Killing the Wrong Fly: A Frustrating Story

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Discussion Overview

This thread discusses an incident involving a fly and the subsequent appearance of maggots, exploring the biology of flies, their reproductive methods, and the implications of finding maggots in a living space. The conversation includes personal experiences, biological clarifications, and humorous exchanges.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • One participant describes an experience with a fly that was stuck in a curtain and later found to have maggots, expressing frustration over the situation.
  • Another participant suggests that flies are generally not present when their eggs hatch, implying that the fly seen may not have been the source of the maggots.
  • Some participants assert that there is no such thing as a pregnant fly, as flies lay eggs instead, and propose that the maggots could be larvae from a parasitoid wasp.
  • There are mentions of viviparous flies, with one participant expressing surprise at their existence and discussing the implications of this reproductive method.
  • Humorous comments are made regarding the situation, including suggestions about sleeping with earplugs to avoid potential issues with flies.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the reproductive biology of flies, with some insisting on the absence of pregnant flies while others introduce the concept of viviparous flies. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the exact nature of the maggots and their origin.

Contextual Notes

There are uncertainties regarding the species of the fly and the conditions under which the maggots appeared. The discussion includes assumptions about the environment and the biology of flies that may not be fully explored.

fluidistic
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I was about to make a nap when after 10 s of being layed down in my bed I hear "buzz buzz" over the window. I instantly saw a stuck in the curtain (I'm not sure of this word). I tried to scared it so that it goes away but it was really stuck so the only option was to kill it. I couldn't reach it directly so I decided to close the curtain over it. I did that and killed it. After a few seconds I saw motion over its corpse; maggots. They started to fall by groups of 10 or so (maybe some fell in my bedroom, wind didn't help me) as I couldn't get rid of the dead body. I don't have insecticide so I tried a glass cleaner (like windex), didn't do anything. I tried a "99.99%" bacteria killer, didn't do anything. I tried hot water, but that mostly removed some maggot packs. I manually killed about 10 maggots or so and removed the corpse of the mother with some pain. Anyway I'm not going to make a nap just under the window, I think I'll go out for a moment. That fly changed my day (supposed to sleep about 2 hours and then go to gym +study), I'll skip the nap.
Edit: I just killed another maggot. I don't know where he came from.
I forgot to mention that soon after I killed the fly, a gian fly was flying around inside my bedroom, something very rare. That was funny.
 
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I suppose that it depends upon the species, but flies are generally nowhere around when the eggs hatch. It is unlikely, therefore, that the one you saw was the "mother". Also, eggs are laid in, and the maggots consume, rotting flesh. I'd be searching the vicinity for a dead mouse if I were you.
 
fluidistic said:
Edit: I just killed another maggot. I don't know where he came from.
PM me and I'll explain it to you.
 
Danger said:
I suppose that it depends upon the species, but flies are generally nowhere around when the eggs hatch. It is unlikely, therefore, that the one you saw was the "mother". Also, eggs are laid in, and the maggots consume, rotting flesh. I'd be searching the vicinity for a dead mouse if I were you.

Not sure I wasn't clear enough. I killed a pregnant fly. The maggots left her dead body. I live in a 4th floor, I doubt there's a dead mouse around, but that's possible. I think the fly was looking for a place to put the maggots but she got stuck in my curtain.
Edit:
PM me and I'll explain it to you.
I'd rather not know :D
 
You want me, you filthy maggot, you TAKE ME!
Dirty Harry
 
that is seriously gross man

I am sorry for your situation
 
There is no such thing as a pregnant fly. Flies lay eggs.

Perhaps what you have seen were larvae of parasitoid wasp?
 
That makes sense. It's the only way that I can think of for larvae to get inside the body of a living fly.
 
Borek said:
There is no such thing as a pregnant fly. Flies lay eggs.

Perhaps what you have seen were larvae of parasitoid wasp?

Danger said:
That makes sense. It's the only way that I can think of for larvae to get inside the body of a living fly.

.
There are others of these videos. I am 100% sure I killed a fly and maggots poped out of it. Now I don't know whether they broke eggs or not. "My" fly had many more maggots than the video... horrible :)
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #10
Borek said:
There is no such thing as a pregnant fly. Flies lay eggs.

Perhaps what you have seen were larvae of parasitoid wasp?

Blowflies drop larva - google viviparous.

Makes sense when you think about the need for speed when they come across a food source.
 
  • #11
apeiron said:
Blowflies drop larva - google viviparous.

You learn all life and you die stupid. I know what viviparous means, I didn't know there are viviparous flies.
 
  • #12
Borek said:
You learn all life and you die stupid. I know what viviparous means, I didn't know there are viviparous flies.

Just means you don't live in places where fly swats are in frequent use and you have had to learn the technique of killing without splatting. :-p
 
  • #13
You should sleep with earplugs so they don't lay eggs in your ear canal.
 
  • #14
Antiphon said:
You should sleep with earplugs so they don't lay eggs in your ear canal.
Then they would enter via my nose.
 

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