21
Aug
Will Cluster Flies Eventually Go Away on Their Own. They lethargically float around in a zombie-like state.
Where cluster flies hide will help you find cluster flies inside or around your home or building.
How long will cluster flies last. During the summer months cluster flies live and breed in fields and do not cause a particular problem. They are parasitic on earthworms and their larvae live in the soil emerging as adults at the end of summer. In the autumn under natural conditions cluster flies hibernate in dry sheltered areas such as in log piles under loose bark or in hollow trees.
In the spring they emerge and return to. From egg to death the Cluster fly lifespan lasts from one to three months. Will Cluster Flies Eventually Go Away on Their Own.
If Cluster flies have made it into your home in the fall to overwinter they will stay out of the way and emerge occasionally on warmer sunny winter days attempting to get outside through your windows. They lethargically float around in a zombie-like state. After 3 4 days these eggs hatch and the maggots larvae enter the body cavities of earthworms.
These larvae then feed on the host earthworms for few days. The maggot stage in cluster flies lasts in about 13 to 22 days. After this they molt and pupate in the soil.
Pupal stage lasts 11 14 days after which adult flies come out and are ready to start the cycle again. Cluster flies are 8mm long and are a dark grey colour with small patches of gold hair on their back and long wings. Appearing in spring cluster flies will begin to lay eggs outside and will hibernate in your home around nearing winter around August time.
To get rid of cluster flies you can use your vacuum cleaner aerosol fly killer or call your local professionals who will be able to use smoke bombs or. How Long do Cluster Flies Live. Due to the way cluster flies hibernate when the weather drops below 54 degrees it can seem like they live quite a long time.
However a cluster fly typically only lives one to two months. The cluster fly life cycle begins when a female lays her eggs in the soil in late summer or early fall. These eggs hatch within a few days after which larvae seek to enter the body cavities of earthworms.
What Do They Eat. Cluster fly larvae feed on earthworm hosts for several days at which time they molt and pupate in the soil. Ecomist Central NZ owneroperator Kevin Godfrey says In the next 6 weeks cluster flies can become a problem due to the temperature change and the cluster flies are looking for a place to hibernate over the winter Kevin suggests 3 key things.
1 Survey dark areas like roof spaces garages cracks and crevices for signs of cluster flies. The cluster fly life cycle and why they breed so fast Female cluster flies lay their eggs in the soil where cracks are found. The eggs hatch in 72 hours.
The larvae eat earthworms as food for 22 days to which then they go into the pupae stage for about 12 days before emerging as adults. Some cluster flies can live up to 2 years. Cluster flies feeding habits.
Cluster flies are parasitic on earthworms only. When the larvae hatch from the eggs they find an earthworm whose body they burrow into and feed. The worm soon dies from this.
Cluster flies are otherwise not harmful in their feeding to your property or buildings. Using a bug zapper is an easy way to kill cluster flies. Zappers work utilizing light and electrocution.
The cluster flies will be attracted to the light as most insects would and they would be zapped to death as they perch on it. You can buy one or two bug zappers and install them in areas where the fly activities would be at the highest. These would be areas that you would have the most organic matter being.
The flies go though as many as five life cycles through a summer before the last generation of the season looks for somewhere dark warm and dry to hibernate. Solutions To get rid of. Stopping Cluster Flies Stop the Autumn Invasion.
For whatever reason whether it is pheromones scent or some inherited memory cluster flies will return year after year in greater number if unchecked. Stop this and you will not have a problem however this is easier said than done. Cluster flies are similar to common house flies but they are slightly larger up to 34 inches and do not buzz.
They travel in packs and live in groups hence the name. They can live together in groups of hundreds to thousands. They generally stay outside during the warm months but during the colder months they will seek shelter in closed areas including homes and any undisturbed areas such.
Where cluster flies hide will help you find cluster flies inside or around your home or building. And how to get rid of cluster flies will review your treatment options. Cluster flies are a nuisance because they live a long time.
In fact most other flies live less than three months. Cluster flies however can live for two years or more. To endure the harsh winter they will hibernate.
This is what causes conflict with man. The cluster fly larva will use the earthworm for food until it completes development which can last for 2 to 3 weeks before it pupates. Cluster fly pupae mature into fully developed adults in 11 to 14 days.
The entire cluster fly life cycle generally takes 25 to 39 days to complete. Despite invading and overwintering in homes and structures cluster flies do not breed indoors.