter. Eggs hatch in 4 to 6 days. Larval stages are completed in 12 to 14 days. Once the pupal stage is reached, adults emerge in 5 to 6 days. The entire lifecycle can be completed in four weeks, from egg to adult to death.

Indoor infestations can be continuous, and reproduction may overlap generations. Typically, all life stages can be found throughout the year.

Outdoors, the larvae are known to move in groups, especially after heavy rainfall. They may be seen escaping mulched areas to seek dry ground, such as sidewalks, porches, and patios. This collective movement can resemble the movements of a snake.

Nests and Colonies:

Fungus gnats neither nest nor colonize but can be observed in high numbers. Larvae can move in groups, as mentioned above.

Preventative Measures:

Find and eliminate the breeding source(s)
Don’t overwater plants
Allow the top two inches of soil in potted plants to dry before watering
Eliminate excess moisture in or around a structure
Fix any leaks in the structure and plumbing right away

Phorid Flies

Scientific Name: Megaselia scalaris
Color: Ranging from brown, black or yellow and any combination thereof
Size: 1/8 inch (0.5 to 5.5 mm) long
Shape: Pronounced humpback appearance (arched thorax)
Region: Found throughout the world
Food Sources: Fecal matter, fungi, carrion, garbage and more
Life Expectancy: 5 days

Threats:

Larvae have been known to infest wounds in hospital patients
Can transmit pathogenic microorganisms and disease to humans and animals through landing on the person or animal or onto food sources
- Conjunctivitis
- Gastroenteritis
- Salmonellosis
- Tuberculosis
- Rotavirus
- Hepatitis A
- Typhoid fever
- Cholera
- Dysentery
Pose a serious threat to human health in food processing facilities

Habits:

Prefer to run erratically across surfaces rather than fly
Breed indoors in drains, garbage receptacles, rotting produce, recycle bins, grease traps, garbage disposals, crawlspaces, and sites where organic decaying matter is present

Reproduction and Lifecycle:

Phorid flies breed in damp areas of decaying organic matter such as carcasses, feces, sewage, rotting plants, rotting food, and in drains. Females will lay up to 40 eggs in only 12 hours and around 500 eggs in their five-day life. The eggs hatch into tiny larvae (maggots) a day later. The next 1-2 weeks, larva will feed on the decaying organic matter before developing into the pupal stage.

Pupae

Before reaching the pupal stage, mature larvae leave the breeding area and search for a dry place to pupate. The entire process from egg to adult takes 1-4 weeks, depending on several environmental factors.

Some phorid flies are parasitic and lay their eggs in other insects, such as termites, caterpillars, bees, ants, millipedes, beetles, and wasps. Once the larva hatch from the eggs, they feed on the host. Some studies are being conducted to learn how to use phorid flies as a natural control of fire ant species.

Nests and Colonies:

Fungus gnats neither nest nor colonize but can be observed in high numbers.

Preventative Measures:

Find and eliminate the breeding source(s)
Check for clogged or damaged drains
Check for dirty garbage receptacles
Don’t overwater potted plants
Locate and remove any sewage or drain leaks
Contact a plumbing company to check all plumbing
Ensure your gutters are draining correctly and taking all excess rainwater away from the home’s exterior
Clean up pet droppings (both indoors and outdoors) immediately and replace the sand in cat litter boxes regularly.

DIY Control:

Sticky fly traps can be used in breeding sites
Microbial cleaners can be used in drains
Remove food sources and breeding sites

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Remember, it’s okay to live among pests… but you don’t have to live with them!

Fly-Free Since 1978

House Flies

Threats:

Habits:

Reproduction and Lifecycle:

Eggs

Larva

Pupa

Adult

Nests and Colonies:

Preventative Measures:

Fruit Flies

Threats:

Habits:

Reproduction and Lifecycle:

Nests and Colonies:

Preventative Measures:

DIY Treatments:

Horse Flies

Threats:

Habits:

Reproduction and Lifecycle:

Nests and Colonies:

Preventative Measures:

Blow/Bottle Flies

Threats:

Habits:

Reproduction and Lifecycle:

Nests and Colonies:

Preventative Measures:

Moth/Drain Flies

Threats:

Habits:

Reproduction and Lifecycle:

Nests and Colonies:

Preventative Measures:

DIY Control Measures:

Fungus Gnat Flies

Threats:

Habits:

Reproduction and Lifecycle:

Nests and Colonies:

Preventative Measures:

Phorid Flies

Threats:

Habits:

Reproduction and Lifecycle:

Pupae

Nests and Colonies:

Preventative Measures:

DIY Control:

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