How Do Maggots Turn Into Flies?

The process of how maggots turn into flies is fascinating to learn about. Unlike caterpillars, which change into butterflies only after they’ve completed their larval stage, flies go through an entire metamorphosis. During this process, the larval maggots die and a bubble of air escapes their puparium to create space for the new adult body parts. This process lasts for ten days at optimal temperatures.

Maggots do not have teeth and eat food by breaking it up with ridges on their bodies. They also have cannibalistic tendencies, and will eat any maggots that are injured. Although flies are notorious for spreading disease, they are not dangerous to humans. Nevertheless, it is still a good idea to keep your kitchen and house clean, especially the sink and garbage can.

While we may not be able to see maggots in our homes, the larvae of flies start as eggs, which are about the size of rice grains. These eggs hatch between eight and twenty hours after an adult fly lays them. The larvae develop into maggots, which are half an inch long and off white. They look like tiny worms, but instead of teeth, they have mandibles and spiracles.

Once the larvae are mature, they can lay their eggs. The egg can’t be seen, but maggots can come out at any time of day. It takes about 24 hours for flies to lay eggs, and many of them lay eggs in the morning.

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