The life cycle of a fly, such as a house fly, consists of four distinct stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult.
Fly Life Cycle Stages
The house fly (and many other fly species) undergoes complete metamorphosis, meaning it has these four distinct stages. Understanding these stages helps in controlling fly populations. A female house fly can lay multiple batches of eggs in her lifetime.
Here's a breakdown of each stage, incorporating information from the provided reference:
| Stage | Duration | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Egg | 12-24 hours | Flies lay eggs, often in decaying organic matter. They hatch quickly. |
| Larva | 4-7 days | The larva, also known as a maggot, feeds voraciously to grow. It molts several times as it develops. |
| Pupa | 4-6 days | The larva transforms into a pupa, a non-feeding stage where significant changes occur within a protective casing. |
| Adult | 20-30 days | The adult fly emerges, ready to reproduce. Females can lay 5-6 batches of eggs during their adult life. |
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Egg Stage: Fly eggs are typically laid in clusters on decaying organic material, such as garbage, feces, or rotting food.
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Larval Stage (Maggot): The eggs hatch into larvae, commonly known as maggots. Maggots are legless and feed constantly, growing rapidly. They molt through several instars (stages between molts).
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Pupal Stage: Once the larva is fully grown, it transforms into a pupa. The pupa develops inside a hardened pupal case. This is a transformation stage.
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Adult Stage: Finally, the adult fly emerges from the pupal case. Adult flies are capable of flying and reproducing. House flies have an average lifespan of around 20 to 30 days.
