How long does a common fly live in an apartment? Its structure and characteristics of reproduction.

It would seem that it would be easier to answer such questions, but when we find out the answer to one of them, we strive to learn something else new and interesting - this is how human nature works. And even having started writing a text about how long flies live, the author still has no idea where the process of knowledge will lead him and you, dear readers.

First, let's present a photograph of our today's heroine and give her a brief biological profile.

Attention! All the facts below will apply to the common housefly!

general information

A fly is an insect of the order Diptera, a type of arthropod. Some of them are eaten by other animals (birds, frogs, predatory insects). Others are predators themselves and regulate the numbers of numerous insects.

And also among them there are parasites (bloodsuckers) of animals or humans.

They can hover in the air, fly backwards, or fly upside down. Their reaction is 10 times greater than that of humans. Some species have viviparity, although most individuals are characterized by oviparity.

The size of an adult housefly reaches 0.6-0.8 cm. The weight of flies ranges from 0.12 g to 32 g (African fly). They live on all continents, except in Antarctica.

Ktyri

Slender, predatory flies are quite large in size. The body and limbs are covered with a thick layer of short hairs. For humans, blackflies do not pose any danger, but insects such as mosquitoes, midges, beetles and even bees are quite rightly

they are afraid.

Ktyrs obtain food by hunting in the air, clutching the caught prey with their tenacious long paws. After this, they stick their sting into the defenseless body to inject poison into it and calmly suck out the contents. Sometimes another ktyr can become the prey of a ktyr.

This predatory fly brings great benefits to humanity, killing and eating many different dangerous insects. Ktyri are also predators. They live in rotten wood, soil and other rotting matter, where their food is various small insects and other larvae.

Lifespan

How long the common fly lives is of particular interest to people, since it is the one they encounter most often. Its lifespan is 10-20 days. If the living conditions are as comfortable as possible, then the pests survive up to 30-45 days.

Optimal living conditions are considered to be temperatures in the range of +22-26 °C, and air humidity should be no more than 80%.

The parasite survives even under less than favorable conditions. How long the pest will live depends on how low or high the ambient temperatures are. The colder it is, the lower the activity of the two-winged creature.

With the arrival of autumn, when the temperature drops to +10 °C or even lower, the activity of the parasite decreases and the hibernation phase begins. How long this condition will last directly depends on the ambient temperature.

Flies in the larval or pupal stage are also capable of hibernating, which increases their survival rate.

How long flies live in an apartment depends on human activity. If pests are not disturbed, they will not rush to die on their own. In a residential area they can live up to 8 weeks. Many people are no less interested in how long flies live without food.

Throughout the entire winter period, having suspended the vital functions of the body, they do not receive nutrients, but calmly wait for the arrival of warmth. And until they fall into suspended animation, they always find something to profit from.

Sciarid flower flies

Sciarids, also known as detritus gnats or fruit gnats. Sciarides are often confused with fruit flies due to their small size. Owners of greenhouses and indoor plants often encounter them in everyday life. Adult sciarids live for several weeks, and development from egg to adult takes approximately the same amount of time.

House flies are the most common insects, and, interestingly, they are almost never found in the wild. Every person knows what they look like, but not everyone is ready to answer the question of how long flies live.

Flies are found almost everywhere on Earth. They appeared on our planet a very long time ago. A fly was found in China that scientists determined lived approximately 145 million years ago.

Before answering the question of how long flies live, let's take a closer look at them. What do they look like externally? The length of the body of an adult fly is approximately five to ten millimeters, the color is most often gray, the abdomen is slightly yellowish in color, and several can be seen on the upper side of the chest located along the body. Upon closer examination, you can see that the fly’s body is covered with sparse, but rather long hairs. The eyes of the fly are large, faceted, and their color is brown. The distance between the eyes of female flies is slightly greater than that of male flies. The fly's eye does not distinguish small details well, however, they can distinguish the slightest blinking of light. Female flies are slightly larger than male flies, but it is quite difficult to determine this with the naked eye.

Houseflies feed mainly on liquid food, although they also eat solid food, but they first dissolve it with the help of saliva.

Flies are very prolific and reproduce quickly. The female can lay about 100 eggs at a time, their size is approximately one millimeter in length. A Not long, but during their short life these dipterans lay a huge number of eggs, depending on the breeding conditions. They usually live near the breeding site. Due to the influence of wind, they can spread over quite a long distance. The main food for house flies is food waste.

So, how long they live depends on the species, usually their lifespan ranges from a few days to two and a half months. On average, their lifespan is approximately three weeks. flies depend on air temperature. The most optimal temperature for these insects is room temperature (21-24 degrees Celsius). Under such conditions, a fly can live up to more than two months. However, the vast majority of these insects do not survive beyond the age of ten days, as they often become food for predators.

They compensate for their short lifespan with their enormous ability to reproduce. During her short life, one female can lay up to two thousand larvae, each of which develops for twenty-five days, after which it becomes a pupa. Three days later, a fly is born from it, which thirty-six hours after its birth is already capable of reproducing. It turns out that about twenty generations of flies can change in a year.

The lifespan of a fly becomes longer if it hibernates in winter. In this case, the fly in a state of suspended animation can overwinter, and when it becomes warm, having warmed up, it can come to life again. Moreover, not only adults, but also larvae can hibernate.

The average lifespan of a fly is 3 weeks. At this temperature, a fly can live up to two months. The most comfortable temperature for flies is room temperature: 20-23 degrees. The fact is that flies are carriers of many different diseases.

Flies are ubiquitous insects that transmit cholera, dysentery, typhoid, and helminths. However, most flies do not live to be ten days old and become food for predators. One fly lays up to two thousand larvae during its short life.

The housefly (lat. Musca domestica), an insect of the family of true flies, is a common synanthropic organism, practically no longer found in the wild. The mouthparts are licking and sucking; house flies are not capable of biting through the skin and drinking blood, unlike similar autumn flies. The female lays 70-120 white eggs at a time, about 1.2 mm in length. In total, during its life, a fly can lay from 600 to 2000 eggs, depending on climatic conditions.

External structure

At first glance, the structure of a fly seems simple. But if you delve into how many features this living organism has, it becomes obvious that not everything is so simple.

The skeleton of a fly consists of three main parts, like those of most insects:

• head;
• breast;
• abdomen.

The head of the pest has a mouthparts, antennae, and a vision organ. The chest is equipped with three segments with a pair of transparent wings, and there are also 3 pairs of limbs on it. The chest part is filled with a powerful muscular system.

The abdomen contains the main part of the digestive and reproductive organs. Also of interest is how many legs a fly has.

Fly head

Entomologists know how many eyes an ordinary fly has, as well as other features of the organs of vision and touch that the fly’s head is endowed with:

1. Eyes. The organ of vision of a buzzing parasite consists of a large number of simple ocelli. Visually, this represents a faceted grid. The pest sees objects comprehensively, but their image turns out to be mosaic. Each facet sees a small fragment, and they are all combined into a single picture by the brain. Each organ of vision, located on the sides of the head, includes up to 4000 facets. And on the crown there are also 3 simple eyes. It turns out that the fly has only 5 eyes.
2. Mustache. This is a kind of olfactory organ of the pest. They are antennas or movable jointed appendages of the head that serve as landmarks. The antennae help in capturing odors at long distances and also determine the direction of movement. The antennae of females and males are visually different.
3. Oral apparatus. It is a sucking proboscis of a fly, of the licking type. The extended lobes of the upper and lower lips come into contact with food. The pest's jaws are powerful. The mouthparts of the parasite, which feeds on blood, are additionally equipped with hard, sharp scales. They perform the function of teeth, helping to pierce the skin of humans or animals. To draw in fluid, the parasite has a pharyngeal pump.

Males and females are distinguished by how many visual elements the pest has.

There are more of them in the male sex, and the female has a better developed olfactory system, with the help of which she finds favorable conditions for laying eggs and for the further development of offspring.

Breast

The thorax or thorax is distinguished in all segmented invertebrates. In buzzing parasites it is divided into 3 segments. Bone structures and muscle fibers allow flight, so the middle part of the chest is especially developed.

When considering this section, it becomes clear how many legs such creatures have. Entomologists distinguish 3 pairs of limbs. Each is divided into 5 segments and equipped with its own muscle system.

Each paw ends with claws and suction cups, allowing the parasite to confidently hold on to any surface, even the most uncomfortable.

When moving, the soft pads compress and a sticky secretion is released. This feature helps them hold and move freely on window glass or a smooth surface.

With the help of its paws, the parasite not only actively moves, but also uses it to determine the taste and quality of food. After a few seconds of analysis, he starts eating or looks for a new treat.

Wings of a fly

Entomologists know how many wings such a parasite has. They explain that only the upper wings of the fly are preserved and they are well developed. This exoskeleton appendage is transparent and membranous. The posterior pair is deformed and forms halteres.

They provide support during flight, allow you to hover without moving for a while, and also produce a peculiar buzzing sound. To strengthen the thin wings, cylindrical veins are provided.

During the flight, the parasite turns off one of the wings one by one. It is capable of abruptly changing the trajectory of movement, performing complex maneuvers, and also abruptly taking off without additional acceleration.

This amazing structural feature was taken by scientists when developing many flying designs of airplanes or helicopters.

Abdomen

Also of interest is the abdomen and how many segments it contains. This part of the body is elongated, cylindrical in shape. Consists of 10 parts and also includes reproductive, respiratory and digestive organs.

The abdomen is covered with elastic chitin, which increases with food intake and before eggs are laid. How much a parasite weighs constantly changes depending on its condition.

Room

The fly belonging to this species practically no longer lives in the wild. Therefore, she is the most annoying and impudent guest in our homes in the summer-autumn period. At this time, our life is complicated by the constant struggle with these small, but very fast and resourceful insects.

House flies are most active during the daytime. The homeland of this insect is the steppe of Central Asia. But at the moment, its distribution is observed everywhere near human homes - both in rural areas and in cities.

A fly of this species is not a biting or blood-sucking insect, but nevertheless it causes significant harm to humans. Its limbs have tentacles on which various harmful bacteria and dirt accumulate, leading to infectious diseases.

The housefly's body is gray with brown tints. It consists of the abdomen, head and chest. The chest is connected to wings and three pairs of legs. On the head there are very large eyes, occupying almost the entire head, an oral cavity and short antennae. The upper part of the breast has four dark stripes, the belly has black spots in the form of quadrangles. The lower half of the head is yellow. The total body length of the fly usually does not exceed 8 mm. Males by size

There are fewer females.

The female has a wider frontal part of the head, and the distance between the eyes is greater than that of the male. The flight of a fly is carried out only with the help of two front membranous transparent wings, and the hind wings (haleteres) are necessary only to maintain balance.

In appearance, many types of flies are similar to the house fly, but its distinctive feature is the vein that forms a break in front of the edge of the wing. The limbs of the housefly are thin and long with suction cups for convenient movement on various surfaces. These suction cups allow her to move freely even on a vertical glass plane and on the ceiling. The fly's flight speed is very high, and it can last for several hours.

Nutrition

Despite the small antennae, the housefly has a keen sense of smell. She can smell the smell of food over long distances.

The fly feeds on everything that people eat, but prefers liquid food.

Its mouthparts are not capable of biting - they only have a licking-sucking function. To do this, the fly has a flexible proboscis on its head, with which it not only sucks liquid food, but also absorbs solid foods. The fact is that the fly secretes saliva, which dissolves solids.

Reproduction and development

The housefly's favorite place to lay eggs is in rotting, moist environments such as manure and various sewage. Having chosen a suitable place, the female lays from 70 to 120 white eggs, the length of which is about 1.2 mm. The transition stage from egg to larva, depending on environmental conditions, lasts for 8–50 hours. The larva is an elongated white body without limbs, similar to a small worm 10–13 mm long, with a pointed head. It continues to live in the feces of various farm animals (horses, chickens, cows).

After the larva has 3 molts, after 3–25 days, its shell hardens and separates from the body. Thus, it becomes a pupa and after 3 days turns into a young fly, which can produce offspring within 36 hours. The average lifespan of a house fly is 0.5–1 month, but sometimes, under particularly favorable conditions, it can live up to two months. A female can lay eggs up to 15 times throughout her life. Depending on the air temperature and other climatic factors, the total number of offspring ranges from 600 to 9,000 eggs. The breeding season of the housefly lasts from mid-April to the second half of September.

Internal structure

Having studied the internal structure of a fly, an ordinary person will make a lot of discoveries for himself. Entomologists know very well how many internal organs and systems this insect has, what their tasks are and how they function.

Reproductive system

The internal reproductive organs are abdominal. The male has testes, the female has eggs. The reproductive system also includes accessory glands and ducts. The external appendages differ in shape among different species.

In males, the expanded last segment bears special grips necessary to hold the female by the ovipositor during mating.

How many eggs the female lays at one time (70-150), depending on her species. Among blowflies (corpse flies) there are viviparous species.

The fertilized female finds a decomposing corpse and sits on it, touching the surface with her abdomen. After this, very mobile larvae instantly appear and quickly penetrate the tissue.

Digestive system

The abdomen contains most of the digestive organs: intestines, crop, excretory vessels. Inside, there is no digestive tract as such.

All food is digested externally with the help of a secretion secreted by the parasite. And into the expanded part of the esophagus, food arrives ready for absorption.

Other organs, systems

Additionally, parasites have the following systems:

1. brain and nervous system. Everything is very simplified. The brain coordinates the behavior of the insect, but the reflex arc is responsible for the reflexes. The brain is very small, but has thousands of neurons. It allows the buzzing parasites to perform amazing feats while flying.
2. Circulatory system. It is equipped with an aorta, pterygoid muscle, and dorsal vessel. There is also a heart, but it is very simplified and has little functionality. The blood is colorless or has a yellowish tint. It transports nutrients throughout the body, but does not saturate the body with oxygen, and also does not contain red blood cells.
3. Respiratory system. The body of the pest is dotted with numerous tracheae, which branch into small capillaries with a complex structure. Opens outwards with spiracles. They carry oxygen directly to various organs and tissues. Entomologists know how many spiracles there are on the body, thanks to which flies breathe. They report that there are up to 10 pairs of such body elements. Of these, 8 are located on the abdomen, and 2 on the chest.

When danger appears, the nervous system and brain help the parasite change the direction of movement in the opposite direction in a matter of seconds.

How to fight: effective methods

How to get rid of flies in an apartment? The main thing is to remove factors that attract harmful insects. Most owners themselves provoke the entry of flies into the apartment, attracting them with an abundance of freely available food and unsanitary conditions. Basic home protection measures in the form of a mosquito net sharply reduce the number of annoying “neighbors.”

Five steps for successful fly control:

• keep the kitchen and other rooms clean, put food in the refrigerator;
• take out the trash can on time;
• block entry routes: windows, ventilation grilles;
• bring indoor humidity to normal levels;
• get rid of junk, wash windows, provide access to sunlight.

After eliminating the reasons that allow buzzing pests to freely rule the apartment, it’s time to think about effective methods for killing flies. The best option is an integrated approach.

Sticky traps

Adhesive tape with a special composition is a simple, effective means for catching flies and mosquitoes. Hang sticky traps in the kitchen, in areas where insects are most concentrated. The appearance of ribbons dotted with flies is unattractive, but ready-made traps work flawlessly: the insects stick tightly to the surface, the owners can only remove and throw away the tape along with the pests.

Insecticides

Treating areas where flies accumulate with insecticides gives excellent results. After disinfestation, collect dead pests and think about how to prevent the reappearance of unnecessary “neighbors.”

Effective drugs:

• aerosols. Raptor, Dichlorvos Neo, Clean House, Raid, ARGUS, Off, MOSQUITAL;
• granules and powders. Clean house dust, Bayt Mukha, Baygon;
• crayons. Cockroach crayons, for example Mashenka, are effective against winged pests.

Important! When disinfesting premises, safety measures are required: a respirator, old thick overalls, medical gloves, plastic goggles to protect the eyes. It is prohibited to smoke, drink, or eat during treatment with insecticides. After spraying the aerosols and working solution, close the apartment and leave for a certain time. Upon return, ventilate the room and wash surfaces with soap.

Homemade baits

How to make:

• method number 1. Combine sugar (100 g) and any sweet syrup - a quarter cup. Cut strips of thick paper, make a hole, secure with a strong thread. Grease the cardboard with thick sugar and wait until the trap dries. Use as prepared adhesive tape;
• method No. 2. Pour 250 ml of apple cider vinegar into a 0.5 liter jar, stretch the film on top, make several small holes so that insects can get inside. Instead of film, a plastic or tin lid is suitable. Harmful insects are attracted to the smell of vinegar and will certainly get inside. Place a trap jar in the kitchen.

Bright aromas

Pungent odors that repel harmful insects will help drive annoying “neighbors” out of your home. A safe method without the use of toxic drugs is suitable if there are children and pets at home, but flies have settled in the apartment. How to effectively combat buzzing pests using aromatic ingredients?

It's simple:

• first way. Dry the peels removed from oranges, tangerines or lemons and place them on the table or in kitchen cabinets. The smell of citrus fruits repels not only flies, but also moths;
• second way. Cut a lemon or orange in half, insert clove buds (spice), and place the aromatic composition on the kitchen table. After a while, the buzzing will stop and the insects will leave the room;
• third way. Place bouquets of aromatic herbs in the kitchen and other rooms where flies live. Many insects cannot tolerate the smell of wormwood, lavender, mint, bay leaf, and thyme. Richly scented basil and eucalyptus also repel winged pests. Every two to three months, new bouquets should appear in place of the old ones, then the bright smell of plant components will be most effective;
• fourth way. Onion juice is good at repelling insects. A product that brings tears to the owners is suitable as a last resort if other aromas do not work. Grind several onions with a blender, squeeze out the juice, pour into saucers, place containers in areas where houseflies crawl. A sharp, unpleasant smell quickly drives insects out of the apartment, provided that the factors that attract pests are eliminated;
• fifth way. Pour 2 liters of warm water into a bowl, add 10 drops of lavender essential oil, wipe the windows, kitchen table, cabinet doors, and other surfaces in the kitchen with the solution. The aroma of lavender repels various flying and crawling insects.

Types of flies

Scientists still cannot fully systematize these pests. But they offer various options for dividing them into orders, genera, and families.

The main classification of flies according to the nature of their feeding:

• nectarophages - feed on the nectar of flowers;
• aphagi - adults completely refuse to eat;
• hematophagous - drink blood;
• coprophagous - prefer excrement;
• necrophages - their food is dead flesh;
• polyphagous - they have a very extensive food supply.

Coprophages and hematophages are divided into 2 large groups: obligate and facultative. The first, along with others, includes the common fly. Sometimes they end up in living quarters, spreading worm eggs.

Another favorite place for their localization is premises where animals are kept.

The main representative of facultative coprophages is the house fly. House flies have become so adapted to living among people that they are practically never found in the wild.

What danger do they pose?

Horseflies and gadflies cause a lot of inconvenience to both humans and animals. It is very difficult to determine which of them is more dangerous. The danger of horseflies increases due to the fact that they prefer to actively use the blood of the victim. It serves not only as a source of nutrition, but also as an integral part of the reproduction process. At one time, a horsefly is capable of drinking up to 200 ml of blood from the body of its victim. Massive insect attacks on cattle herds can reduce milk yield by a quarter. Farmers suffer considerable losses from this, so they prefer horseflies, not to skimp and to allocate part of the funds specifically for the prevention of their appearance by purchasing.

Among the entire subfamily of gadflies, only 2 species, which are common in our country, are dangerous. They do not drink blood, but even without this they pose a serious danger to humans and animals.

Harm to a living organism is caused by implants that an adult female implants under the skin of animals or humans. As a result of the development of larvae inside the host’s body, he experiences deterioration in health, discomfort, weakness and many other unpleasant consequences. In the most severe cases, the larvae can enter a person's eye or head. In this case, only a complex operation will help solve the problem, which will not guarantee the return of full health. It is recommended to use for preventive purposes.

Thus, the difference between a gadfly and a horsefly is colossal. These are completely different insects that differ in reproduction, nutrition and appearance. But these large families are united by similarities - they all cause a lot of inconvenience and trouble to a person and his household.

The ability to distinguish a gadfly from a horsefly should help not only to choose an effective way to deal with them, but also to know what danger they pose in order to properly protect yourself.

The first type is dangerous for both humans and animals. If treatment is not timely, disastrous consequences can occur.

The second type is characteristic of He, of course, is not dangerous like the first type, but still, if this happens, boils form on the body of a person or animal. In addition, severe pain appears. Pus may then be released.

The cavity type is most common in goats. The larvae are first found in the nostril, and then penetrate the respiratory tract.

The adult gadfly larva is a fly. Its size is about 2 cm. It is somewhat similar to a bumblebee.

But to distinguish it from this insect, there are a number of signs:

• big head;
• large eyes;
• blue belly;
• orange paws;
• transparent wings.

Already half a minute after emerging, an adult gadfly can fly. A female individual produces about 600 eggs. But, fortunately, only 1/6 survive.

There are about 7 species of larvae in our country. They mainly live in the body of cattle. There are known cases where gadfly larvae were found in the human body in Russia. Their favorite place to be is the eyes or skin.

The gadfly larva can be anywhere in a person. For example, it can be found on the arm, on the chest, on the leg, and even on the head. But their most favorite places to live are the armpits and back. It also happens that the larva of a gadfly in the body is located in the nose or eye.

After this, the person’s condition begins to deteriorate sharply. Nausea or vomiting, weakness and dizziness, and muscle pain are the main symptoms of gadfly larvae entering the body. In the area where there is inflammation, the patient may feel something moving.

The penetration of larvae into the vitreous body of the eyeball is very dangerous. Then the person may lose his sight completely.

• headache;
• deterioration of sense of smell;
• swelling of the nose;
• pain at the location of the larva.

Reproduction of flies

The reproductive function of flies is high. Purely theoretically, one pair of such parasites, as a result of mating, can recreate offspring that by the fall will exceed a weight of 40 tons.

Flies breed when they lay eggs in food or any organic waste. The female's life is short, but she is capable of laying up to 3,000 eggs.

House flies produce up to 150 offspring per egg laying. But they are too small and cannot be visualized with the naked eye.

The ability of flies to actively procreate is used for industrial purposes. Their larvae are almost half protein, so they are raised on specialized farms to produce feed with a high protein content.

To increase efficiency, wingless species of flies were bred.

What are they?

Each species of fly belongs to the order Diptera; they are distinguished from other relatives by large compound eyes, providing visibility of almost all 360 degrees. Depending on the variety, they may have a different life cycle, reproduction method and feeding pattern. Their mouthparts are also different:

• Licking;
• Stitching-sucking;
• Cutting and sucking.

There are subspecies that do not require food at all, and therefore do not have mouthparts. Each fly has so-called ground beetles - symmetrical reduced wings located in the thoracic segments. They are the ones that hold the creature in the air, while emitting a characteristic buzzing sound, making it extremely difficult to catch the fly with your hands. Another interesting feature is that the taste buds are located on the legs; the insect first “tastes” the food and only then consumes it. Most of them lay eggs, but some species are viviparous.

Life cycle

Stages of fly development:

• egg;
• larva;
• chrysalis;
• adult.

The life cycle of a fly begins with an egg. Throughout her life, the female lays 6 or more ovipositions.

Eggs and larvae

Egg development takes from 8 to 50 hours. The flies undergo a complete transformation. After 3-25 days and 3 molts, a fly pupa appears from the larva, which crawls into a cool, dry place.

Within 1.5 days, a sexually mature individual emerges from the pupa.

Some species are viviparous. First instar larvae are produced. This accelerates the development of the pest by 2-3 days.

Emergence of an adult

The most passive stage of a fly's life is its time as a pupa. It is formed when the skin of the larva hardens and becomes the pupal case or puparium.

Inside this case, final transformations occur, implying the disintegration of the larval tissues and the restructuring of its body.

This is the phase of the emergence of an adult (imago), which any person can easily recognize.

Mosquitoes

Adult female mosquitoes live more than one month. Males die one to two weeks after they become adults. Female mosquitoes—the ones that bite—rely on blood meals to get nutrients. After bloodletting, eggs are laid.

Sometimes one egg (Aedes mosquitoes), sometimes up to 300 at a time (Culex spp.) - in or near water bodies. The eggs hatch and become larvae or wigglers.

Wigglers enter the puppet stage as quickly as their species and the surrounding weather require. Usually this is several days. The pupa becomes an adult in just two to seven days. Then it hunts for nectar or blood to start the cycle again.

Where do flies live?

The habitat of these dipterous insects depends on their variety:

1. room Lives in a person’s house and feeds on his food. Prefers fruit juices, jam, honey, and a variety of sweet syrups. In their absence, it looks for sugar and bread crumbs.
2. Common green carrion. The most natural habitat for them is places where food is sold openly, slaughterhouses, garbage or cesspools. They are often found in large numbers on excrement, carrion or rotting meat.
3. Ilnitsa (beekeepers). Adults feed on the nectar of flowers, so they are found close to them. The larvae inhabit water bodies rich in rotting vegetation, damp rotting organic compounds, and manure. Some of them are even found in restrooms.
4. Ktyri. Most often found in the subtropics. They are especially numerous in savanna, steppes and arid regions. The larvae live in soil or rotten wood. They feed on insect larvae or plant matter.
5. Tsetse. They live in tropical and subtropical Africa. Often localized in damp areas. They actively breed and live in fertile lands along river banks.

Knowing where the fly lives and how long it lives will help people protect themselves from such pests.

Video

The danger of the tsetse fly. The most dangerous insects

Habitat

Diptera have occupied almost all food niches in nature. Among them you can find insects that feed on:

• carrion (meat);
• nectar;
• decomposing organic matter (manure, compost and rotting fruit);
• blood.

But they all have one thing in common. Adult insects need liquid food, but maggots can live and feed only in a moist environment.

The adult lives without food for about 2 days in hot weather. When the temperature drops, metabolic processes slow down, and the insect is able to survive without food for several weeks.

flies

Interesting!

Maggots live longer due to accumulated nutrients. But this is the experience of fishermen who store larvae in the refrigerator. Under unfavorable circumstances, maggots pupate at an early stage of development. It is unlikely that such a pupa will turn into a full-fledged insect.

Why is an insect dangerous?

Most often, people have to deal with houseflies. It is advisable to do this, since it is a mechanical carrier of pathogens of dangerous diseases.

Regardless of how long the pest lives, it can provoke the following pathologies in humans:

• intestinal infections;
• tuberculosis;
• ophthalmological diseases;
• helminthiasis;
• intestinal myiasis.

Light flies are active blood-sucking insects that live mainly in areas where there are domestic animals, especially cattle.

Once in residential areas, these parasites often bite people or pets.

Zhigalka carries the following diseases:

• anthrax;
• sepsis;
• tularemia;
• staphylococcal infection.

Infection occurs as follows: after contact with a sick individual, the burners rush to the next victim and, during the bite, inject pathological saliva into the wound.

The Tsetse fly is considered the most dangerous in the world. After the bite of this insect, the human immune system is first affected, then the process affects the nerve endings. A swelling appears at the site of the bite.

The victim experiences lethargy, drowsiness, and apathy.

The disease develops over 3-4 months. If the patient is not provided with proper assistance, everything will end in death.

Description

The entire body of the housefly is covered with sparse long hairs. The head is strongly convex in front, flat and slightly conical in back. The eyes are large, faceted (consisting of 3000 facets - miniature eyes), dark red in color. In males, the distance between the eyes is equal to 2/3 of the length of the eye, and in females it is equal to this length. Only the front pair of wings are used for flight. In the resting position, the wings are spread at a narrow angle. The hind wings are reduced and are called halteres (they are necessary to maintain the fly's balance in the air). Three pairs of walking legs. The abdomen consists of 10 segments that carry spiracles for breathing. In males, the ninth segment bears a pair of clasps for copulation, and the 10th carries the anal cerci in both sexes.

Protecting your home from flies

How many flies end up in the house and take root there largely depends on sanitary conditions. If the home is kept clean, then the pest quickly ceases to be interested in it.

Clean owners try to throw away all waste immediately after eating, and store food in the refrigerator. In addition, they take out the trash in a timely manner and often carry out wet cleaning of the house.

As the weather warms up, it is advisable to hang a mosquito net on the windows and doors, which will serve as a mechanical barrier for insects.

How long flies will survive when entering a living space largely depends on the vigilance and efforts made on the part of the person.

Lifestyle

The housefly is, of course, a subspecies of the common wild fly, which over time became so addicted to, albeit unsafe, but such comfortable and fertile cohabitation with humans, that it spontaneously branched off from its native taxon and formed a new one. This is how house flies appeared - regulars in kitchens, balconies, verandas and rooms.

These insects live mainly in those houses and apartments where there is always something to eat. They are attracted by the smells of something edible, especially rotten fruits, vegetables, and meat products. They have a licking-sucking apparatus, so they do not pose any danger to humans in terms of bite.

House flies reproduce very quickly and easily, and can create a considerable problem for a careless owner, under favorable conditions, causing a real invasion. After all, flies appear in the home environment most often under conditions of “sanitary liberalism” on the part of the owners, this should not be forgotten.

In this case, you have to take measures to reduce the number of bred flies to at least an acceptable minimum, but that’s a slightly different story.

By the way, about the lifespan of house flies. It ranges from two weeks to a month. If no one tries to shorten the fly’s lifespan, the lifespan of the annoying parasite largely depends on the temperature parameters of its habitat.

Acceptable limits are 10-40 degrees. At lower temperatures, closer to zero, the fly begins to seek shelter for the winter. At minus degrees the insect dies.

Gadflies

In nature, there are 30 genera, including 176 species. They are often confused with horseflies, bumblebees and bees.

Appearance

Body length is 9 mm-2.5 cm. An adult has a wide head with large eyes and short antennae. There is no proboscis, or it is reduced. The legs are massive and short. The abdomen is round or conical. The entire body is covered with coarse hairs. The life of gadflies is short - approximately 22 days.

Classification

1. Hypodermatinae (Subcutaneous). Adults lay eggs on the hair of domestic animals: horses, rams, cows. The hatched larvae penetrate the skin and move through the tissues. Before entering stage II, they gather under the skin, forming inflamed fistulas. Through them the larvae get to the surface.
2. Gasterophilinae (Stomach). There are 2 ways for larvae to enter. Some females lay eggs on leaf food, and they enter the animal with food. Others - on the head and chest. The cattle, by biting and licking the skin, transfer the eggs into the digestive tract.
3. Oestrinae (Cavity, nasopharyngeal). Females release eggs in flight, which land on the mucous membranes of the eyes and nose. People often suffer unwittingly: as a result, conjunctivitis (very dangerous for a child) and other diseases can develop.

Some scientists classify Cuterebrinae, the American subcutaneous gadfly, as a separate subfamily. They most often parasitize mice, hares, gophers, etc.

Danger to humans

Some subcutaneous species, such as Dermatobia hominis, attack humans. Bodfly larvae penetrate the skin, causing a lot of suffering. Cases have been recorded where a person died from the penetration of parasites.

Gadflies are inventive in attack: some distract, others attack. Their legs are soft, so you may not notice when a fly lands on your skin. But its bite is very painful, burning. Redness appears in this place and itching begins.

Human blood serves as a breeding ground for eggs. The hatched larvae, looking for a way out, move upward. If they get into the brain, death is inevitable.

Prevention

Insects harm gardens, vegetable gardens, and park areas; young cuttings, leaves, and shoots, which people lovingly grow, especially suffer from the larvae.

In addition, flies are carriers of dangerous diseases. Breeding these insects is not worthwhile, so you need to follow simple rules:

• carry out regular cleaning;
• Take out the trash can every day, which must always be closed;
• do not leave food waste on the table;
• seal fruits, vegetables, meat, fish or put them in the refrigerator;
• monitor the condition of mosquito nets.

Knowing the patterns and characteristics of the reproduction of flies, you can choose effective means of combating them.