Fight meat flies and their maggots

Even in the cleanest of homes, flesh flies and their maggots can sometimes make an appearance. In this case, quick action is required, because these are disease carriers and hygiene pests. What can you do against the malware in order to remove it from your personal environment as quickly as possible? Here we give you some advice to help you get rid of the unsavory insects quickly.

appearance and occurrence

Flesh flies (Sarcophagidae) are medium-sized flies of about 8-19 mm in length. The color ranges from light to dark grey, there are dark longitudinal stripes on the back, the eyes are mostly red, mouthparts sucking-licking. The female flesh flies lay several hundred eggs, preferably in fresh or rotting meat. After just a few hours, the first whitish-yellow, legless larvae hatch and burrow into the breeding substrate.

The development of the larvae requires under favorable circumstances, i.e. temperatures of around thirty degrees Celsius about four to seven days, correspondingly longer at low temperatures, up to 24 days. A generation usually develops over a period of three to four weeks, which means that 4 to 8 generations of flies can develop per year.

Meat flies are attracted by the smell, which can be exposed meat as well as animal food for a pet in a bowl. Piles of droppings from stray animals in the garden are also a temptation for the pests. In rural areas, the populations are often quite large because they find optimal breeding conditions on the dung heaps of grazing animals. As a result, the probability is quite high that they will come into the house.

infestation in the house

Flesh flies can quickly enter through open windows, even those that are tilted. However, the flight noise is quite loud, so that the approach can already be noticed. Remove the flies from the house immediately before they have a chance to lay their eggs.

• do not leave leftovers uncovered
• never eat meat that has been open for some time
• protect windows that are opened regularly with close-meshed fly screens
• do not leave dog or cat food out in the open, remove leftovers after eating
• Be sure to clean litter boxes every day, faeces and urine attract the flies
• empty the bins daily, especially on hot summer days
• seal garbage bags tightly

combat

If flesh flies appear, you should take action immediately, these pests will find an opportunity to lay their eggs even if you think everything is secure yourself. A few hours after oviposition, the eggs have already become maggots. If they don't find enough breeding substrate, they start to migrate in search of suitable food. So if the oviposition has taken place in the animal feed, there is a possibility that the larvae will crawl to the garbage can. You should definitely avoid this. Make sure there are no rotting substances or garbage anywhere. Pay particular attention to hygienic conditions in the kitchen. The surfaces do not necessarily have to be cleaned with sterilizing substances, normal cleaning with commercially available products is sufficient.

In particular, remove dirt lying in the corners or under cupboards, where the flesh flies can also lay eggs in the deposits. If you notice that despite all precautions, maggots have formed, collect them immediately and remove everything in which the pests could possibly develop. If absolutely necessary, you can also use bug spray. In this case, fall back on ecologically/biologically harmless active ingredients, for example those with the active ingredient pyrethrum.

• destroy individual flesh flies as soon as you notice them
• cover sweet foods and drinks, they also attract the pests
• cover food you intend to use for grilling
• hang strips of self-adhesive glue around the house, they are treated with an attractant that acts at a short distance
• put UV lamps, they attract the flies in the house. Caution: These lamps are only allowed indoors because they also kill beneficial insects outside

prevention

If you live in a rural area, the emergence of flesh flies and their maggots will always be an issue. There's little you can do about it, but you can take preventive measures to keep the pests out as much as possible. With fly screens in front of the windows, you not only prevent the entry of unsavory pests, but also other insects. For this purpose, retailers offer close-meshed fabrics that can be easily attached to any window with self-adhesive Velcro strips. This method is particularly useful if you live in a rented apartment where no permanent changes may be installed.

An alternative to this are fly screens, which are attached as a fixed frame in front of the window. They are much more durable and can withstand storms. If you don't want any obstacles in front of the window, you can instead use strips of glue that are attached directly to the window frame. The insects stick here and can be removed. Basically:

• during the warm season, avoid any kind of open food, especially meat
• keep pet feeders and pet toilets clean and sealed
• make sure that there is nowhere in the house where waste can accumulate in hidden places
• hang fly catcher bags with pheromone attractants on the balcony
• use a mesh or wicker basket with a cover for fruit that does not go in the refrigerator

Editor's conclusion

The invasion of flesh flies and maggots cannot always be avoided in summer. The pests are attracted by various smells. However, as soon as they show themselves in the house, there is an urgent need to do something immediately. Flesh flies transmit numerous diseases, they are unhygienic and even look disgusting to us humans. If the pests appear, action should be taken immediately to prevent egg laying and the development of the larvae. Especially in the hot season, hygiene in the kitchen and when handling animal feed should be strictly observed in order not to attract meat flies in the first place.

Worth knowing about flesh flies shortly

• In addition to the medium-sized Sarcophaga haemorrhoidalis, one often encounters the gray flesh fly (Sarcophaga carnaria).
• The big housefly (Musca domestica) can just as easily be mistaken for the flesh fly.
• Flesh flies have a body about 10 to 15 millimeters long.
• Light and dark shiny scales are located on the rear pointed abdomen.
• Three dark longitudinal stripes can be seen on the middle section of the body.
• Flesh flies have brick red eyes.
• Above all, the larvae of the Sacrohaga species live mainly on or in carrion or excrement.
• The Sacrohaga larvae can be carriers of various pathogenic pathogens and putrefactive agents.

Repel meat flies from the apartment

• So that the flies cannot get into the living room in the first place, it makes sense to attach fly screens with a maximum mesh size of 2.5 millimeters to windows and doors.
• Hygiene - especially in the kitchen - is the be-all and end-all to prevent the unwanted spread of the meat fly.

Fight meat flies in the house

• The classic way to combat unwanted insects is the fly swatter.
• Electrical UV traps can also be hung at strategically favorable locations.
• It can also be helpful to hang up strips of glue or Fly tapes, which are also available on a glue basis without chemical agents, or fly catcher bags, for example those with pheromone attractants.
• Groceries/food such as B. Always cover protein-rich foods.
• Take garbage and decaying substances outside regularly.
• Identify and remove breeding sites by regularly cleaning, for example, the rubbish bins and garbage cans.
• Only use chemical / biological control agents, such as those containing the active ingredient pyrethrum, in an emergency. The manufacturer's instructions must be observed!

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