Easy Steps to Get Rid of Blow Flies

Blow flies are common house pests worldwide. The name blow flies was given because they were believed to blow their eggs or larvae onto exposed meats. The maggots of blow flies are also known to infest the dead bodies of animals.

Blow flies gravitate towards highly populated areas such as slaughterhouses, garbage dumps, close meat-processing plants, trash bins, and places that have an abundance of rotting material, such as fields and forests, areas where loose, damp soil is present, homes, yards, and near livestock. Some species of blow flies have even been known to lay their eggs in the wounds of live animals.

The larvae develop inside the tissue of the live animal, a condition known as myiasis. Myiasis damages the animal tissues, affecting the their health. In server cases, myiasis can lead to the animal’s death.

Blow Fly Identification

Adults are commonly shiny with metallic coloring, often green, blue, or black, blow flies have sponge-like mouthparts. The male blow flies possess feathery hairs on their terminal antennal segments, and the blow fly maggots measure 9 to 22 mm in length. The bodies of the blow fly maggots are soft, having the appearance of rice grains. They have hooked mouthparts and spiracles through which they breathe.

Blow Fly Lifecycle

The female blow fly typically lays her eggs on decaying meat. Depending on the blow fly species, the laid eggs can hatch in a few hours or a few days. Within several days, the maggots go through 3 stages. Once the stages are completed, the maggots pupate in the soil. After several days, when the pupation is completed, the adult blow flies emerge.

What Else Attracts Blow Flies

Besides the above that was mentioned here, is what also attracts blow flies, there are also places to check for their larvae.

• Blow flies can be found in unused appliances.
• Crawlspaces.
• Chimneys.
• Fireplaces.
• Elevator pits
• Compost pile.
• Clogged floor drains.
• Beneath equipment.
• Where there is clutter and debris.
• Wall void.
• Animal waste.
• Clogged sewer drains.

How to Control Blow Flies

Steps can be taken to control blow flies, these simple steps are effective and will reduce blow fly population to the point of elimination.

• The first steps to blow fly control is sanitation and exclusion. You should make sure that your outdoor garbage storage area is clean, which means trash and debris should be properly concealed in trash cans with properly tight-fitting lids.
• Outdoor water pipes and faucets should be in good repair, and remove all outdoor containers that collect water. Water that is allowed to collect outdoors will also attract rats, mice, mosquitoes, and other yard and house pests.
• If window screens are damaged, repair them.
• The door stripping should be in good order.
• Keep your drains clean.
• Windows that are broken should be replaced.
• Dumpsters should be at a distance from the building.
• Sink and drain areas should be properly maintained at all times.
• Locate and eliminate all breeding sites for effective control. Adult blow flies will typically be hanging around near the breeding site.
• Remove all material where blow flies are known to lay their eggs.
• Installing insect light traps (ILTs) may also help control the flying adults.

Other Methods to Control Blow Flies

Blow flies can be controlled by installing fly glue traps or the use of insecticides such as contact (aerosol) sprays that will deliver a quick knock-down.

Note: ” Species of blow flies such as the black blow fly and the green blow fly are said to be used in the medical field, the larvae of blow flies were commonly used to clean open wounds, the larvae only feed on tissues that are decaying”.

However, blow flies will move among the habitat of humans, feces, and the carcass of dead animals, transmitting disease organisms to humans, such as bacteria that cause cholera, dysentery, and typhus.

Additional information

Eliminating the adults only will not solve the blow fly problem, all breeding sites must be found and disposed of.

Conclusion

Blow flies can become a big problem if ignored, but their population can be managed with the help of these proven methods, the key is to take away the environment that attracts them, along with the use of pesticides and fly traps, which will create for you a pest-free zone. Why allow these disease-carrying critters to become a nuisance when you can strike back with these proven steps that have worked for others and will work for you as well.