[Biology Class Notes] on Fly Life Cycle Pdf for EXAM

Introduction

A fly life cycle is very similar to that of most insects. It proceeds as a basic cycle that begins with an egg, followed by development through a larva phase, a pupa phase, and finally, turning into an adult. Warm and moist weather is suitable for a fly and they thrive well in such conditions. So, during a warm summer when the conditions are optimal for a fly, their lifecycle from fertilized egg to adult, spans a mere seven to 10 days. Thus, their lifespan is barely from 7 to 10 days and they lay eggs like every other insect before they die. The eggs then follow the same life cycle.

Flies are a group of large numbers of insects belonging to the order Diptera and class Insecta. The order of Dipterans also includes mosquitoes, gnats, house flies, bees, fruit flies, dragonflies, mayflies and so on. But, the wings of dragonflies, mayflies, and others vary from the wings of true flies. The term ‘fly’ refers to any tiny insect that can fly. There are around 125,000 species of “true” flies, that are found across different parts of the world. They are omnipresent and can survive in most of the harsh climates ranging from icy weather conditions to warm humid weather conditions.

The Lifecycle of a Fly

For a female housefly to lay eggs, a male has to chase down and mate with the female. Once, the mating occurs, female flies lay her eggs on surfaces. Flies are generally solitary insects, unlike the nesting insects. Thus, in the case of flies, they do not stick together after mating nor do they nest. Neither the females care for the eggs after laying them at least, till the hatching phase. In case of flies, they simply lay eggs at surfaces, where predation could be less and the larvae may have plenty of food on hatching. A fly typically lays eggs on the surfaces of decaying organic matter where the adult flies feed.

Stages of a Fly Life Cycle

[Image to be added Soon]

The life cycle of a fly follows four simple stages namely, egg, larvae, pupa and adult. They are discussed in detail below-

Stage 1- The Egg

The female fly lays eggs in clusters of about 300 eggs in a day. The eggs hatch in 8 to 20 hours. Immediately after hatching the young ones enter the first of the three stages of larvae.

Stage 2- The Larvae (Maggots)

When the eggs hatch, the young larvae begin to emerge from the eggs. Fly larvae are also known as maggots. They resemble small wriggly worms. Their body looks little more than fleshy with a section with fewer tubes and hooked mouthparts used for feeding. It undergoes several changes and grows very rapidly. They double their size within two days, which is why they moult several times by shedding layers of their skin, before each instar stage. A maggot moults several times, emerging larger and more developed each time. Moulting is a process in which a growing insect sheds its former exoskeleton and grows a new one. They feed on the fluids from their body.

In the 1st Instar, the larvae are 5 mm in length before shedding their skin. By the second instar, they double their size and measure up to 10 mm. By the time they reach their 3rd instar, they measure from 15 mm to 20 mm in length. In a warmer climate, this process completes in 3 days, while in colder climates, it takes up to 8 weeks. Thus, temperature difference plays a major role in the growth of a fly larva.

With their third moult, they burrow deep into the substance they’ve been feeding on and arrive at the pupa stage.

Stage 3- Pupa Stage

Nearing the pupa stage, the skin of the larvae darkens and hardens. In the Pupa stage, the fly becomes stationary and does not move or feed. The pupa develops a last, hard larval skin, which encloses the pupa and is called the puparium. Inside this protective shell, the larva fully develops the body segments and appendages of an adult housefly. Moreover, The emerging fly has a swollen bump on its head. This bump helps the fly break the shell when it is adult. When they emerge fully, the bump deflates back into the fly’s head. This stage lasts for 4 to 6 days under warm conditions.

Stage 4- The Adult Stage

Finally, at the adult stage, the pupa emerges from the puparium and is ready to mate. The newly emerged adult flies are sexually mature and begin the process of mating. An adult fly feeds on proteins released from body fluids. In this stage, they fly to different locations in search of food. They feed, then mate and find a suitable place to lay eggs.

Thus, the entire process in the fly life cycle starts again.