Maggots. Warning not a pleasant read

General Discussion
1

This is really for @Rob_le_Pest as it is rather unpleasant and gruesome. For the rest, who may have some useful info to impart, welcome to comment but you have been warned.

All my life I have been plagued by excessive catarrh. Got it from Mum. This has been much worse of late as I fight my way to recovery from cold/flu/bronchitis/asthma. I have always had to, as discreetly as possible, frequently expectorate. Spit is the politest version of more frequent expressions of the word.

Thus I have small pots, usually ex yoghurts etc. dotted strategically around my lifestyle. One in each car, one by my bedside and one on the table alongside my computer, the one most frequently used. Most of them quickly dry out and can be tapped empty into the bin, but the one by my computer never gets that chance. I know I should swap it more frequently but it is a case of out of sight out of mind, I can only reach it at a stretch so others can’t see its real purpose.

As I used it this morning to my horror I saw a load of tiny white maggots with minute brown/black heads writhing about inside. My first and real horror was that they had actually come from my lungs, :astonished: :worried: but now I think this is not the case as non of the other pots are infected, but they are dry anyway, so perhaps not much re-assurance.

I am hoping that they come not from me but from the environment and, specifically, because I don’t change this pot more often. I will from now on. What are they? Flies, moths, beetles or…?

Edit: BTW, the pot in question previously contained a powder prescribed for my wife to mix with water to make a gell, safer for her ingest than pure liquid.

Further Edit: I have seen them before, congregating on the edge of a lidded bucket outside in the garden which itself contains another bucket with the dogs’ shit bag in, prior to sealing for the rubbish bin.

2

If they’d come from your lungs, I think you would have more than just catarrh! Flies have gone in the pot, thought its contents were a suitable substrate and laid eggs

3

Well they won’t find it so anymore. There is no excuse for me, Fran has at least 2 of these pots (Fortimel, compots) each day and they will not go straight in the recycle anymore. Of that I am sure. A brief, 2nd , life from now on. :wink:

4

I read about a woman who didn’t bother to empty and clean the drip tray under her coffee machine before going away on holiday When she came back, it was infested with maggots who were getting out and going elsewhere. Seems they can pop up anywhere it is a nice environment for them.

5

Hi @David_Spardo

As you say, a most pleasent read before sunday lunch :grinning:

Maggots are the larvae stage of a fully metamorphic insect.
Flies, fleas, butterflies, wasps are fully metamorphic, Cockroaches and bed bugs are semi metamorphic in as they appear as little adults but they shed their skin in order to grow.

Flies would not live in your body, if you are spitting maggots then you’ll bave a serious health issue and I’d recommend you check yourself into a specialist asap.

Keeping your yoghurt pots clean would be better; you could have a base layer of diatomaceous earth, that will kill the insect laying the eggs. Using washing up liquid remove the water surface of your liquid, or bleach will kill the mag’s.

It’s not so much of a pest issue, more prevention.

If the problem persists, let me know and I’ll come up with a plan B, I would suggest sending photos, but there might be some complaints!!

Rob

6

Yes, my thoughts too, having come to my senses about the 'too ‘orrible to contemplate’ possibility. I have washed the pot and put it in the re-cycle after emptying the contents onto a small plate and left it outside to see if the birds would have any interest, and it won’t happen again. The turnover will be more rapid and both used and unused will be washed out before disposal.

Birds not interested, but it is hot out there and they are sheltering out of the sun at the moment. Isolated outside in a bowl of water at the moment. Don’t want them to survive and turn into more pest parents. :roll_eyes:

7

I’m glad you were able to be phlegmatic about it, @David_Spardo

8

Oh dear, I see what you did there. :roll_eyes: :rofl:

1 Like
9

In my experience flies of all kinds & sizes that lay eggs to produce maggots, will leave their eggs on anything that has protein in it, and in my case, even on DRY cat food croquettes.

I think saliva/mucus has a protein content.

10

You must be right, and since the awful discovery, empty pots fly through the system and out the door at a dizzying rate now. :joy: