There are various green colored insects that find their way into the apartment. But not all species are annoying or can be considered pests. Behind the green fly there is often a type of blowfly.
What are green flies and are they harmful?
The green fly is usually a gold fly (Lucilia sericata) from the blowfly family. They are considered stored product pests and can transmit diseases such as intestinal diseases, blood poisoning and wound myiasis. Sometimes “green flies” are harmless aphids or lacewings.
Who is the green fly?
The green fly is an insect from the blowfly family and is called the gold fly. It looks very similar to other species from this family and is difficult to distinguish from them. A row of bristles on the side of the body distinguishes the golden fly from similar-looking relatives. In addition, this fly does not have a pronotum. The gold fly feeds on rotting meat residues, plant parts and excrement. Other green blowflies are less focused on the human environment.
| German/English | Special features | Dissemination | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lucilia sericata | Goldfly | prefers human settlement areas | Eurasia, America, Africa |
| Lucilia cuprina | Australian sheep blowfly | lay eggs in sheep wounds | Africa, North America, Australia |
| Lucilia caesar | Common greenbottle | Adult flies feed on nectar and pollen | Europe |
| Lucilia richardsi | Richard’s greenbottle | rare species | Europe |
Little green fly?
Occasionally it happens that tiny green insects buzz around houseplants. These are often winged generations of aphids. These are usually wingless. When a host plant becomes too crowded and the plant pests can no longer find enough food, the females produce winged generations. This increases the aphids' range of motion enormously.
Thin green fly?
Delicate, green flies are useful lacewings
If you observe shimmering green insects with an elongated body in your home, it may be the green lacewing. It overwinters in sheltered places and retreats to attics or window cracks. This dipteran is one of the beneficial insects because they feed on the honeydew of aphids. In nature, pollen and nectar are also on the menu. The insects are mostly active at dusk and hide under the leaves during the day.
Special features of the lacewing:
- Coloring: green in summer, brown in winter
- Wingspan: 15 to 30 millimeters
- Eyes: clearly prominent, shimmering in rainbow colors
- Wings: with green veining
Fly with green eyes?
The golden-eyed fly is reminiscent of a fly at first glance, but it belongs to the horsefly family. Not only are the shimmering green compound eyes striking, but also the markings on the wings. The insect has mosaic-patterned wings with brown and white spots.
Goldeye horseflies need open water or wetlands in forests, meadows and meadows to lay their eggs. The females use blood from mammals to produce their eggs. They can often be seen in horse paddocks on warm and sunny days. They don't stop at humans either.
Wie funktioniert die Bremsenfalle gegen Pferdebremsen?
Excursus
The golden-eyed horsefly and its names
In Swedish, gold-eyed horseflies are also called “blindbroms”.: blind brake). The insects owe this name to a very specific characteristic. Once they have perched on the skin of their prey, they use their powerful mouthparts to rasp a wound into the surface of the skin. Such a bite is painful. But once they are busy with their victim, the insects appear to be blind. They do not react even when a hand approaches and hits them.
Green fly with red back?
The common golden wasp, also known as the fire golden wasp, has a bright green-blue body with a golden sheen. The rear part is colored copper red and also has a metallic shine. The underside shimmers green-blue like the rest of the body.
The insects belong to the gold wasp family. It has a wide range of food, which is why its body size varies greatly. The fire golden wasp can be between four and 13 millimeters long. It lives parasitically and lays its eggs in the bodies of wasps and digger wasps as well as mason and fur bees.
Pests or useful?
Gold flies pollinate umbel flowers
Gold flies serve as important pollinators of umbelliferous plants in Central Europe. However, in the human environment, the insects are considered stored pests and pose a he alth risk. They transmit pathogens and germs, which can cause various diseases in humans and animals.
Pests and disease vectors
When the gold fly gets into the apartment, it prefers to lay its eggs in meat. The maggots burrow into the tissue and make it inedible. The maggots are often not germ-free, which can lead to illnesses when contaminated food is consumed. Storage in the refrigerator cannot interrupt larval development. Strong heating or freezing kills the larvae. Goldflies can also lay their eggs in open wounds. They specialize in sheep because the smell of feces and urine in their fur attracts blowflies.
These diseases can cause goldflies:
- Intestinal diseases
- Blood poisoning
- Wound myiasis
Where do green flies occur?
If you observe green flies in your apartment - no matter what kind - they usually come from outside. Not every species becomes a nuisance and is considered an unwanted troublemaker. Fly screens are the easiest way to prevent insects from getting into your own four walls.
In the apartment
The different areas in the house are each characterized by their own microclimate. It is often humid and warm between houseplants, while window gaps or attics ensure cool but frost-free conditions. Many insects use these small habitats as a retreat, for overwintering or as permanent quarters.
- Common lacewing overwinters in mild and protected crevices
- Aphids attack weakened houseplants
- Gold wasps are not found in buildings
In the kitchen
Once in the house, you won't be able to get rid of the annoying gold flies so quickly. They come through open windows or gaps under doors and lay their cone-shaped, brown-colored eggs in all niches. When the insects hatch, you will quickly have to deal with a plague.
Where goldflies feel at home
- on umbelliferous plants and yellow-flowering perennials
- in compost and household waste
- in niches behind the stove with leftover food
- in the sink siphon
Tip
Geraniums and halved lemons with crushed cloves act as a natural scent barrier and keep blowflies out.
What can I do against blowflies?
Blowflies are not particularly picky about where they lay their eggs in the home. They are attracted by intense smells and often lay their eggs in dark, well-tempered rooms. If you spot blowflies in the kitchen, their eggs may already be present throughout the house.
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Suitable egg-laying places:
- Vacities behind blinds
- Niches behind tall furniture
- in basements and attics
- on open food in the refrigerator
UV lamps
Electric insect killers attract animals with UV light and kill them with an electric shock when they come into contact with the lamp. However, this only works with small insects. Large flies are not killed, only burned. The wings are usually severely damaged, so that the insects have to endure a painful and slow death.
The use of such lamps outdoors is prohibited according to the Federal Species Protection Ordinance. They are still permitted for indoor use, but here too, both pests and beneficial insects can get caught in the trap.
UV lamps are highly unsuitable because they attract beneficial insects.
Attractant traps
You can buy various traps in stores that not only attract gold flies but also fruit flies. Once the insects land on the sticky surface, they can no longer escape. They slowly die from lack of food. However, such adhesive strips don't look particularly nice.
Tip
Dip a sheet of blotting paper in a mixture of ground pepper and syrup. After drying, you can place these natural attractant traps around your home.
Frequently asked questions
What should I do if I was bitten by a green fly?
The shimmering green fly species are unable to sting with their mouthparts. Other insects are often responsible for the bite. Horseflies, horseflies and black flies bite the skin to suck up blood. The stings vary in pain and can become infected. Such a sting usually disappears on its own.
Where do all the blowflies in the apartment come from?
The goldfly is a common pest that is not very picky about where it lays its eggs. They often place their eggs in well-tempered and dark crevices or cavities. Leftover food is preferred as this is where their offspring are optimally cared for. The siphon can also be considered as a possible egg-laying place.
Are there any preventive measures against green flies?
To prevent the gold fly from spreading throughout your home, you should not leave food open and remove leftover food behind the stove or under the bench. Fly screens ensure that insects do not get into the apartment. Avoid planting umbelliferous plants or strong-smelling perennials with yellow flowers. Goldflies are attracted to intense smells. When you wander around the garden, they easily find their way into the apartment through open windows.
Why do green flies reproduce so quickly?
The diurnal insects prefer to fly on sunny days and can travel several kilometers. Females lay up to 3,000 eggs, from which the first larvae hatch within 24 hours. Depending on the ambient temperature, the larvae look for a dry hiding place over the next few days in order to pupate. If the temperature is 30 degrees Celsius, the flies hatch after just four to seven days.
