The life cycle of a housefly undergoes a process known as complete metamorphosis, consisting of four stages: egg, larva (maggot), pupa, and adult. Here’s an overview of each stage:
- Egg Stage:
- Female houseflies typically lay their eggs in decaying organic matter, such as garbage, compost, or animal waste.
- A female can lay hundreds of eggs during her lifetime.
- The eggs are tiny, oval-shaped, and white.
- Larva (Maggot) Stage:
- The eggs hatch into larvae, commonly known as maggots.
- Maggots are legless, soft, and cylindrical in shape.
- They feed voraciously on the organic matter in which they were laid.
- The larval stage lasts for about 3-7 days, depending on environmental conditions and the availability of food.
- Pupa Stage:
- After the larval stage, maggots enter the pupa stage.
- The maggot undergoes a dramatic transformation inside a puparium, which is a hard, brown case that protects the developing pupa.
- During this stage, the housefly undergoes metamorphosis, developing adult structures.
- The pupa stage typically lasts for 3-6 days.
- Adult Stage:
- Once the metamorphosis is complete, the adult housefly emerges from the puparium.
- The newly emerged adult is soft and pale but quickly darkens and hardens.
- Adult houseflies have two wings, six legs, and compound eyes.
- They are ready to mate and lay eggs, completing the life cycle.
From egg to adult takes only 7-10 days.These are 5-7 mm long,with the female usually larger than the male.The scientific name of flies are Diptera.House flies are strongly suspected of transmitting atleast 65 diseases to human such as, laprosy, yaws, typhoid fever, cholera, anthhrax, tularemia and dysentery etc.
