Houseflies are the most common of pests and can be a real annoyance at picnics and cookouts. They grow faster and more plentiful in the warmer weather so there is an abundance of them in the spring and summer. Because houseflies are known carriers of over 100 diseases like typhoid and cholera, they should be dealt with quickly. Fortunately, they don’t have a very long life span so it makes getting rid of them a little easier. But just how long does a fly live?

When a fertilized female housefly is ready to lay her eggs, she looks for rotting organics like garbage, carrion or feces. The larvae, more commonly known as maggots, feed on this material from two weeks to a month. They will then find somewhere dry to begin their transformation into an adult fly. The adult fly will live up to one month. As a note, when you see a small adult fly, it does not mean this is a young fly. The fly probably just didn’t get enough nutrition in the larvae stage.

Because of their constant eating, flies have frequent bowel movements. This is how they spread disease so easily and why they are such a health concern. Make sure you don’t have wet areas around your home and that you pick up after your pets. This will discourage female flies from laying eggs in your yard. Some varieties of houseflies have become immune to common bug killer and require a professional grade chemical to kill them. If you have a housefly problem, call Foundation Pest Control today!