Fly Life Cycle

Flies occupy the order Diptera and have a four stage life cycle but, depending on the fly's order, different time spans to go through that cycle. Fruit flies take 7 to 14 days, house flies 7 to 10 days and drain flies 10 to 15 days. Learn about the three most common pest flies – fruit flies, drain flies, house flies – and the different methods you can utilize for professional fly control.

HOUSE FLY

  • Known for red colored eyes
  • Bodies gray to black in color
  • Sponging mouthparts
  • Approximately 1/4 inch in length

House Fly behavior

  • Cold blooded, often found in sunlit areas, on walls, ceilings, windows
  • On average, 12 generations produced in one year.
  • Adult females lay 120-150 tiny white eggs.
  • Complete life cycle 10-21 days

House Fly infestation sites

  • Indoors and outdoors
  • Garbage/refuse areas
  • Dog manure, rotting vegetation

House Fly damages and health risks  

  • Flies are known to spread over 100 pathogens
  • Food safety violations

DRAIN FLY

  • Brown or black in color
  • Furry moth-like appearance
  • Approximately 1/6 to 1/4 inch in length

Drain Fly behavior

  • Most active at night, when they are attracted to light foraging for food
  • Each female lays 30-100 eggs 

Drain Fly habitat (Where to treat)

  • Wet, moist areas
  • Around/in sinks and drains where food is present

Drain Fly damages and health risks

  • Potential health concern due to unsanitary conditions

FRUIT FLY

  • Black-brown color with red eyes and black markings
  • Also known as vinegar or pomace flies
  • Approximately 1/8 inch in length

Fruit Fly behavior

  • Lay eggs near surface of fermenting foods and areas where organic material has built up
  • Can lay up to 500 eggs
  • Larvae continues to feed near surface of fermenting mass
  • Anywhere food is stored, especially attracted to ripened fruits and vegetables in kitchens
  • Shelter under/behind sinks and cabinets, holes in walls, around appliances, nooks and crannies
  • Sink and tub drains

Fruit Fly damages and health risks

  • Primarily a nuisance pest
  • Food safety violations

STARBAR FLY CONTROL PRODUCTS

Cyanarox™ Insecticidal Bait

This ready-to-use granular fly bait controls house flies on the ground in pig farms, poultry houses, horse barns, dairy barns, and on pasture.

Quikstrike® Fly Bait

Fast-acting fly control bait that's designed for the low level of the farm. Improves fly bait resistance management as it controls flies resistant to carbamates and pyrethrin sprays.

Fly Trap Attractant Refill

A water soluble fly attractant pouch used to refill fly traps such as Fly Terminator® Pro and Captivator® Fly Trap.

Golden Malrin® Fly Bait*

A scatter bait and attactrant that provides fly control for low level in areas where flies feed as part of a fly bait rotation to fight resistance.

Fly Terminator® Pro Fly Trap

Designed for the medium level of farms, This 1 gallon plastic fly jug holds thousands of flies and comes with two 30 gm. water-soluble attractant pouches.

Starbar® Trap 'N Toss

Disposable fly trap solution ideal for use wherever flies are a problem. When the fly catcher is full of flies, just toss it out.

Starbar® Captivator® Fly Trap

Heavy-duty, reusable fly trap that locks flies in with its one-way entry system and kills them immediately after ingestion.

Starbar® FlyRelief Disposable Fly Trap

A disposable, insecticide-free fly trap that lures in and kills flies with a built-in attractant. Just add water and hang for immediate knockdown.

Starbar® EZ Trap®

An insecticide-free solution that contains no harmful chemicals and traps more than three times the amount of flies than traditional sticky fly traps.

Starbar® Fly Bait Station

A trusted fly bait station for both warehouse and dumpster fly control. This highly-effective solution can be used with all fly control scatter baits.

Starbar® QuikStrike® Fly Bait Spray

A fast-acting fly bait made to hit those hard-to-reach places. Designed complete coverage of walls and other surfaces on your operation.

Starbar® Quikstrike® II Fly Abatement Strip

A triple-action attractant that kills flies within seconds. Provides fly control for up to eight weeks and is safe to use anywhere on an operation.

Starbar® Fly Stik™ Sticky Fly Traps

Slender flourescent orange sticks that attract flies to provide fly reduction in barns and livestock areas where fly populations are heavy.

ZOËCON® FLY CONTROL PRODUCTS

Gentrol® IGR Concentrate

Featuring a translocating active ingredient to reach hard-to-treat areas, Gentrol® IGR Concentrate is an ideal fruit and drain fly solution that provides flexible fly control across multiple sites.

Gentrol® Aerosol

Gentrol® Aerosol features a dissipating foam action to target flies in hard-to-reach areas. Its active ingredient translocates to prevent fly larvae and nymphs from maturing.

Gentrol® Complete Aerosol

Combining an insecticide and an IGR to break the life cycles of fruit and drain flies, this product saves on labor costs by providing knockdown and kill with residual fly control to prevent future fly infestations.

Gentrol® Point Source Roach Control Device

This discreet, non-spray fly control product provides up to 90 days of fly control, and is approved for food-handling and kitchen pest control accounts.

CONTROL WITH CONFIDENCE

We’ve made all of this information easier to print and share with our Flies Poster and Premise Control Brochure. Simply download and print out to provide your team with the information needed to offer sound advice and treatment recommendations for your customers.


*Golden Malrin® Fly Bait (EPA Reg. No. 2724-274) has been reclassified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a Restricted Use Pesticide (RUP), effective as of July 29, 2025.