Flies
Did you know? The housefly tastes with its feet, which are 10 million times more sensitive to sugar than the human tongue.
Fly Facts for Kids
- There are more than 120,000 species of flies worldwide with about 18,000 found in North America.
- A female housefly can lay up to 600 eggs in her short lifetime.
- Most flies live an average of 21 days and take on various shapes throughout their short lives.
- Baby flies are called larvae but they are also known as maggots. Medical doctors use a special species of maggots to help patients with flesh wounds, especially burn victims. Maggots eat away the damaged flesh, which helps the wound heal. To learn how to get rid of flies and prevent infestations, visit the official NPMA website.
Keep reading to see more house fly and fruit fly facts for kids.
What Do Flies Eat?
Flies will eat virtually anything, from fruit to animal fecal matter and will often times find their way indoors in search of food.
Fruit Flies
Fruit flies get their common name from their small size and fondness of some fruits. Small fruit flies are nuisance pests, but may transmit diseases.
Fruit flies only live for 8-10 days. In that time, females lay around 500 eggs, using rotting fruit or vegetables as their nest.
- Size: 1/8"
- Shape: Small, oval
- Color: Tan
- Legs: 6
- Wings: Yes
- Antenna: Yes
- Common Name: Fruit fly
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Arthropoda
- Class: Insecta
- Order: Diptera
- Family: Drosophilidae
- Species: Drosophila melanogaster
Diet:
Fruit flies feed on decaying fruits and vegetables.
Habitat:
Fruit flies are commonly found in homes, restaurants and other facilities where food is processed. They are especially attracted to garbage that has just been sitting around.
Impact:
Fruit flies are found in unsanitary conditions like garbage dumps and trashcans. When they are around, humans can become very sick.
Prevention:
- Keep your home clean.
- Remove kitchen trash every day and keep kitchen counters clean.
- Immediately remove rotting food from your home.
Find more information and facts on fruit flies for kids and parents alike at the official NPMA website.
House Flies
These pests get their name from being the most common fly found around homes. Adult House flies can grow to one-quarter of an inch long and usually live between 15 and 25 days. House flies taste with their feet, which are 10 million times more sensitive to sugar than the human tongue!
- Size: 1/4"
- Shape: Small, oval
- Color: Dark grey
- Legs: 6
- Wings: Yes
- Antenna: Yes
- Common Name: House fly
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Arthropoda
- Class: Insecta
- Order: Diptera
- Family: Muscidae
- Species: Musca domestica
Diet:
Flies do not have teeth or a stinger. Their mouths absorb food like a sponge. They can only eat liquids but they can turn many solid foods into a liquid through spitting or vomiting on it. Their tongues are shaped like straws so they can suck up their food. They eat any wet or decaying matter, but they are particularly attracted to pet waste because the odor is strong and it is easy for them to find.
Habitat:
House flies tend to stay within 1-2 miles of where they were born but will travel up to 20 miles to find food. They breed in garbage cans, compost heaps and pet areas.
Impact:
These insects have been known to carry over 100 different kinds of disease-causing germs.
Prevention:
- Keep you homes clean.
- Remove trash regularly and seal your garbage cans.
- Clean up pet waste immediately.
- Use fine mesh screens on doors and windows to prevent flies from getting into your home.
Teachers can find more house fly facts for kids at the official NPMA website.