Understanding the Life Cycle of the Fly
The life cycle of the common house fly has four stages, egg, larva (maggot), pupa and adult fly. Adult female flies will lay their eggs on any organic material that will provide suitable food for the maggots when they emerge. Each female fly can lay up to 500 eggs in batches of 75 to 150 in three to four days and in the summer during warm weather these eggs can hatch into maggots within eight to twenty hours. The fly can complete the whole cycle in as little as seven days and as many as 12 generations may occur in one summer.
How to avoid attracting flies
Your bin can be an excellent food source and breeding ground for flies, but there are many things you can do to help prevent attracting flies.
Do not leave any food waste, including pet food, uncovered inside the house as it will attract flies and wasps which can lay eggs on it before it goes in the bin.
Wrap the food waste and place it immediately into your bin.
In exceptionally hot weather consider keeping a tub in your freezer for meat and fish waste, empty into bin on collection day.
If possible try to keep the bin in shady areas out of direct sunshine as the sun will warm up the bin, increasing potential smells and attracting flies.
Make sure you keep the bin lids closed at all times to prevent animals and flies getting in.
When putting disposable nappies in your wheeled bin, empty solids into the toilet first then wrap nappy in a nappy sack. For a cheaper, more environmentally friendly option, click here for information on reusable nappies.
If you dispose of pet faeces in your wheeled bin, clear up regularly after your pet and place in the bin in a securely tied plastic bag
Some essential oils, such as citronella and tea tree oil are natural insect repellents. Try smearing your bin lid with one of these oils if flies are a problem.
Tie binbags up to keep waste contained and avoid liquid residue remaining in bin after emptying.
Clean bin when empty using a fragranced detergent, this will help to deter flies.
Rinse tins and plastic bottles before placing them in recycling bin.
What to do if you get maggots
Most of them will be removed when your bin is emptied. However, maggots and fly eggs can be killed using boiling water, empty the water out of the bin before putting bin bags in.
It is up to you to manage your bin and ensure it remains user friendly. Look in the Yellow Pages under Cleaning and Maintenance or check the Internet under Wheelie Bin Cleaning if you would like details of local bin cleaning companies.
Added: 17 July 2008
