— If you add 3 grams of such protein to the feed, then the piglet, for example, eats 10% less feed, grows better and does not get sick. Due to the natural component in the diet, immunity is increased, and there is no need to use antibiotics,” explains the scientist.
People can take the same protein in capsules to normalize intestinal function, for example, or to relieve various allergic reactions.
After the vital activity of the larvae, zoohumus is obtained. It can also be used for seedlings and growing plants. In Europe, Gennady Ivanov and his partners have already registered it as an organic fertilizer.
Features of the insect
The black soldier fly is a large fly from the soldier fly family (Stratiomyia chamaeleon).
It does not have a clearly defined habitat, as it is found everywhere. The black soldier fly visually does not at all resemble ordinary flies. A feature of the insect is its poorly developed oral apparatus, which is why the fly is only able to drink.
Black soldier fly on a leaf
The main purpose of an adult is procreation, since it is the black soldier fly larvae that are of interest.
Another feature of the fly is sexual dimorphism. This means that there are no characteristic differences between males and females in this species. This also applies to the size of the fly: it largely depends on the amount of food consumed by the larva.
Breeding for medical purposes
Black soldier fly larvae have healing properties. Therefore, insects are specially bred in incubators. To successfully grow larvae, you need to provide a temperature of +260C and a humidity level of 80%. They also need an organic substrate for feeding and pupation.
Breeding
The main healing properties of the larvae of the Black soldier fly:
- reduce the likelihood of developing malignant tumors;
- have an antiviral effect;
- slow down skin aging processes;
- enhance the regeneration of the epidermis;
- relieve inflammation.
For medical purposes, biomass is used in dried form, adding it to tinctures and creams. The shelf life of such a product is 3-4 years.
Features of adults
The black soldier fly also has other names - Hermetia illucens or Black Soldier Fly. The insect is found everywhere: more than a hundred species of such flies live in the forests of northern Eurasia alone. Large-scale production of soldier fly larvae has been established in Russia. The natural distribution area is North and South America.
The insect is neither in appearance nor in behavior like its annoying relatives. Due to the absence, or rather poorly developed and intended exclusively for drinking, mouthparts, the soldier fly does not feed at all. The only occupation of the newly born individual is procreation.
Individuals of the soldier fly species are characterized by the presence of sexual dimorphism. There are no obvious sexual differences between males and females, although the latter are usually much larger. However, in most cases, the size of flies depends on the amount of food consumed by the larva, as a result of which both males and females can have similar biometric indicators.
On a note!
After mating, the female lays from 5 to 8 hundred eggs in places where there is food available for her future offspring. Which takes no more than 7 days.
Black soldier fly and its larvae
Appearance
The color of the Black Lion fly resembles a wasp. Its wide, rounded abdomen with alternating black and yellow stripes especially attracts attention. The insect's chest and head are dark, and its limbs are light in color. Unlike the wasp, Hermetia illucens has only one pair of wings, which are smoky black. They have a dense structure and are covered with membranes.
The head of adults is short and wide. The eyes are set in different directions. The Black Soldier fly has elongated, segmented antennae on its forehead. They are 2 times longer than the head. Moreover, the last segment of the mustache differs significantly from the others in size. And at the end it has bristles sticking up. The legs of the Black Lionfly are short, the abdomen is yellow on the underside.
The oral apparatus is weakly expressed, of the licking type. It is intended purely for drinking. Therefore, an adult insect does not bite or sting.
Reproduction and life cycle
In the Black Soldier fly, like other dipterans, the development process occurs with complete transformation. The life cycle of an insect consists of stages: egg, larva, prepupa, pupa and adult. Its duration is about 50 days.
After mating, the female lays eggs on the leaves and stems of plants near bodies of water. Their size is about 0.8-1 mm, and their color is white-yellow. At one time, the fly lays 500-800 eggs. On days 5-7, larvae emerge from them, which subsequently pupate and turn into adults.
Spreading
The black soldier fly was originally distributed in subtropical and tropical latitudes. South America is considered its homeland. Subsequently, the insect was transported by man to all continents.
Cheaper than our partners
The entire technology for growing larvae, as well as equipment, could be brought from Europe, along with breeding insects.
“But we believe that we need to create our own production technology - it will be simpler and cheaper than foreign ones,” Sergei Liman is sure.
The first vice-rector of the technological university, Evgeniy Yevtushenko, adds: the same 217 million received as a result of the project competition will be used for scientific and technological support of the project. Laboratory equipment, instruments, research - all this will be funded by the grant, so that a prototype of the product can be released very soon. But the plant will be built at the expense of the investor.
Ural cheese makers have learned to make cheeses no worse than in Europe
“Our employees will automate the entire cycle and create an environment comfortable for insects,” explains Evgeniy Yevtushenko. – This will require specialists of various profiles. For example, for a new plant, our scientists intend to develop and implement a new technical vision system.
So far, no university in the country trains specialized personnel for such production, but the company does not consider this a problem.
“The principle of working with larvae is the same as at any livestock enterprise,” notes Liman. – This means that we will just need to train specialists on the spot.
They intend to receive the first zoo compost, larvae and flour, as well as new flies in Gubkin in 2022. In parallel, the company will work on the production of premium pet food. Part of the flour from the larvae will be used there, and the remaining products will be sold abroad.
What about the neighbors?
The Lipetsk project of the New Biotechnologies company, where housefly larvae are processed into feed protein, received support in the amount of three million rubles from the regional Fund for Assistance to the Development of Small Enterprises in the Scientific and Technical Sphere.
Features of the larvae
After 3-5 days, tiny individuals appear from the eggs laid by the female, their length is about 3 mm. They are white, yellow or light brown in color, the cover is saturated with calcium carbonate. This is a kind of protection for larvae and pupae, which subsequently forms inside the shell. They feed on detritus and live mainly in soil and water bodies.
Black soldier fly and its larvae
On a note!
Some of their varieties normally exist in ant nests, manure, rotting wood - and this is their food.
Nutrition of black soldier fly larvae
The feeding process of the larvae deserves special attention; they have an excellent appetite. The tiny head has a beak-like appendage with two movable, jagged, brush-like organs. The beak-shaped process also has one more function: the ability to move the larva along the bottom of the reservoir. It clings to the unevenness and thus moves.
Black fly larvae are not picky about feeding; they feed on absolutely everything that comes their way. This could be: fish, meat, pork and poultry manure. Pig manure is more nutritious for them than cow or horse manure. The quality of manure processing is in many ways superior to manure fly maggots. The difference between black fly larvae and annelids is that they even feed on unfermented fresh foods. The only thing these larvae do not feed on is cellulose. After the larvae process the manure heap, the compost remains and the worms feed on it.
On a note!
The substrate can contain up to 100,000 individuals, resembling a large aggregation of maggots. Such a population can literally process up to 95 percent of various waste in one garbage can in just a few hours, not to mention other sources of their food.
Larval development
The first stage of development is about 14 days, during which time they grow up to 5 mm, but in the presence of favorable conditions for them. The next stage of development lasts ten days, their size doubles. At the third stage, this is the prepupa process, the larvae already reach a size of 20 mm, the color changes to dark brown. This process continues for about 8 days. The cover becomes dense and tough.
Life cycle and breeding for medicinal purposes
As a result of mating, the female is able to lay 500 – 800 eggs.
Soldier fly farm
For laying, the fly selects places in the immediate vicinity of the food supply so that the larva that emerges from the cocoon does not starve.
From the moment of laying to the emergence of the larvae, no more than a week passes. But most often they leave the eggs on the third to fifth day. Body length – no more than 3 mm. Color – yellowish, light brown or completely white.
The first stage of development, characterized by slight growth of the larvae, lasts two weeks. During this period they grow up to 5 mm.
For the second stage - duration 10 days - an active increase in body size is typical.
Growth of the Hermetia illucens pupa
The larva reaches 10 mm.
The third stage (prepupa) lasts 8 days. At this time, the larvae eat a lot and grow quickly: the size reaches 20 mm. The first molt occurs: the original color changes to a dark brown hue. The shell becomes hard and dense.
In the form of a pupa, the black soldier fly larva lives 10–11 days. The adult fly then emerges from the cocoon. The breeding cycle repeats again.
Black soldier fly larvae are widely used in medicine and cosmetology.
- A healing infusion of black soldier fly and larval meal, prepared in vodka, has powerful stimulating properties. The product is recommended for use as a prevention of cancer and viral pathologies.
- Adding the prepared larval mass to a cosmetic cream promotes active rejuvenation of skin cells, eliminating age-related and facial wrinkles.
- Applying flour from dry black soldier fly larvae to wound surfaces promotes rapid regeneration of damaged tissue. There are no inflammatory processes.
Animals compete with people for food
The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) stated that in 2022, the number of people suffering from malnutrition in the world increased again - to 821 million people. This means that automation, digitalization, as well as selection, genetics and other sciences working to intensify agriculture do not keep up with the needs of a growing population. Meanwhile, by 2050, the world's population will reach nine billion people, and in order to feed it, food production must increase by two thirds. At the current rate of growth of the global agricultural industry, FAO predicts an annual food deficit of up to 30 million tons. We are increasing the number of livestock, its productivity, as well as the area under crops and the quality of edible plants, but neither now nor in the future this will solve the problem of hunger. The fact is that traditional livestock farming accounts for two-thirds of all agricultural land, including a third of it for crops for livestock feed. In fact, animals compete with people for food, as well as for the energy resources that we spend on its production, ruining the environment.
Against this background, in developed agricultural countries over the past five to ten years, the production of protein (protein) from certain types of insects as feed additives and food additives for humans has been intensively developing. In particular, the production of proteins from mealworms, larvae of some types of flies, grasshoppers, crickets and cockroaches is cheaper than from cereals and oilseeds, while they exceed the latter in amino acid content and degree of absorption, which allows fish and animals to grow faster and, most importantly, much less pain.
Since the market is new, there are few accurate estimates yet. But according to an analysis by the global consulting company CB Insights and Crunchbase, from 2009 to 2022, more than fifty startup companies appeared around the world that received venture funding for projects related to insect protein for food and feed purposes. Of these, 42 are European companies that received the most investments - $277 million. Large Chinese companies that have traditionally bred cockroaches for medicinal purposes have also begun to switch to feed additives in the last ten years. According to the marketing company Qyresearch, last year the total volume of the insect protein market was only $1.13 billion; over the past five years, it has grown in volume like no other significant segment in agriculture - almost six times, to 580.2 thousand tons of dry protein (no fat). In terms of consumption of feed and food dry protein from insects last year, the USA and Canada, Europe were in the lead, and only then came the countries of the Asia-Pacific region, South America, the Middle East and Africa. In Europe and the USA, only last year insect feed additives were allowed on an industrial scale for use in aquaculture and poultry farming; they will be allowed in pig farming next year, followed by cattle producers (in most other countries it is allowed to be used everywhere). Consequently, we can expect a multiple higher consumption of protein from insects in these countries, which are already leaders in procurement (mainly for hunting farms and domestic animals). The top three manufacturers in terms of production volume are AgriProtein (South Africa), Enterra Protix (Canada) and Biosystems (Netherlands). They prefer to work with the black soldier fly variety (Hermetia illctns), the advantages of which are that its larvae contain more amino acids than any other insects, while they are almost 100% digestible, and the fly itself is unpretentious in nutrition and happily reproduces as on pure plant raw materials and on any waste, including biological, which allows agricultural holdings to make additional money on the disposal of organic waste. At the same time, the black soldier fly is not a carrier of infections due to its high antibiotic properties (the infection dies on it). Including the leader of the new AgriProtein business, its former main shareholder and patriarch of the IT industry, Bill Gates, also invested.
The world leader in the production of proteins from fly larvae, AgriProtein (South Africa), is ready to supply its equipment to the Russian startup NordTechSad, which uses manual labor, in exchange for its unique technology for producing more product at minimal cost
Is there any benefit from black flies and their larvae?
Animals and poultry feed on them; they are rich in calcium and are considered a highly valuable substance. The undoubted benefit is that after flies settle in the waste, nothing remains after them. Therefore, the issue of selling manure is resolved on its own. This also applies to the disposal of hazardous organic accumulations.
Interesting!
The process of composting by soldier flies takes about seven days. If we mention the traditional process, it takes several years, earthworms cope with this task in 90 days.
The larvae crush the waste, extracting nutrients from it, resulting in a large pile of waste being reduced by 80 percent, leaving only humus.
Black fly larvae are often used by fishermen to feed fish. They are also eaten by chameleons, reptiles, bats, aquarium fish, toads, and spiders. Another advantage is that they are absolutely not interested in being close to humans.
Aeroponics and roses under the snow
In a small room there are aeroponic installations for growing plants - this is another direction in Gennady Ivanov’s business and the last route of our excursion. Similar systems are used, for example, in Moscow in Zaryadye Park. Only there are their own working solutions, and here are their own. The installations look like racks with holes for cuttings.
— Plants are placed in these holes, their roots hang in the air. The nutrient solution is automatically injected and the lighting is turned on. This allows plants to be propagated all year round and in large quantities. Our two-tier installation produces about 1,600 plants from one and a half square meters for every 10 days of rooting. In this case, a person is not needed at all. There is also a second type of installation, where we grow potato tubers, strawberries and other crops,” explains the scientist.
Cuttings are taken from mother plants. They grow in a nursery in open ground. What is there: beautiful roses and hydrangeas, blooming until the first snow, Japanese quince, different types of barberry, Daurian birch from the Far East with carved leaves, purple, as if engulfed in fire, Diabolo bladderwrack, a whole ridge of phlox and other strange and not much of a plant. There are more than 300 varieties in total.
Breeding fly larvae in honeycombs
Place the cells on both sides of the general structure. This form is economical and effective for the construction of honeycombs. The horizontal diameter of a bee cell is 5.3-5.7 mm (there are about 4 cells per 1 square centimeter), depth is 10-12 mm. The thickness of combs with unsealed brood is on average 22 mm, and after they are sealed up to 25 mm or more. The cell volume is about 0.28 cubic centimeters.
After mating, the female lays fertilized eggs at the bottom of the honeycomb cells, where they remain dormant for 3 days. In the cells of used honeycombs there is food in the form of residues from honey; the larvae will feed on it.
Development and life cycle
During the year, under favorable conditions (temperature + 27 degrees), the big blue fly can produce 5 generations. At one time she is capable of laying from 200 to 300 eggs. The blowfly chooses garbage pits, meat waste, open wounds, and corpses as places for them. They develop larvae that have 3 instars (three moults):
- The first instar larvae emerge from eggs 24 hours after they are laid. They do not have a mouthparts, so nutrition is provided by extraintestinal digestion.
- Molting into the second instar occurs after 20 hours.
- The third instar larvae appear after 48 hours. They enter the prepupa state and choose drier places for themselves.
At temperatures from 38 to 45 degrees, development occurs within 3-4 days. Temperatures above 52°C are detrimental to blue flies. Pupation occurs in approximately 11 days. The full development cycle at temperatures above 27 degrees takes about 18 days.
Temperature influences egg production and larval development. In warm weather, the life cycle takes less time. In cold weather it increases.
The blue blowfly emerges from the pupa using the frontal bladder. At first she sits motionless, then she begins to run quickly, after which she “freezes” again. After 1.5-2 hours, an active lifestyle begins. Under natural conditions, the adult lives for approximately 3 weeks.
The blue blowfly rarely flies indoors. The highest activity is observed at a temperature of +14°C. In hot weather, insects choose shady places. Mating occurs a few hours after emerging from the pupa. The blue fly's ability to lay eggs continues throughout its life.
Developmental cycle of the blue blowfly
Female fertility
Flies acquire the ability to fertilize the day after their birth. Young females lay about 70 eggs at a time, more mature individuals - up to 120 eggs. Fly eggs are oval, off-white in color, no more than 1 mm in size. They are always located in groups. Photos of fly eggs can be seen below.
Flies at the adult stage live from 14 days to 2 months, depending on climatic conditions. During its life it manages to lay about 2 thousand eggs. They begin to be active in early spring, when the air temperature rises to 10 degrees Celsius. At the end of September and October, with a decrease in climatic indicators, the insect goes into hibernation. Flies, larvae, and pupae overwinter.
Reproduction
A black soldier fly mates in the air while flying. In the tropics and subtropics, reproduction occurs all year round. In the Mediterranean region, 3 generations grow up in one season.
Fertilized females lay about 500 eggs on any substrate of decaying organic matter of plant or animal origin. As a rule, they choose piles of manure, rotting vegetables and fruits.
The larvae are usually born 4 days after the eggs are laid. Their development occurs most quickly at an ambient temperature of 25°-29°C and a humidity of about 70%. When the temperature drops to 12°-14°C, the larvae become inactive and stop feeding. At this temperature they can be kept in the refrigerator for a long time.
The length of the hatched larvae is about 1.8 mm. At the last stage they grow up to 27 mm in length and 6 mm in width. They have narrow heads with antennae and eyes. The body is a dull whitish color and consists of 11 segments, which are covered with short hairs and rows of setae.
The larvae go through six stages of development over the course of 2 weeks and are incredibly voracious. To digest food, they secrete powerful enzymes in their salivary glands and intestinal system.
Unlike dung worms (Eisenia foetida), black soldier larvae can live in environments with higher acidity and temperature. They remain active even at 40°C.
At the sixth stage, they turn reddish-brown and look for dry and protected places to pupate. The pupae are very dark. Adults emerge approximately 14 days after pupation.
Black soldier fly larvae are often eaten by sphecoid wasps (Spheciformes) and beetles (Histeridae). In West Africa, parasitic chalcidid wasps of the genus Dirhinus find them in the substrate and lay their eggs in them, which often leads to the death of up to 80% of the larvae.
Horseflies
Horseflies are a large family of dipterans (there are about 130 species in the USSR), in which the most famous genera are true horseflies (Tabanus), lacewings (Chrysops) and rainflies (Chrysozona, Haematopota). In the dormitory, horseflies are constantly mixed with gadflies, which are a completely different group of insects.
The true horsefly (Tabanus) in its adult state is well known to everyone. Looks like a large, big-eyed fly. The horsefly quietly lands on the unprotected skin of a person who detects its presence, suddenly feeling a sharp pain from the injection. In hot, dry times, horseflies hover in flocks around horses and cows, tormenting them with their stings. In the north, deer suffer from them. They are sometimes carriers of anthrax and tularemia pathogens.
Application in fishing
Black soldier fly maggots are also used in fishing. They are suitable for bait and complementary feeding. Carp, roach, crucian carp, redeye, as well as other river and lake inhabitants are good for larvae. And if maggots are painted yellow or red, they can attract the attention of large predators.
What fishermen say
While exploring the Internet, I came across completely different opinions. I will list the most striking of them:
1) It is often noted that the average weight of fish is slightly higher than when fishing with maggots.
2) “Partial” predators bite well. Chub, ide, rotan, perch. But ordinary peaceful fish too. Just as a percentage. Perhaps the peculiarity of the region can be traced.
3) It also performs well in winter fishing. Bream, large roach and especially perch are responding.
4) Small things do not bite readily. For example, small roach up to 150 grams. Although for each fisherman, such a measure as “magnitude” is individual.
5) In the Siberian region, a positive reaction of grayling is noted.
6) Added as a live component to bait when catching bream.
Sarcophagids
These dipterans belong to the Sarcophagidae family. The name sarcophagi comes from two Greek words and literally means “flesh eater.” In total there are more than 3 thousand species. Of these, 300 live in Russia. But most members of the family feed on the corpses of invertebrates, other insects or larvae. People usually don't even suspect their existence.
For a person, 3 types are important:
- gray meat;
- Wohlfartova;
- wohlfahrtia nuba.
The last two species parasitize living organisms, causing myiases.
general description
The size of insects ranges from 4 to 30 mm. The main color is black with gray longitudinal stripes on the upper side of the chest and a checkered pattern on the abdomen. Other distinguishing features of this group include a bristly abdomen and red eyes.
Gray blowfly
Based on the biological classification, the entire family bears this name. But in the Palearctic region, a two-winged insect that bears little resemblance to a housefly is very common. This gray blowfly is very interested in meat and is often found in the market.
The insect is 2 times larger than the Wohlfarth fly (body length 10-25 mm) and is painted a relatively even gray color. It is impossible to confuse this individual with an indoor one.
The photo of the blowfly shows that it differs from the Wohlfarth fly in its lighter general background, clearly defined stripes on the chest and a checkered pattern on the abdomen instead of black spots. But the main thing is size.
Gray and Wohlfarth blowfly
She lays larvae for meat with lightning speed. Prefers mammal carcasses:
- beef;
- lamb;
- pork
The larvae very quickly penetrate the flesh, where they develop within a week. When developing on corpses, maggots emerge after 7 days and pupate in the soil.
An interesting feature of the larvae of some sarcophagids is the ability to hibernate for a long time in the fall. Adults from such pupae appear only in spring. The lifespan of adult blow flies is only 5-7 days.
Wohlfart fly
Wohlfahrtia magnifica also belongs to the blowfly family, but has little interest in corpses. Its maggots parasitize living organisms, feeding on soft tissues.
Very similar in size to brownies. Body length is 6-10 mm. It does not live in cities, since for reproduction it needs sheep, on which it lays larvae. For this reason, it is almost impossible to see it on meat. The adult feeds on nectar, and the larvae live in livestock.
A characteristic feature of this species is 3 rows of spots on the abdomen.
Nutritional value of maggot Black soldier fly
Experts classify the larvae of this species as low-calorie, high-protein dietary food. They are considered more valuable than zofobas and mealworms, and in addition, they contain a high calcium content, which is important for growing and young animals and birds. The ratio of calcium and phosphorus is also optimal.
Protein per 100 g of fresh weight – up to 26 g
The energy value per 100 grams of fresh mass is 186 Kcal.
A valuable quality of Black soldier fly maggots is also their amino acid profile: increased content of linolenic acid (one of the forms of omega-3 fatty acid), the essential protein methionine (animals and birds do not synthesize this amino acid, but receive it only with food). Arginine and lysine are also present in increased content.
Live maggot Black soldier fly is the best food in terms of content and ratio of lipid-protein mass, and is allowed in feeding young and weakened animals, during gestation and feeding of offspring, and recovery from illnesses.
Since the maggots of this type of fly contain the pigment melanin, it is very valuable for ornamental birds and fish - their color is more saturated.
Insects and their friends
Sergei Liman can talk endlessly about the black lion.
“This fly is also good because never in the entire history of study has it been observed that its population has decreased due to any epidemics,” he explains. – The body of the black soldier fly produces a certain protective substance, a kind of antibiotic. This prevents them from getting sick. This is good for us too - we don't have to worry about how to protect the breeding insects.
Together with scientists, manufacturers intend to create their own technology for producing protein mass
The fly itself in the photo looks quite similar to the common housefly, but Sergei Liman emphasizes its uniqueness.
– Houseflies can carry many diseases. And maggots, which are used in such industries, grow for a long time. And in six days these larvae become such that they can be processed into flour,” says the investor. - Well, if you look at the lion from the front, you can see that its face, so to speak, is pearlescent in color. Very beautiful!
How to create a fish hub in Rostov
In addition to the “spectacular appearance” of the insect, one of the advantages of the fly is its high productivity. One individual produces a lot of larvae.
“I’ll try to explain our choice using an example from the pig farming industry,” continues Sergey Liman. – If one sow gives birth to six piglets, and the second gives birth to 14, which one will you buy? Of course, the second one, although it is expensive. – So we became interested in this particular fly, and no other.
At the same time, at the initial stage, breeding larvae will have to be purchased from Dutch partners. According to Liman, a bucket is enough for them
It is then important to provide them with greenhouse conditions for growth and transformation into flies
Fighting maggots
Eggs and larvae of flies
Blowflies develop on dead, rotting tissues of animals and humans, as well as in feces, manure, pus, and garbage cans. The larvae help the corpses decompose, thereby bringing extreme benefits. At the last stage of their development, they burrow into the soil and pupate.
Fly larvae do not have a digestive system; they absorb already digested food. To do this, they initially release a caustic, aggressive chemical that dissolves any organic tissue, after which the prepared food is absorbed.
Fighting maggots
The destruction of fly larvae in most cases is carried out using preventive methods in order to prevent them from completing the full development cycle. The following methods actively influence flies to reduce the number of eggs:
- Indoors, you can get rid of fly larvae using sterility. Take out the trash in a timely manner, throw away rotten fruits and vegetables, do not leave crumbs on the tables, keep the toilet clean. It is recommended to install mosquito nets on windows and doors.
- To get rid of adults and larvae, insecticidal agents are used. In most cases, sprays and aerosols are used. An effective, affordable remedy - Karbofos, Dichlorvos, Raptor, Raid, Clean House, Agita. Death occurs within 2 hours.
- The area where garbage cans are installed should be concreted and asphalt laid.
- Promptly place fresh poultry, animal and fish meat in the freezer. Eggs die at temperatures below 8 degrees Celsius. Adult flies are instantly killed by -12 degrees Celsius. At 10, females stop laying eggs.
- Wash your hands thoroughly before eating, handling food, and disinfecting wounds. Such measures prevent eggs from entering the body and prevent intestinal diseases and myiases.
Classification of flies by nutrition
Lifestyle shapes nutritional habits. There are several types:
- Afagi. Adults do not feed and live no more than 14 days. The larvae develop and parasitize on humans and animals. A striking representative of aphages are gadflies.
- Nectarophages. Adults feed on plant juices, droppings, and excrement. The larvae develop in a liquid medium, which serves as food for them. Obligate parasites of animals, rarely found on humans. Wohlfart's fly.
- Coprophagous. Adults and larvae feed on excrement. Additional food is plant juices. This species includes pasture flies of the Muscidae family.
- Coprophagous facultative. Maggots develop in excrement, manure, rotten plants, and slops. Adults eat human food. The representative of the species is the house fly.
- Hematophages are obligate. Mature insects feed on blood. The larvae develop in manure, feces, decaying remains of plants, corpses, and feed on the same. This includes the Autumn Zhigalka, which, with the onset of cold weather, makes its way into the house, displacing its indoor relatives.
- Hematophagous facultative. For sexually mature individuals, food consists of secretions from mucous membranes, sweat, and blood protruding from wounds. They cannot bite themselves; their mouthparts are not suitable for this. Additional food is excrement. Maggots also develop there. This species includes the Market fly.
- Necrophages are facultative. Adults feed on decomposing corpse tissue, meat, food waste, juices, and excrement. In most cases, larvae develop in meat. Capable of parasitizing wounds of animals and humans. A striking representative of this species are blowflies - green, blue, gray.
- Polyphages. The diet is very diverse - excrement, body secretions, blood, food waste of animal and plant origin. The larvae adapt to any environment where there is the possibility of feeding. Houseflies are called polyphages.
flies
