TUESDAY TRIVIA: How Long Do House Flies Live?
Contrary to common belief, house flies live for more than 24 hours. In addition, they typically don’t travel very far from where they’re developed.
According to pest control company Orkin, house flies live for about a month. But, in that time, they can lay five to six batches of eggs.
And, once larvae develops into a fly, if feeding and breeding conditions are right, they are unlikely to stray from where they’re developed.
The University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food and Environment says house flies can easily move one to two miles. “A few flies have been shown to travel five to 20 miles but these tend to be ‘record’ individuals,” its website says.
In general, efforts to control a community fly problem are focused within one mile of the source. If large numbers of flies develop at a site, competition among them for larval breeding sites will force a portion of them to move. But, if their basic needs are met, few flies will leave their breeding site.
However, the college says house flies seem to have an innate tendency to wander. “Some will leave a breeding site even though resources that they need are plentiful.”