Hobbies And Interests
Feeding
The foremost reason house flies congregate around garbage is so they may land and and feed. The Musca domestica precipitates a small droplet of digestive liquid onto the surface of the filth, then sucks it back through its labium, the tubular extension of its lower lip. The fly will leave behind potentially disease-carrying residue, as well as collect bacteria with the thick bristles and hairs on its legs. For this reason, if a fly happens to land on your food, it could result in contamination.
Nesting
Between two and 20 days after their birth, adult flies begin to mate. Just as these insects feed on garbage and decaying matter, so too do females nest and breed. A female will deposit between 120 and 200 eggs deep within a warm, filthy mass. These large clusters of eggs become maggot larvae and feed on their host surroundings. The legless maggots then pupate and emerge from their shell a fully adult fly. This process takes between one and two weeks.
Varieties
While house flies are the insects most commonly associated with human nuisance, there are other varieties that appear as well. Blowflies are slightly larger, with a metallic sheen of blue, green and gray. These flies tend to seek indoor shelter during the winter, while in warmer weather they breed on animal carcasses and pet droppings. Gnats and fruit flies are the smallest flies you may encounter. Fruit flies get their name for descending upon ripening vegetables and fruit, while gnats are attracted to fungus both indoors and out.
Prevention
The key to ridding your home of all types of flies is to remove and sanitize any potential breeding areas. Garbage should always remain covered, and food should not be left out, nor in the sink, collected on unwashed dishes. Keeping flies out of your home during the summer is often as simple as leaving doors and windows closed, or using screens. For flies that have already entered your home, you can use sticky fly paper to attract and trap the insects for easy disposal.