Popularly, we know as flies a group of flying insects that are part of the Diptera order, such as mosquitoes or sandflies. Flies are very important animals for the functioning of ecosystems, since, among them, there are species that are pollinators, pest predators and decomposers. In addition, they are one of the main foods of insectivorous animals. Many birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians would not exist without flies.
However, some species cause economic and he alth damage to humans. This is the case of the house fly (Musca domestica), which can act as a vector of many infectious and parasitic diseases[1] For this reason, it is very important to know the biology of these animals. In this article on our site, we tell you how flies are born, with special emphasis on the house fly.
Where do flies nest?
How and where flies nest depends on the species, as there are many types of flies. They all belong to the brachycera suborder (Brachycera) and have many things in common. In general, this type of insect does not usually build nests, that is, flies do not build structures to reproduce, but lay their eggs in strategic places Normally, these places are food for their larvae, worm-like insects that hatch from their eggs.
To better understand how flies are born, let's see some examples:
- Sifter fly (Episyrphus b alteatus): the larvae of the sifter fly are excellent predators of aphids or aphids. Therefore, adult females lay eggs right next to colonies of aphids. This way, when the eggs hatch, the larvae don't have to move around to find food.
- Fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata): its larvae feed on the pulp of ripe fruit. For this reason, adults lay their eggs on the fruit. The larvae will come out of them, the typical worms that we find in apples.
- Dung fly (Scathophaga stercoraria): Dung fly larvae eat feces and it is in this type of matter that females Adults lay their eggs. Therefore, the larvae of these flies are decomposing animals, that is, they remove fecal matter from the environment.
- Pigeon fly (Pseudolynchia canariensis): this fly does not lay eggs, but its larvae develop inside the mother and They transform into pupa shortly after hatching. Later, they become adults, which feed on the blood of some birds.
Surely, after reading this you are wondering how houseflies are born, those annoying beings that appear in our house in a mysterious way. Let's see it!
How do flies breed in the house?
The flies that often frequent our homes are known as domestic flies (Musca domestica). This species is distributed throughout almost the entire planet and has adapted to coexistence with human beings. It is a strategy to obtain food in abundance: our waste and our food. This is very important, because house fly larvae also feed on our garbage and food.
The house fly reproduces sexually, that is, by uniting the gametes of a female and a male. As we already told you in the article on the life cycle of flies, these insects copulate after an elaborate mating ritual. The male, with his eyes closer together and larger, makes his rocker vibrate, emitting the characteristic noise of flies. This way we can know that they are about to copulate.
If the female decides she likes this male, she stops moving and he climbs on top of her. Thus begins copulation, which can last up to 10 minutes. Subsequently, she will search for the best available place to lay her eggs. This place is always some kind of decaying organic matter, like rotten meat, which is the perfect food for your larvae.
How are houseflies born?
In each laying, the housefly can lay between 20 and 140 eggs[2][3] elongated, very small and pale yellowish. Inside them are the embryos of the new flies, which transform into larvae or worms in a very short time. When this happens, the house fly larvae hatch from the eggs This is how flies are born, in the form of whitish worms that feed on the putrid matter that their mother chose for them.
The larvae spend the day eating until they are large enough to become adult flies When that time comes, they become immobile and They are covered with a hard, dark substance. This state of latency is known as "pupa" and is equivalent to the well-known cocoon of butterflies. Inside the pupa, a metamorphosis takes place: the head, legs and wings are formed.
Therefore, once the metamorphosis is over, the flies are already adults and have the appearance that we all know. It is then that they emerge from the pupa and acquire the ability to fly and reproduce, starting a new life cycle. In this way, our house is filled with flies without us realizing that, in fact, they were already there.
To prevent flies from reproducing at home, we should not leave meat out of the refrigerator, nor the garbage can uncovered. In addition, it is advisable to take out the waste frequently and maintain a neat cleanliness of the home. However, many people live near a landfill, midden, or sewage, making it very difficult for them to keep flies away from home. In this case, it is recommended to put mosquito nets on the windows and take measures to drive away these insects. In this other article, we tell you how to drive away flies with home methods.
