Maggots!

Why Are They in My House?

When it comes to uninvited house guests, maggots might just take the cake. They’re not picky, any old decomposing matter will do. In fact, they love hanging out in your trash can, munching away and growing into pesky flies. So, let’s dive into why you have maggots in your house!!

WHAT ARE MAGGOTS AND WHERE DO THEY COME FROM?

When you see a maggot, don’t be repulsed. Instead, think of it as a baby fly in its larva stage, taking its first steps (or squirms) in the world. Specifically, it’s usually a kid of the Brachycera fly family, like houseflies, cheese flies, and blowflies.

Maggots, or “baby flies” are quite picky about where they call home, often choosing places that are rich in food and peaceful. You might find them in your favorite trash bin brimming with leftovers, a garbage disposal packed with decomposable goodies, or a pantry filled with forgotten snacks.

Their love for these habitats showcases their amazing knack for survival and adaptability. It just goes to show, location is everything, even for our tiny insect friends!

As we have already discussed, maggots like to eat decomposing material. So, yes, if you wake up to maggots all around your trash can, the source can be pretty obvious. But, what if you wake up to maggots dropping from your a/c vent or crawling out of your baseboards? What now? Most likely the culprit is a dead animal in your walls, crawlspace or attic. In this case, you have 2 options: find the dead animal and remove it or wait for the carcass to fully decompose allowing the maggots to develop into adult flies. Depending on how bad the maggots are, and if there is a dead animal smell is going to be your determining factor of which route you will go.

HOW TO GET RID OF MAGGOTS

Now that you have identified the source of your maggot infestation, you will need to get rid of it, whether it be the meat tray that was left in the trash can or the dead rodent in the wall. You will then need to fully clean and sanitize the source area and the surrounding areas. Next, you will want to spray treat the area in order to ensure that all the fly eggs and straggler maggots have been killed.

HOW TO PREVENT MAGGOTS FROM COMING BACK

While it is nearly impossible to completely eliminate your chances of another maggot infestation, there are things that you can do to make sure your odds significantly decrease! Here are a few suggestions:

• Keep trash cans clean and sanitized
• Rinse all raw meat/chicken containers before discarding them in your trash can
• Regularly inspect your home for animal entry points.

So next time you’re wondering why your bin is buzzing, remember, it might be hosting a maggot party! A little extra care with sealing and disposing your trash can save you from this bug bonanza!