Drain fly often referred to as moth fly looks like tiny butterflies. They are called drain flies because they are found in the sewer, under drains slabs and soiled water bodies. Drain flies are found resting on walls. Most of these species of flies are nocturnal. The adults live for about 20 days, during which they will breed only once in their lifetime. Moths/Drain Fly are a group of insects related to butterflies belonging to the order Lepidoptera. Most lepidopterans are moths and there are thought to be approximately 160,000 species of moth, many of which are yet to be described. Most species of moth are nocturnal, but there are also crepuscular and diurnal species. Found all over the world.
| Common name | Drain Fly/Moth Fly |
|---|---|
| Scientific name | Psychodidae |
| Size | About 1.5 to 5 mm |
| Colour | Gray or brown with light-coloured wings |
| Habitat | Reproduce in polluted, shallow water, decaying organic material in mud, moss or water. |
| Life span | About 20 days |
Egg:Female moth flies lay eggs in moist to nearly saturated organic matter. In an urban environment, moth fly development often occurs in the slimy organic matter coating sink or shower drains, giving these flies an alternate common name “drain flies” used by many pest management professionals. However, moth flies can also be found developing in wet animal manure, sewage or even compost. Very large numbers of these flies in one area probably indicate a development site bigger than a few indoor drains.
Larva:Drain fly larvae are very resistant to temperature changes and they are able to survive in oxygen poor conditions. Larvae pupate in drains and their wings appear as well.
Adults:The adults live for about 20 days, during which they will breed only once. Adults lay their eggs just above the water line inside moist drains. Sometime later, these eggs hatch into drain worms. The dark 6–7 mm long larvae are similar to those of mosquitoes in that they breathe through a small tube located at the back end of their narrow, maggot-like bodies.
