Maggots are quite a common issue. It’s a naturally caused problem. Maggots are primarily found in garbage containers and plastic bags, even when wholly sealed.
Maggots cannot be eliminated, but you can follow steps to prevent them.
Fly larvae are commonly known as maggots. Flies tend to lay eggs on organic waste, and soon they turn into flies. They need a 24-hour span to hatch. We often have questions about maggots and if they can eat through plastic bags.
Today, we are here to answer all these questions and get to know about some secret tips.
Can maggots eat through plastic bags?
Maggots can’t eat through plastic bags. Flies and maggots are just attracted to food waste in your bin. They do not care about other garbage that is present around. If the rotten food is sealed inside a plastic bag, then the maggots will not eat through the bag.
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Finding maggots in your garbage bin can be a typical issue. They can be seen almost all year. But maggots tend to enjoy high and humid temperatures.
Garbage tends to rot faster when the temperature is high. They are mostly found in plastic garbage bags.
Plastic garbage bags:
Bin bags or plastic garbage bags are considered as a habitat of maggots. If the plastic bags are open, the maggots can grow large in number but they can’t eat through them.
Maggots can end up causing food poisoning. The range of symptoms can be mild to serious. The lifespan of a maggot is around six to seven days before they turn into pupae.
Having flies in the garbage is the most common problem in one’s household. Rotten food or waste produces methane gas, to which flies are attracted. In case you come in touch with maggots, you can get an allergic reaction if you are allergic to them.
An instant solution for maggots is hot boiling water. It’s quick and effective to repel them.
Can maggots suffocate in a plastic bag? What happens when maggots get into plastic bags?
Maggots can suffocate in a plastic bag. You may notice maggots in a sealed bag or anything airtight. There’s a high chance that flies have laid eggs before the bag was sealed. Maggots need air to form their pupa.
So, if maggots are present in an airtight plastic bag, then keep in mind that the maggots will end up suffocating. If you’re concerned about how the maggots got inside an airtight plastic bag, the odds are high that it isn’t airtight.
Be sure to re-examine things. In order to survive, maggots need a source of protein. They usually choose rotten meat or leftover food found in our bins. Flies lay eggs in any place where there is significant garbage.
They tend to lay eggs wherever there is a large amount of leftover food. So, the maggots in your trash can will spend much time infesting the rotten food before entering the pupal stage.
The pupal stage is where they start transitioning into flies. The worst part about a maggot infestation is that they keep coming back. So, to get rid of them, you should take proper measures to get rid of maggots.
Two reasons why maggots cannot eat through plastic bags
Maggots are larvae of flies. Technically, maggots cannot get inside a sealed plastic bag or bin. And they also cannot eat through plastic bags. In the first place, if the plastic bag remains completely sealed, there’s a high chance that the maggots won’t survive.
Maggots do need air to survive and grow. There are many reasons why maggots will not eat through plastic bags. Let’s talk about them.
When the plastic bags are of high quality and sealed properly, there is a very low chance that maggots will get through plastic bags. Reasons behind maggots cannot eat through plastic bags are:
Plastic bags are sealed properly:
When the plastic bags in your bins are sealed well, there’s no way maggots are getting out of the bag and eating anything. There’s a pretty high chance that the maggots will not survive due to the lack of air.
Maggots require air for their growth, and as they will not get sufficient air, they will start to suffocate. If they end up suffocating, there’s no chance that the maggots will get out of the plastic bag and eat anything.
Using disinfected the plastic bags:
If you take measures and disinfect the plastic bags regularly, the maggots will not make it. You can use all-purpose disinfectants, or even equal parts toilet cleaner, and equal parts of waterworks.
Or you could just oversized plastic bags to keep the trash bin clean. As the food waste won’t get inside the bin, there’s a low chance that the maggots will return.
When you keep your trash can and the bags you use for disposal clean, the maggots hate it. Therefore, the chances are meager that the maggots will be able to get through and eat anything at all.
How to get rid of maggots in your garbage plastic bags?
There are multiple ways to get rid of maggots in your garbage plastic bags. Apart from getting rid of them, the thing you should be concerned about is that maggots can return.
Here are a few things you can do to get rid of maggots:
Using hot water:
Using hot water to get rid of maggots is the easiest, quickest and pocket-friendly way. You can instantly repel maggots using hot water immediately. Empty your trash can and pour one kettle of boiling water inside it.
Spraying bleach:
Spraying bleach is another way to get rid of maggots. You can use it for both large and small-sized trash cans. You would want to take equal parts of water and bleach in a spray bottle.
Then spray it over the maggots. Or you could damp the entire trash can in the mixture and leave it for a while. A duration of 30-40 minutes is fine.
The fumes of the spray will end up repelling the maggots, as they will suffocate. Once the time is over, clean the trash can with another round of bleach. This will prevent them from coming back.
Using all-purpose cleaner:
The all-purpose cleaner present in your closet can also help you get rid of maggots. Take one part of the cleaner and three-four parts of hot boiling water.
Pour the mixture on the maggots or spray the trash can with it. You can also use toilet cleaner to get rid of maggots.
Using salt:
Using salt can actually help you get rid of maggots. The usage of salt with lime will make a better potent maggot-repeller. This mixture of lime and salt is a natural remedy proven effective.
Make a solution of equal parts of lime and salt. Spray the mixture of the areas with maggots. Or you simply sprinkle the mixture where the maggots tend to breed.
You can add more solutions with time if you think the initial amount of solution is not enough.
What repels maggots in plastic bags?
Cleaning your trash can on a daily basis can help you repel maggots in plastic bags.
Here are a few things you can try to repel maggots in plastic bags:
Keeping the trash can clean:
Keeping the trash can clean will help you keep the maggots away. Maggots love soggy, dirty, and smelly places as their residence.
A clean trash can would be their last choice. However, you can simply use a brush and hot soapy water to clean the trash can.
Using cart liners:
Using cart liners can also help you keep the maggots away. Change the cart liners frequently. While putting the cart liners inside the trash bin, ensure to secure the edges.
If the edges are not secured properly, food waste may leak and leave an odor. Therefore, the maggots are multiplied in number.
Final Thoughts
Maggots are fly larvae who usually live on the waste food in your trash can. Maggots do not care about anything but food waste. Maggots are usually not able to eat through plastic bags or liners. If the plastic bags are sealed, there’s no way maggots will be able to eat through plastic bags.