Why and I giving you maggot facts you never wanted to know? Because I can. Really, though, I have a fascination with weird things. And this would be one of them. Mind you, I HATE maggots. I don’t even like flies. But still, isn’t the process of a thing going from a maggot to a fly amazing? Well, you may not be as thrilled as I am.
However, if you’ll bear with me and keep an open pseudo-scientific mind, I’ll share this pretty cool video with you that I found while looking around on the Internet the other day. Funny, I wasn’t even looking for anything maggot-related. Believe me. It’s a time-lapse of a maggot becoming a fly. Check it out.
Facts about Maggots
- Maggots have huge appetites, so they only live where there’s a good supply of rotting food material. This includes carcasses, garbage cans, rotting fruit and such.
- Flies will only lay their eggs in such places. The organic material will be in a state of breakdown already.
- Maggots can live in water, so forget about trying to drown them out. If you’re trying to drown them, see below on ‘how to kill maggots’.
- Maggots only live around 8-10 days. After this period they molt into the pupal stage and turn into flies.
- Maggots have been used in the treatment of non-healing wounds. (I find this one very difficult to wrap my mind around.)
To Get Rid of a Maggot Infestation
- Pour boiling water over the maggots
- Use steam
- Smoosh them (eww!)
- Place a bowl of beer near them. They will crawl in.
- Use chemicals available for such purpose, only as a last resort.
Avoid Infestations
- Keep kitchens and bathrooms clean.
- Sanitize garbage cans on a regular basis
- Freeze rotting food until you can dispose of it in the trash.
Maggots and Pets
Maggot infestations can be very dangerous. Maggots of some species feed on live as well as decaying material and can be quite destructive. The screw worm fly is an example of flesh eating maggots, wherein the flies lay eggs on the edges of wounds or mucus membranes of body openings. When these maggots hatch, they eat their way into the body, causing severe tissue damage and even death.
- Keep your animals’ wounds clean. Seriously! Keep your eye on it. Especially in a warm environment.
Maggot Facts You Never Wanted to Know, Yet Here They Are Click To Tweet
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Her own animal experience is vast, having raised and rescued Alpine Goats, Chickens, Turkeys, Vietnamese Pot Bellied Pigs, Turtles, Raccoons, Cats, Dogs, and even an Opossum and Bearded Dragon.
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I need to know if there is a physician that does maggot therapy any where in the florida area I have a bedsore that’s not healing. I know this would do the trick.
I found a maggot in my Nexxus Condition and have been having severe scalp issues. Could it be possible it’s from the maggots in conditioner??
Remember the scene in Gladiator when Russell Crow had the maggots on his arm?
Awesome post. I read your posts pretty regularly and
you always do a good job explaining the whatever topic you’re writing about.
Btw, I shared this on LinkedIn and my followers loved it.
Keep up the great work!
Thank you for sharing that. Take care!
Nasty little things aren’t they? I did read about how they were used during World War ll to fight off infection when there were no other medications available, such as in concentration camps and such. But Yuck! Cool blog Jeannie, keep it up. The Birdman
I have been an unfortunate victim to these creepy crawly suckered on various occasions.
I have a condition where my shin just breaks out in sores and causes some quite deep, large & painful ulcers.
I cover my wounds very securely yet every once in a while I fall victim to a stray and curious fly and the next thing I know, I’m maggotted !!
They do help clean the wound area but the feeling starts off as a gross wriggling feeling that drives me insane,then as the maggots run out of dead flesh to eat ,they start to eat your good healthy flesh & the pain is shockingly unbearable.
The last time I had a few maggots in a wound I was fed up and tried to drown them, then came across an article saying petroleum jelly works a treat.
You smother the area and they come right out, I think for 1 it stops thier air supply and they also just don’t like the petroleum in it.
I would never wish this upon anyone as it really is an awful experience to go through.
I’ve cried and freaked oit athaving maggots eating away at me,sometimes you just can’t feel them,especially if you have a large wound area ,then once all the dead flesh has been devoured ,you start to feel the pain of these critters eating at your healthy flesh…I don’t know which part is worse !
So people,just an insight into my experiences that I thought I’d share.
Keep all or and wound totally cover and change dressings daily ,sometimes twice daily.
Cheers !