The small, iridescent green flies can be really annoying. We'll show you how to spot and fight that pesky goldfly.
We all know those annoying flies in iridescent colors. But very few people know that these goldflies (Lucilia sericata) can also have he alth consequences for us and we should therefore not underestimate them.
The goldfly belongs to the bluebottle family (Calliphoridae) and is also often called golden green bluebottle. Goldflies are widespread throughout the world - found primarily in Asia, Europe and North America.
Goldflies: Profile and Characteristics
Adult goldflies are five to eleven millimeters in size and have hair all over their bodies. Its body is greenish to golden in color and has a metallic sheen. They are diurnal and fly from June to September.
A female goldfly can lay up to 3,000 eggs over the course of her lifetime, providing a huge number of offspring. On warm days, goldflies can fly several kilometers to find suitable breeding grounds and food. Especially in kitchens and other areas where there is food, the goldflies find optimal breeding material. The ivory-colored larvae of the goldfly often hatch after a day and then burrow into the breeding substrate. The larvae are up to eleven millimeters long and complete their development after five days and pupate. Then, when the temperature rises to 30°C, the goldflies hatch after about a week. Anglers like to use the fly larvae as bait, and they also serve as food for lizards and other animals that are kept in terrariums and feed on insects.
The goldflies belong to the storage pests and prefer to be close to human settlements, because that is where they find excrement, decaying substances and nectar in the many flowering plants. In Central Europe, goldflies can train up to eight generations over the summer and thus for a considerable number of new fliesworry.
This attracts the gold fly
Goldflies are often found on decaying fabrics and are particularly attracted to the smell of decaying flesh. They can smell this smell from several kilometers away and are drawn in like magic. They feed on decaying foods such as rotting meat, which is also where they lay their eggs. The fly maggots then eat into the rotting food, making it inedible for humans.
The Harmful Effect of the Goldfly: More Than Just Annoying
Goldflies are not only annoying creatures that disturb us during our afternoon coffee, but they can also cause serious damage to food and harm our he alth. As already mentioned, the goldfly belongs to the storage pests and thus poses a threat to he alth because they are able to transmit pathogenic and food-decomposing germs. If such germs are now transferred to our food, they can trigger diarrheal diseases. The blowflies are also a trigger for blood poisoning when they come into contact with open wounds. They can also transmit diseases such as summer diarrhea, typhus or cholera.
Goldflies are also a real plague for animals, because if they lay their eggs in wounds or on the skin, it can lead to a skin disease also known as wound myiasis or fly maggot disease. This disease can even lead to the death of animals. The goldflies like to lay their eggs behind the ears of the animals, sheep are particularly often infested. Incidentally, this wound myasis can also be triggered in humans by goldflies.
In addition to the many harmful effects of goldflies, there is also a useful area of application, because they can be used to pollinate seed crops.
Prevention of gold flies
To prevent goldflies, you can easily attach insect screens to your windows and doors and thus prevent the little pests from entering your living space. Also, always keep your groceries tightly closed to keep the goldflies away. Also, keep in mind that flies are also able to lay their eggs in the fridge - so it's also important to seal the food properly in the fridge.
To keep goldflies away from your four walls, you should also pay particular attention to cleanliness. Avoid thatLeave leftovers open for a long time, because that's where goldflies find their food. Empty your organic waste regularly, especially in summer, and always put your kitchen waste in the compost bin immediately. Also pay attention to food residues that collect on the ground around your organic waste, for example, and remove these goldfly breeding grounds as well.
Repel and fight goldflies
The fight against goldflies can be done with different methods. There are UV traps that emit ultraviolet light to attract goldflies, which then get caught on an adhesive film. There are also models where the flies are killed by an electrified grid. Such UV traps are often used in the catering industry and must not be used outdoors, as this would also attract and control useful insects such as hoverflies.
In the household, adhesive fly strips or insect sprays are used particularly often to control goldflies. The simplest method is of course still the tried and tested fly swatter, but here you have to catch every single fly. An improvement on the classic fly swatter are electric fly swatters, which use batteries to generate low voltage so that you no longer have to hit the flies with full force, because the electrical voltage kills the flies as soon as you get close to them.
Another interesting method of controlling goldflies is naturally carnivorous plants. These special plants feed on insects such as flies and can help you fight annoying goldflies. Here you can learn more about carnivorous plants, specifically Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula), and how to care for these plants properly.
Repelling and controlling goldflies:
- While UV traps are an effective control method, they also attract and kill beneficial insects, so we recommend alternative control
- As an alternative to the classic fly swatter, you can also use an electric fly swatter, which often leads to faster success
- Carnivorous plants such as the Venus flytrap feed on goldflies, among other things, and can catch them on their own
In this article you will also find various plants that naturally repel flies.