You never considered posing these inquiries, did you? Where can maggots be found? How to eliminate maggots from your garbage can. Nonetheless, we will attempt to answer them in this article devoted exclusively to maggots. Why? Because it is always interesting to gain knowledge, even if the subject matter is strange or, in this case, a bit eerie. Consequently, are you prepared to learn more about maggots?
Did You Know Maggots Transform into Flies?
I became interested in maggots after discovering an online video depicting the maggot’s metamorphosis into a fly in slow motion. It was so cool that it piqued my interest in these less-than-attractive insects.
I began to wonder: Where do maggots reside? Can maggots survive in water, or do they drown? It may initially appear uninteresting, but once you delve deeper into the topic, you will discover that it is actually quite fascinating.
An unjustified negative reputation
When you have a maggot infestation in your trash can, you do not consider them to be an integral part of the life cycle. You simply wish to eliminate maggots from a garbage can. However, you should keep in mind that they, along with bacteria and a few other insects, are necessary to the world because they decompose dead organisms.
Most of us are repulsed by the fact that they also provide additional services that we rarely consider. In reality, however, they can heal wounds and solve crimes. Not bad for such unattractive little things, correct?
However, it is true that they are sometimes as bad as we typically believe. For instance, they can consume crops in the field and often find their way into our trash. But let’s keep an open mind about these insects and investigate maggots in greater detail.
Facts Regarding Maggots
An appetite for destruction
Maggots have a voracious appetite. They consume everything until it is completely gone. They search for rotting food and then consume carcasses, rotting fruit, and anything else they find in a garbage can.
They may not have legs, but their front end is equipped with hooks that bring decaying matter into their mouths. However, their digestive system is quite simple, so as they consume rotten food, an enzyme in their body dissolves it. A perfect machine for making everything vanish without a trace!
They even possess cannibalistic tendencies. In a Swiss study, researchers discovered that fruit fly maggots, which were previously believed to be vegetarian, actually ate… each other. Now, let it be known that they only target those who have been injured.
However, once this occurs, the other maggots do not hesitate to jump on them and consume them. There are currently no explanations for why a vegetarian species turns cannibalistic. However, it is a topic of great interest to researchers who envision the possibility of explaining the emergence of such tendencies.
Although maggots can survive in water, there are other ways to eliminate them.
If you discover maggots in your garbage can and decide to drown them, reconsider. Maggots have no difficulty with water. You are simply providing them with a bath, as they can survive in water. If you wish to eliminate them, there are far superior alternatives. Here are several.
First, you should be aware that maggots only remain in this condition for eight to ten days. Then, they transform into flies. However, there is no reason to wait that long to eliminate them if you have an infestation. If you find the concept of water appealing, you can pour boiling water over them.
They might be able to swim, but the heat will kill them. Additionally, steam will have the same effect on them. Place a bowl of beer next to them to continue with liquid methods. They will be drawn to it and end their lives completely inebriated!
Crushing them remains the simplest method, although it may not be very tasty. If the infestation is so extensive that it cannot be contained, you may use chemicals designed for that purpose, but this should be a last resort because chemicals are harmful to both you and the environment. Therefore, use with caution and only when necessary.
It is preferable to avoid these infestations by always keeping the kitchen and bathroom clean, regularly sanitizing the garbage cans, and discarding all spoiled food promptly. Thus, there will be no maggots to eliminate!