The adult female is viviparous (gives birth to larvae) in the warm summer months, but in cooler weather lays eggs. When eggs are laid, they hatch in a few hours, and the larvae reach full size and stop feeding after about 3-4 days. The fully grown larvae migrates away from the food source, and burrows […]
Written on Friday, August 8th, 2008 by hunterjoyner :: 0 comments to this post
The adult female is viviparous (gives birth to larvae) in the warm summer months, but in cooler weather lays eggs. When eggs are laid, they hatch in a few hours, and the larvae reach full size and stop feeding after about 3-4 days. The fully grown larvae migrates away from the food source, and burrows underground a few centimetres to pupate.
Pupation takes 2-3 days, and the pupal stage lasts a further 8-10 days. Flies are not sexually mature until several days after emergence, and after mating the female will then commence depositing up to about 200 live larvae or eggs on a suitable substrate, over a period of 2-3 weeks. Depending on ambient temperature, female flies may live for several weeks after egg laying is complete. The entire life cycle from egg to egg takes 3-5 weeks during summer, but considerably longer in the winter months. Pupae are known to overwinter in the soil, and it seems likely that larvae could do the same, as this is known to occur in other species.
When ready to emerge, the young adult forces its way out of the end of the pupal case, finds its way to the surface of the ground, and expands its wings, which soon harden off. Females fly off in search of a protein source. Little is known about the male but it probably lives as long as the female, and once it has fertilised one female, will probably seek others.
Adult flies will shelter in trees and buildings during winter, occasionally flying on warm, sunny days, but rarely laying eggs. Four to five generations a year can be expected.
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