Common Spider Bites
There are over 3000 documented species of spiders in North America. The vast majority of these are not dangerous. Most of them have fangs that are not strong enough or are too small to pierce human skin. If they manage to bite, they leave behind red wounds that are itchy and heal in about a week.
Spiders with fangs strong enough to puncture human skin and inject toxic venom can cause major health problems.
How spider bites look like?
If you suspect you have been bitten by a spider these are the signs to look out for:
- Skin damage
- Swelling
- Rashes
- Muscle pains
- Red or purple colored blister
- Breathing difficulties
- A red welt
- Sweating
- Fever
- Chills
- Headache
- Restlessness
- High blood pressure
- Swollen lymph glands
Because they more often than not affect skin tissues, spider bites take quite a while to heal.
Here are a few types of spider bites and their symptoms.
Wolf spider
They are found all over the United States. They have two large eyes at the center of their faces and six eyes in a row below these. They are about 4 inches in length and very hairy. They stalk their prey on the ground.
When you get bitten by wolf spider, you will experience pain, swelling and redness at the bite site. Your lymph nodes may swell also because of the bite. The bite can cause tissue damage though this rare. Healing takes as long as 10 days.
Brazilian wandering spider
Mostly found in South and Central America this spider measures in at 5 inches long. It’s movements are very quick and aggressive. It’s venom is one of most toxic in the world.
This spider’s bite is extremely painful. It results in drooling and heavy sweating. Around the bite, the skin will get hot, swell, and turn red. The Brazilian wandering spider bite can be fatal.
If bitten get to an emergency room immediately.
Jumping spider
This spider is ubiquitous in North American houses. Its body is hairy and stout and about half an inch long. It moves in erratic jerky jumps. If threatened it will bite.
This spider’s bite can be as painful as a wasp sting.
Symptoms present as pain, headaches, swelling, redness and itching.
Black widow
The Black widow has a black shiny body with long spindly legs. It’s bulbous abdomen has a red hourglass shaped mark. It prefers quiet places like woodpiles, storage boxes in attics and piles of dead leaves to name a few.
A bite from a black widow feels like a pinprick. The fangs will leave two puncture marks on the skin.
Black widow bite symptoms include:
- Pain and burning at bite site
- High blood pressure
- Restless
- Nausea and vomiting
- Muscle cramping
- Numbness
- Sweating
- Increased salivation
Get to a doctor as soon as possible if you experience any of these signs and more so if it’s an elderly person or a child.
Camel spider
This spider thrives in desert climates. It is about 3 inches in length. It has large jaws and a bite can inflict a significant cut in human skin which may experience mild bleeding and swelling.
Conclusion
For spider bites it’s better to err on the side of caution. See a doctor.
Do Centipedes Bite?
Centipedes are very creepy creatures. Their length is in the range of 1 to 8 inches. Centipedes start with a few pairs of legs and they increase with each new segment. Centipedes are found worldwide. They thrive in damp, dark places and climates that are wet but can also be found in arid areas and deserts.
In the United States centipedes inhabit a wide range of habitats including urban areas, deserts and swamplands. Around the home, they can be found in floor drains, crawl spaces and basements.
Outside they will be in potted plants, under rocks, rotten logs and in gardens. They also survive underwater.
How do centipedes bite
Centipedes do not actually bite. They puncture the skin by scratching with their clawed pointy hollow legs located right behind their heads. They use these hollow legs to inject venom.
When centipedes sting and inject venom, they leave two puncture marks in the skin. The area surrounding the bite will become inflamed and red. The bigger the centipede is, the higher the volume of venom injected and the more intense the pain. Smaller centipedes inject very little venom and the pain of the sting can be compared to a bee sting.
Symptoms of centipede bite
Symptoms of a centipede sting are inflammation, pain and redness in the skin around the sting site. The symptoms can last hours to several days.
If you are allergic to centipede venom, you may experience symptoms including, fever, nausea, swollen lymph nodes, chills, itching, heart palpitations and extreme swelling at the sting site. If you experience any or a mix of these severe reactions see a doctor.
Because centipede bites may have similarities to bites from more dangerous insects, if you are unsure what bit you get yourself to a doctor, more so if you are experiencing severe symptoms.
Treatment of centipede sting
In the absence of complications, centipede sting treatment focuses on alleviation of the symptoms and can be done at home by observing the following:
- Apply hot compress on the sting site. This dilutes the venom.
- To reduce the inflammation apply an ice compress to the wound.
- Use medication under the guidance of a pharmacist to reduce allergic reaction, pain and swelling. Apply a topical antibiotic to the wound to avoid infection. Keep the sting site clean and cover it up.
- If your symptoms do not abate in a few days you will need to call the doctor.
Complications as a result of centipede stings are because of skin and tissue damage at the sting site. You will probably be given a tetanus shot and antibiotics by your doctor if infection has occurred.
If red streaks appear near the wound or it is emitting a bad odor inform your doctor quickly.
If you suffer severe allergic reactions such as hives, dizziness, and swelling of the lips, tongue and throat call emergency services immediately.
Conclusion
Centipede stings, although quite painful, hardly ever result in severe health problems in people. At home treatments work quite well at alleviating pain and symptoms.
Do Fruit Flies Bite?
Fruit flies come in varying yellow shades, brown-black or brown-yellow. As their name suggests fruit flies feed on fruits. They have red eyes dominating the head and a tan thorax. They are about a fifth of an inch to one tenth of an inch in length. Fruit flies are related to the house fly.
Fruit flies do not bite
The mouth structure of fruit flies does not aid biting so it cannot puncture or pierce anything. Fruit flies feed on liquids only. They will spit on solid food to soften and liquefy it before sucking it through their proboscis.
Fruit flies have a strong sense of smell. They are attracted to over ripe and fermenting fruit. The trash bin with the discarded salad remains of tomatoes, onions, avocado and other bits of fruits emit a scent that is irresistible to fruit flies. They fly towards the smell and right in to your trash can.
Life cycle
The life cycle of the fruit flies is about 50 days. The weather and temperatures greatly influence their development . During warm weather female fruit flies lay batches of eggs in garbage or rotten fruits which will act as food when they hatch into larvae. A female fruit fly can lay as many as 500 eggs in its lifetime increasing their population rapidly.
There are four clear phases in a fruit fly life cycle.
Egg phase: the female fruit fly lays about 20 eggs that hatch into larvae within 2 days. At this stage fruit fly eggs are so small you might fail to see them on your vegetables and fruits.
Larva phase: this stage lasts for about four days. The eggs change into maggots that eat night and day voraciously, readying for the next phase of transformation. They molt several times to accommodate their growing bodies.
Pupa phase: this is where the magic happens and the larva transforms into a fruit fly and emerges fully grown.
Adult fruit fly: this is a fully grown fruit fly and now the cycle can begin anew.
This whole process from egg to adult fruit fly metamorphosis takes less than two weeks.
During winter they enter a kind of sleep mode known as diapause during which their growth and appetite slows down until the weather warms up again.
How fruit flies get in your house
Fruit flies enter you home through open windows and doors. If these are closed they can pass through tiny gaps around the windows and cracks and crevices in the walls. You may import the fruit fly eggs laid in fruit and vegetables into your home when you buy them from the grocery store.
Fruit flies can be dangerous to your health because when they walk on garbage and rotting matter, bacteria laden debris sticks to their legs and when they alight on your fruit salad they leave some of these bacteria behind causing diarrhea and cholera.
Conclusion
To avoid attracting fruit flies in to your house make sure you keep vegetables and fruits in the fridge. Garbage bins should have tight fitting lids and frequently emptied and cleaned. Fruits that are about to rot should be discarded immediately.
Fruit Fly Infestation
The fruit fly is one of smallest and most ubiquitous flies found in our homes. It finds its way into our homes on fresh veggies and fruit brought from the grocery store. Finding plenty of food in the home it hangs around.
It has a yellowish – brown body with a tan underside and black rings across its abdomen. It has red eyes dominating the head. In length it’s 3 to 4mm.
Its scientific name is drosophila melanogasta though it is commonly known as fruit fly. It feeds on fermenting liquids such as beer, soft drinks, rotting vegetables, overripe fruit and foods in garbage. It can’t resist vinegar and pomace. Fruit flies are found in bakeries also because they are attracted to yeast.
A large amount of fruit is harvested at the tail end of summer and during fall attracting huge numbers of fruit flies.
Breeding
The female fruit fly lays about 20 eggs in rotting fruit or in garbage that will be a food source for the larvae when they hatch. The eggs are very small and are easily overlooked. They will hatch after two days.
The second stage is the larvae. It lasts for about four days and within that period these worms eat night and day molting several times to accommodate the bigger body.
In the third phase the larvae seal themselves up in a cocoon and wait as the metamorphosis happens.
Fourth phase the fly emerges as fully formed fruit fly and the cycle begins again.
All these stages from egg to adult take just about two weeks.
Fruit flies can lay 500 eggs in their lifetime. They have a lifespan of 50 days.
The fruit fly doesn’t damage the home but it is a total nuisance.
Fruit fly control
The most effective way of controlling fruit flies is by identifying their source of food and their breeding habits
Refrigerate or throw away ripening fruits.
Before recycling beverage containers wash them out.
Make sure trash and garbage containers are clean.
Clean up any spilled soda, juices and beer.
Traps
Make simple effective homemade traps.
You will need :
Dish soap
Apple cider vinegar
Small bowl
Put a cup of the apple cider vinegar into a small bowl. Add a few drops of dish soap .
Place the bowl in where the fruit flies are let the trap work its magic.
This is effective because fruit flies can’t resist the smell of vinegar and they will try to land on top of it but will fall in and drown because the vinegar’s surface tension is broken by the dish soap.
This method is eco friendly cheap and has no harsh fumes.
Make another simple trap by putting a bit of overripe fruit in plastic bag that is open. Seal the bag carefully after the fruit flies have congregated on the fruit trapping them inside.
Prevent future infestations
Infestation happens when fruit that is infected is brought home from the grocery store. Don’t buy any produce that fruit flies are hovering around.
Make sure that fruits are eaten before they overripe.
Ensure your trash is taken out regularly and the bin scrubbed inside to get rid of bits and fluids that are left at the bottom.
Conclusion
If these measures don’t deal with the infestation call a professional pest exterminator to help you out.
Funnel Spider
The funnel spider happens to be one of the deadliest arachnids in the world. The critter, which is native to Australia, is considered to rank the deadliest creature because it can kill within 15 minutes with just a single bite. In fact, there are reports indicating that about 15 deaths were caused by bites from this spider between 1927 and 1981.
Although male funnel spiders are more dangerous than their female counterparts, they live for about 8 years less.
In Australia, the funnel spiders can be found within a range of 100 miles in Sydney, and most are found in crevices between rocks, under houses, or in trees and holes. Humans are more vulnerable to their bites more than any other domesticated animals, such as dogs and cats.
The Common Species
These spiders are generally shinny and black and have a distinctive appearance. Although there are about 40 species, the common one is the Sydney Funnel-web (Atrax robustus).Until the discovery of the anti-venom in 1980, there were more than 13 human deaths that were caused by the males of this species.
Male Sydney funnel-web spiders contain a component in their venom which is missing in females. The toxin is referred to as Robustoxin, which is the active chemical that makes these spiders rank among the deadliest in the planet. Interestingly this toxin only affects primates (humans, apes, and monkeys)but is relatively less hazardous to other animal species.
Funnel Spider Hideouts and Distribution
Unfortunately, these spiders’ natural habitat is found in densely populated areas such as Sydney, Australia. The discovery of the anti-venom has greatly diminished the danger posed by the venom from these spiders. In about 40 years, no death has been caused by the Sydney funnel-web spiders, but the fear of these critters is still a reality in Australia.
Funnel-web spiders are commonly found within silken retreats underground, while some can inhabit places like hollows and crevices in trees. Most of the species prefer moist habitats like shaded gullies in the middle of forests. The species is widely distributed in Australia from South Adelaide (Adelaide Hills) to parts of Victoria, Tasmania, and along the east coast of Queensland.
Species that live underground naturally occur between rocks and logs. They have tube-like openings of silk, and mostly bare distinct silk strands also known as trip lines.These lines help to alert the spiders of the presence of prey whenever they are hunting. Funnel web spiders normally take small vertebrates like frogs and lizards. They also consume insects and other spiders.
Feeding
These spiders simply ambush the prey and overpower them. They bite and drag prey into their retreat where they feed on them. In order to hunt, these spiders are highly sensitive to vibrations. Encounters with humans are often accidental and happen when people are digging. Human encounters can also occur when males are roaming around to look for companions during the mating season.
The funnel-web spiders are readily preyed upon by centipedes.
Funnel SpiderBite Symptoms
Symptoms of funnel-web spider bite starts early and may include:
- Tingling around the mouth
- Profuse salivating
- Muscle spasms
- Watery eyes
- Twitching of the tongue
- Elevated heartbeat
- Hypertension
- Respiratory distress (which) can be fatal
The Australian funnel spider is native and exclusive to Australia. it is often confused with the funnel weaver spiders in the family Agelenidae, found in the states. The funnel Weaver from the states in not poisonous and neither are the two spider species related in any way.
Conclusion
The funnel-web spiders are commonly found in Australia and the males happen to be among the deadliest species in the world. Their bites can cause a fatality in less than 15 minutes. The anti-venom to their toxic chemical was invented in 1980, and no death has been reported ever since.
Giant Desert Centipede
The scientific name for giant desert centipede is Scolopendra heros. They are also known as the Texas redhead centipede. On average, they are about 6.5 inches in length but some can be up to 9 inches long. Although color variations are common, the head along with the first two body segments have various shades of red while the rest of the segments are black with traces of green. The giant desert centipedes have 20 pairs of yellow legs. They also have a set of black rear legs which they use to grasp, hold prey and inject them with venom. On each side of the head, there have four individual ocelli.
Habitat
The giant desert centipede typically enjoys staying outside in protected areas mostly on rotten logs or under stones. They are commonly found in rocky woodlands where it’s easy to find moisture to keep their bodies cool. During the high temperatures in summer, these pests escape the intolerable heat and enter homes and buildings. These pests have been located in places like Arkansas, Louisiana, Southern Missouri, Kansas, Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Northern Mexico, and Texas.
Are Giant Desert Centipedes Dangerous?
Although the giant desert centipedes have a relatively huge size and frightening look, their nuisance comes from their defense mechanisms. They secrete and inject venom through pincers which are modified legs found on their body. When these pincers inject venom, it causes pain for someone who has been stung. When bitten, some people may experience symptoms like nausea, headache, vomiting or allergic reactions.
Infestation
Given that these pests spend little time in the open, it is rare to spot them in large numbers. However, you can find a few of them in a garden or a basement, which may signal that more could be present within the area.
Feeding
The giant desert centipedes preys on small insects and arthropods just like other centipedes.They have an exceptional body that allows them to hunt and feed on larger organisms such as:
- Small snakes
- Toads and frogs
- Other vertebrates
They use their pincers and venom to subdue their prey before consuming them. When placed under captivity, giant desert centipedes can exclusively rely on moths.
They have a lifespan of between one and six years although their longevity depends on several factors.
Reproduction
A giant female desert centipede has the ability to lay about 15 to 60 eggs during summer. These eggs are commonly found between cavities of rotten wood. Mothers have to closely watch their eggs to protect them against predators and the growth of fungus. The eggs hatch after about two months, producing offspring that are similar to smaller versions of their parents.
How to Prevent Giant Desert Centipede
To control or prevent giant desert centipedes, a combination of chemical treatments and exclusion techniques are necessary. Such tactics include:
- Eliminating their habitats in your home by getting rid of firewood, compost piles, and tree logs.
- Substituting moisture-prone mulch for stone or gravel.
- Thoroughly ventilate crawl spaces and other moist areas to diminish humidity
- Seal foundation gaps and cracks
- Fix damaged weather stripping
Conclusion
Giant desert centipedes are not dangerous despite their large size and their scary appearance. Their defense mechanism makes them appear hazardous. Symptoms from their bites are mild and may include nausea, vomiting, headache, and allergic reactions. The pests, which enjoy inhabiting moist places, can be controlled using chemical treatments and exclusion techniques. If you feel overwhelmed with the presence of this creature. Call your local pest controller for effective extermination.
Gnat Bug
Gnats are tiny flies including mosquitoes, midges, drain flies, black flies, fruit flies and sand flies. They buzz around your face and eyes so persistently even when you try to swat them away.
Gnats have head, thorax and abdomen. They have two pairs or a pair of wings and six legs which in most species are long compared to their body size. Their mouth parts are categorized as either lapping, piercing or sucking. Some gnats feed on blood. Others feed on plant material or other insects.
Drain flies
These insects are small and have a furry appearance. They have broad leaf shaped wings and a hairy body. They are found in drains, bathrooms, sinks and septic tanks. They are also found in sewage contaminated soil. Their eggs are laid inside the sink drains. The bacteria inside the drain acts as a food source for the larvae once the eggs hatch.
Sand flies
Sand flies are brown, gray, or golden. They are tiny flying insects. Despite their small size these insect has such a painful bite. You would think you have been stung. Their bite can result in inflammation and redness at the bite site. Females feed on mammals blood. The six species found in North America don’t carry any disease. The ones found in other regions of the world can transmit a virus called sandy fly fever which is not fatal.
Midges
These insects look very similar to mosquitoes. Midges however have a snout that’s much shorter. The females have feathered wings while the males have bushy ones. They will be found in swarms near lakes, slow moving streams and ponds . Lights attract them and they will be found flying around street and porch lights.
Fungus gnats
Fungus Gnats are small flies that look like tiny mosquitoes. Their heads are smaller than their segmented antennae. The have light light gray wings and narrow legs.
Fungus gnats lay their eggs in the soil of your potted plant and remain near the plant which has organic matter and fungus that act as their source of food. When the eggs hatch the larvae feed on the plant root hairs and the organic matter in the soil. At this stage they are not easily noticeable. They can damage your plant nutrition uptake causing stunted growth.
Phorid flies
These insects are attracted by contaminated soil, rotting vegetable and fruits and accumulated garbage.
What attracts Gnats to your home?
Gnats love damp areas and places with organic matter. That’s why they are found in the bathroom.
They come to your home to seek out a place to breed and to find food.
Eliminating Gnats
Use fly paper. This method works every time. The paper has sticky surfaces that traps flying gnats. Just hung it up using a ribbon where there are lots of gnats.
Buy insecticide spray for these gnats and follow the instructions on the can on what to do.
Preventing gnat infestation
- Dry moist areas in your house.
- Repair any pipe leaks
- Throw out fruits that are overripe
- Don’t overwater potted plants.
Conclusion
Gnats are a nuisance. If their infestation overwhelms you, call a pest control professional to deal with effectively help you get rid of the problem.
Ground Nesting Bees
There are over 20,000 bee species. Majority of these nest underground. In the United States, many of these bees start getting active early in spring. Nests of this kind are easily identifiable. They build in dry sandy soil. They have a conical mound of soil above ground with a hole in the center. This hole is the entrance to the bee’s nest. There are many burrowing bees. The most common are leaf cutters and mining bees.
Ground nesting bees are solitary bees and have mild character. They are not as aggressive as their cousins , the African honey bee. However they may sting a person or a pet if provoked.
In as much as theses bees are not aggressive they make their nest in your lawn and if you have little children you can’t let them play on the lawn and risk them getting stung. Ground nesting bees also ruin your yard when they dig their burrows. For these reasons you might need to get rid of these bees.
Before you start dealing with the bees you need to don protective gear. Put on jeans trousers with boots. Wear a long sleeved hoodie, gloves and a balaclava to cover the lower face and protective goggles for the eyes
How to get rid of ground bees
Bees are essential to many ecosystems. They are great agents of pollination and therefore very useful to agriculture. So there is no need to kill them. Because ground bees build their hives in dry soil, when you water the yard regularly these insects will move away.
Cover the burrows
Cover their burrows with stones and soil. This will force the bees to seek shelter elsewhere and you won’t have to exterminate them.
Cinnamon
Bees cannot stand cinnamon. Put cinnamon sticks or sprinkle cinnamon powder at the entrance of the burrow. This will keep them away from your lawn. You can also place chloroform or mothballs near the nest’s entrance. They will keep bees away.
Peppermint castille soap
Mix water with two cups of peppermint castille soap. Pour some in a spray bottle and spray it near the holes. This kills other harmful insects also not only the bees.
Vinegar spray
Mix water and vinegar in equal portions. Put it in a spray bottle and shake thoroughly. Spray it near all the nests at night.
Bee repellent plants
There are many plants that are repellent to bees such as peppermint and eucalyptus to protect your garden and yard plant these herbs and trees. Plant thick grass on your yard to make it difficult for burrowing bees.
DIY Herbal spray
Mix tea essential oil, canella oil, baby shampoo and mint oil. Shake this mix thoroughly and pour it into a spray bottle. Spray around the burrows. After a few days you will observe that the bees have left your yard.
Soda bottle trap
Cut a plastic soda bottle in half. Pour sweet juice in to the bottom part. Place the top half of the bottle inside the bottom half in an inverted position. Place it outside near the burrows. The bees will fly through the inverted top half of the bottle right into the juice and be unable to find the narrow exit. They will drown.
Conclusion
If despite all these options the bees don’t leave call a pest control professional to effectively sort out the problem for you.
HOME REMEDIES FOR BEE STINGS
HOME REMEDIES FOR BEE STINGS
Bees are one of the most useful insects in the world. There are more than 15000 species of bees. With the exception of Antarctica, Wherever, there are flowering plants, there is need for insects to aid in pollination. You will often find bees buzzing from one flower to another, transferring pollen. Some bee species such as the honey bee produce honey.
As useful as bees may be to us, they will sting if provoked. When you get stung you will feel a sharp pain, warmth, itching and swelling at the site of the sting and that’s about it. No major problems.
For these mild reactions to bee stings try some of these home remedies after removing the stinger from your skin by scraping it off with your nail and thoroughly washing the sting site with soap and water.
Baking soda
Mix a baking soda and water into a paste and smear a thick layer on to the sting site and hold it in place with a bandage. Let it stay on for 20 minutes. Re-apply if you need to. This will neutralize the bee toxins and help relieve the swelling, itching and pain.
Toothpaste
Apply a small amount of toothpaste on the stung area. Honey bee venom is acidic and apparently toothpaste neutralizes it. This is a cheap easy remedy.
Ice compress
Wrap ice with a towel and press on the affected area alternating on and off every 20 minutes. This will reduce the pain, swelling and itching.
Apple cider vinegar
Apply a bandage soaked in vinegar to the sting area for 20 Minutes. Re-apply as needed. Vinegar will neutralize bee toxins.
Honey
Honey has wound healing properties. It will also sooth the itchiness and pain. Smear a bit on to the sting site and tie a bandage loosely over it. Remove after an hour.
Meat tenderizer
Mix four parts water and one part meat tenderizer. Apply the solution to the affected area let it sit for half an hour.
Itching and pain is caused by a protein in the bee venom that is broken down by papain, an enzyme found in meat tenderizer.
Herbs
Tea tree oil has natural antiseptic properties and can relieve bee sting pain. Apply directly to the sting site.
Aloe Vera has been used since ancient times to alleviate pain and soothe skin. Apply aloe Vera gel on to the sting directly.
If you are stung by a swarm of bees it could be life threatening. Bees have a barbed stinger. After a bee stings you the stinger is ripped from the bee still attached to its venom sac and left embedded in your skin. This venom sac keeps pumping toxins into you. This may result in extreme allergic reactions such as, swollen throat and tongue, breathing difficulties, hives, severe itching, rapid pulse, diarrhea, dizziness, loss of consciousness and nausea.
If you exhibit any or a mix of these symptoms call emergency services immediately.
Conclusion
Avoiding confrontation with bees to ensure you don’t get stung. When outdoors stay away from bee hives,
Wear neutral colors like gray, Khaki and white avoiding flowery prints because they attract bees. Cover your food. Wear closed shoes and you should be fine.
How Long Do House Flies Live
HOW LONG DO HOUSE FLIES LIVE
With the exception of Antarctica, house flies are found everywhere humans are. House flies are one of the most annoying pests around. When spring comes around they rear their pesky heads again.
House flies have gray bodies. They have one pair of transparent wings. The head is dominated by their eyes which are made up of thousands of hexagonal lenses. This enables them to identify colors and gives them 360 degrees field of vision. They see four times faster than we do, so whatever you are doing is in slow motion to them. They are unable to see at night. They have three pairs of legs which are equipped with sticky pads and sharp claws at the tip. That is why house flies can climb and walk on all surfaces.
House flies don’t seem to do well in the wild. They live in close proximity to people feeding off their waste and foods. They transmit a lot of infections that are harmful to people
Breeding
Two to three days after they are born house flies are ready to breed. They will lay a clutch of 100 to 150 eggs at a go in garbage, organic waste and spoiled food which will be food for the larvae when the eggs hatch. They are prolific breeders laying eggs 6 to 7 times in their lifespan. The eggs can’t be seen with the naked eye, they are very tiny. They hatch within a day and the larvae emerge. They are voracious eaters and in one week will increase in size by about 800 times. The larvae turns into pupa and in a week metamorphosizes emerging as an adult house fly. It takes 12 to 14 days to develop from egg to adult.
For the first 3 days the fly crawls while waiting for its wings to strengthen. At this stage it can procreate.
House fly lifespan
Do house flies live for 24 hours? That’s a myth. Typically the female house fly lives for around 25 days, males will live for around 15 days depending on the availability of food, the temperature and region among other variable factors. Generally in warmer temperatures house flies develop faster and in cooler temperatures will develop more slowly extending the life cycle a little.
Flies will eat just about any organic waste or food. They like sugary drinks and sweet liquid foods they can suck. To eat solid food they spit on it to liquefy it. Flies rub their legs to clean them of debris and then clean their eyes and wings.
House flies carry disease causing bacteria which they spread by crawling on food and depositing the bacteria that cause diseases like dysentery, cholera and anthrax.
Getting rid of house flies
There are plenty of ways to get rid of flies. There is always the simple and trusty fly swatter. This is very satisfying when the swatter comes into contact with the fly. But is rather messy and will take quite a while to hunt and kill them.
Adhesive tape emits a smell that attracts flies and they get stuck upon landing on it. It is very easy to use. Just unroll and hang it then go about your business let it catch the flies for you.
Conclusion
If the house flies overwhelm you reach out to a pest control professional to deal effectively with this problem.
