Will Drain Flies Die in Winter?
Drain flies do quite well in higher temperatures, but what if they get exposed to cold weather? These little nuisances have some serious surviving skills in certain situations. For example, if drain fly larvae run out of food, they are going to eat each other so that at least some of them can survive.
Higher temperatures also accelerate their pupal stage by a significant margin. The most ideal temperature for their hibernation is somewhere around 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Usually, winters are much colder than that so it is far from ideal for them during that period.
Since cold temperatures slow down their biological processes, it will take longer for them to reproduce as the air gets colder. But are they going to die when the true cold kicks in? We are going to answer this question below along with a couple more relating to drain fly lifespan and how to get rid of them.
Do Drain Flies Die in the Winter?
Drain worms are actually rather hardy and can survive some significant temperature fluctuations. Moreover, they barely need any oxygen. They can just stay below the gelatinous film that forms in the drain for a long while if they want to.
However, when the temperature becomes really low, they have no chance to survive. Once the winter arrives, all you need to do is to make sure the cold reaches them. In your warm home, they are safe but you can let it cool down at any time and thus get rid of all the moth fly larvae.
There are many simple methods when it comes to pest control but utilizing the weather during the winter is by far the simplest one to kill these black flies in bathroom.
How Long do Drain Flies Live?
The life of a drain fly lasts about a month if you count in the larval, pupal and adult stages altogether. First off, they break out of their eggs and start their larval stage which lasts 8 to 24 days. After drain flies lay their eggs, it takes up to 48 hours for them to hatch.
The pupal stage is usually a bit shorter than that, taking up to 40 hours. During this phase, the drain fly larva becomes the moth fly adult that you will find on your wall nearby. Cold weather makes it impossible for them to go through these important stages of development.
The adult fly lives for about two weeks, which is plenty of time to reproduce.
Will Drain Flies Go Away on Their Own?
More often than not, you can get rid of drain flies rather quickly. Once you get rid of the adult moth flies, you need to thoroughly clean the area. Whether it is a drain, a garbage can or some other spot where standing water can accumulate, don’t stop until it is crystal clean.
A little bit of shallow water with a spice of decaying organic matter is more than enough for drain flies to lay their eggs there. By getting rid of that standing water, you are most likely going to get rid of all the moth fly larvae and eggs as well.
Of course, this has to be done right after you notice the drain flies in the house. Otherwise, well-established breeding sites can develop and it will be more difficult to get rid of them.
We covered 10 home remedies to get rid of drain flies and also a 100% bio drain gel. You can use them to try to solve your infestation and beat these small, flying insects. Here is the article: How to Get Rid of Drain Flies