Lifespan of a Fly

A fly is an insect which belongs to the species called Diptera. A fly typically has a pair of wings around the mesothorax region, a pair of halteres on the metathorax. The diptera family has as many as 240,000 species, which makes it the most commonly seen insects. Flies belong to the types of flying insects and have small and streamlined bodies, which are good for aerial movements. Flies are known to have mobile heads. They have compound eyes. Most of the flies have antennae, which are normally short. None of the species of flies have teeth, therefore they primarily survive on liquid food. The gut is able to store a small quantity of liquid after every meal.

What is the Lifespan of a Fly?

A female fly is able to spawn about 500 eggs. The female normally lays about 100 eggs in five batches. The eggs are white in color and are 1.2 mm in length. The average lifespan depends on the temperature and the feeding conditions. In a 29º C condition, the flies live a minimum of about 25 days and maximum for 32 to 34 days. However, if the temperature drops down to 25º C, then the fly lives for about 60 days minimum and 80 to 92 days maximum. If the temperature falls below 25º C, the fly will live longer.

Lifespan of a House Fly
Houseflies typically pass through four stages, namely egg, larva, pupa and adult stage. Along with the temperature and feeding conditions, it is seen that flies which live at home have a longer lifespan as compared to flies which live in the wild.

Egg: The female of the species lay about 500 eggs in batches over a period of three to five days.

Larvae: The larva of a fly is known as a maggot. Depending on the climatic conditions, the eggs are hatched within 8 to 20 hours of being laid. As soon as the maggots emerge out of the eggs, they begin to feed on all that they can find in the area they were laid in. They grow well in warm and moist conditions.

Pupa: Maggots stay in moist conditions for about 10 to 12 days, before they go looking for dry pastures, when they enter the pupa stage. For the maggots to make their way from the larva stage to the pupa stage, it will take anywhere between three to six days. In this stage the color of the maggots change to reddish brown color, as they prepare themselves for the last stage of their life.

Adults: From the pupa stage, the fly hatches into the adult stage. As an adult the house fly lives for 15 to 30 days. The females are able to lay eggs for as long as a month, when they are in the adult stage. You will be able to differentiate between a male fly and a female fly from their sizes. The female flies are larger than the male flies.

Lifespan of a Fruit Fly
Like is the case of the housefly, the fruit fly also goes through four phases in its life, namely egg, larva, pupa and adult. The egg and the larva stage of the fruit fly lasts for about eight days and about six days in the pupa stage. After 24 hours of being laid the egg hatches into a larva. The larva of a fruit fly has two molting periods. In the molting phase the cuticle, mouth, hooks and spiracles of the larva are shed. The larva becomes hard in texture and the color changes. Same is the case, when the pupa metamorphoses into an adult. The female starts laying eggs after 48 hours, after entering the adult phase.

Although the lifespan of a fly is short, they multiply quickly and are known to spread diseases, like cholera, tuberculosis, etc. They transmit these diseases by carrying the germs as well as feeding on the germs. So that the flies do not infest your house, keeping the house clean is important, so that there are no breeding grounds for these insects.