Looking for some fun, educational ways to teach your child about the life cycle of a fly? These free printable worksheets are perfect for helping your kids learn about the common housefly.
There are few creatures more reviled than flies. They buzz annoyingly around our heads, land on our food, and spread disease. It’s no wonder that we often see them as nothing more than pests.
However, flies are fascinating creatures with an incredible life cycle. For instance, did you know that fly larvae, or maggots, can actually consume three times their own weight in just 24 hours? Or that fly eggs hatch within 24 hours of being laid?
The life cycle of a fly goes through 4 stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. Each stage has its own unique set of challenges and tasks in order to move on to the next stage. Let’s take a closer look.
Life Cycle of a Housefly
The Egg Stage
The fly egg is the first stage of a fly’s life. The fly lays her eggs in various places, depending on the species of fly. Some fly eggs are laid in manure, while others are laid on food or in water.
The fly egg is very small, similar to a grain of rice, and can be difficult to see. It is round and has a tough outer shell. The inside of the fly egg is filled with liquid.
Even though the female fly lays the eggs singly, the eggs are often in clusters. There are typically 75-150 eggs in a batch and the female housefly will produce 5 or 6 batches within a few days.
The Larva Stage
The fly larva is the second stage of a fly’s life. The fly larva (also known as maggots) is very small when it first hatches from its egg. It has a small head and a long body and a worm-like appearance. The fly larva eats anything it can find, including food, feces, and other dead insects.
As the fly larva grows, it molts or sheds its exoskeleton. The fly larva molts 3 times before it becomes a fly pupa.
The Pupa Stage
The fly pupa is the third stage of a fly’s life. The fly pupa is different from the fly larva in that it does not eat anything. Instead, the fly pupa rests and develops a brown, cocoon-like shell for protection.
As the fly pupa grows, it changes shape. Its body becomes shorter and its wings begin to develop. When the fly pupa is fully grown, it breaks out of its shell and emerges as an adult fly.
The Adult Fly Stage
Adult flies live for different amounts of time, depending on the species of fly. Some fly only live for a few days, while others can live for several weeks or even months.
The average lifespan of a new adult housefly is about 15 to 30 days depending on the environmental factors and food availability. Many houseflies only live for a couple of weeks due to the number of predators, including humans with fly swatters.
Life Cycle of a Fly Worksheets
With our fly life cycle worksheets, you can learn all about these amazing creatures, from the egg stage to the adult stage. Who knows, after learning more about the common housefly, you might just find yourself taking a closer look at these humble insects the next time they fly into your field of vision.
This set of free printable housefly life cycle worksheets include:
- Housefly Life Cycle Diagram
- Life of a Housefly Cut-and-Paste Worksheet
- Parts of a Housefly Diagram
- Label a Housefly Anatomy Worksheet
- Housefly Fun Facts
- Housefly Writing Prompts
How to Download the Life Cycle of a Fly Worksheets
To get you free printable fly life cycle worksheets, simply click on the image below and enter your information!
As with all Mombrite downloads, please note that these life cycle of housefly worksheets are for personal or classroom use only.
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