Maggot is the larval stage of some insects and flies. Along with bacteria and other insects, they are responsible for the quick breakdown of dead things. Maggots have several beneficial services as well. Some can help solve crimes, while you can use some to heal wounds.
Generally, maggots are the culprit of food spoilage and pests that eat crops. They can be present almost everywhere as long as a decaying matter is present. You may find them in the kitchen and wonder how they got there. They do not evolve spontaneously but appear because the flies have laid eggs.
As said earlier, maggots are the larvae of flies. Maggots usually appear in the kitchen compartment and garbage bags. This is because it is where they usually feed. They might grow out of control if your kitchen is dirty and you do not keep your garbage bag clean.
To get rid of maggots, you have to identify what attracts them. The main element that attracts them is decomposing food. In this article, you will learn how powerful these organisms are and how to eliminate them.
Can Maggots Eat Through Plastic Bags?
Maggots can not eat through a plastic bag. Maggots, the larva of flies, are only attracted to decomposing food in your dustbin. That is what they feed on. They have no effect on other garbage like plastic bags, nylon, and paper.
If you seal the decomposing food in a plastic bag, maggots will never eat through it. If you find maggots in a sealed plastic bag, some of the flies’ eggs have been in the food before closing it.
Maggots do not have a developed system to get inside a sealed plastic bag or bin and cannot eat through plastic bags. Even if the maggots are present before the enclosure of the plastic bag and remain completely sealed, the maggots won’t survive.
The maggots will not have access to oxygen to carry out normal activities. Like humans, maggots do need air to survive and grow. When they do not get enough 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.
Another reason why maggots can’t eat through plastic is that most plastic bags are disinfected. If you do this, the maggots can not survive it.
Can Maggots Suffocate in a Plastic Bag?
If you cover your plastic bag and it is airtight, it is most likely the maggots will suffocate. Flies or insects may have laid eggs in the bag before sealing it. The eggs can develop into larvae without air but need it to form the pupa.
This is why it is possible for a maggot to suffocate. If you find maggots entrapped in an airtight plastic bag, the maggots will die due to suffocation.
You may be wondering how the maggots get inside an airtight plastic bag. The chances are high that the plastic bag is not airtight. And a lot of plastic bags labeled airtight are not so. After getting a plastic bag, you need to re-examine things to be sure it is airtight.
What Kills Maggots Instantly?
Maggot infestation and control can be difficult and tasking. One thing is that they keep coming back. To get rid of them, you need things that will kill them instantly. We have some substances like pesticides, salt, boiling water, etc., that can kill them immediately.
An insecticide is one of those substances. It ensures that your plastic bag and garbage are free of maggots and larvae. You have to note that before using any insecticide, always read the label. Also, you need to be sure children do not play near it. You have to wear hand gloves and wash your hands immediately after using them.
You can also sprinkle diatomaceous earth on the maggots, and you can easily get diatomaceous earth in a local garden center or nursery. This ground rock powder kills the maggots living in your garbage immediately.
Boiling water also kills the maggots immediately. It is one of the simplest ways to get rid of maggots. All you have to do is pour the hot water on the maggots. They will die instantly.
Note that the maggots may be so numerous that you can’t see them all at once. Pour the boiling water and ensure it reaches all parts of the plastic bag. Cover the insect larvae with lime, salt, or vinegar. They die off immediately.
Some people do sprinkle baking soda. This chemical won’t kill them. But you can use it after killing them with chemicals to prevent odor.
Will Maggots Die in the Sun?
Studies have shown that strong lights like the sun can kill maggots. One downside of this method is that the sun can heat the garbage bin and attract more maggots.
Maggots die on exposure to sunlight because they have Light-sensitive cells lining their bodies. They have primitive eye structures known as Bolwig’s organs that alert light. This is why they detect sunlight and move away from it.
You should know that you can’t rely on only the Sun to kill all the maggots. This method isn’t efficient, and sometimes the sunlight may not be strong enough to cause any damage to the maggot.
Does Vinegar Kill Maggots?
It is always disgusting to find a pile of maggots in homes and even garbage bags. It is unsanitary and often brings out a bad odor. Once you see a maggot, you want to get rid of them immediately. A bottle of vinegar is one of the substances you can kill maggots in your kitchen and garbage bag.
Home vinegar consists of a diluted form of acetic acid, which is a weak acid. Aside from killing maggots, it is also used as a pesticide and fungicide.
Vinegar does not kill maggots immediately. The time it takes depends on the concentration and amount used. Most times, it takes about 8 hours for maggots to die applied. But it is still a helpful method of getting rid of maggots from your garbage bin if used.
Some homeowners use the kitchen’s favorite apple cider vinegar to get rid of maggots, while others swear by white vinegar. Let’s explore these two types of vinegar.
Vinegar is present in different concentrations, which will determine the time for the maggots to die. Apple cider vinegar usually contains 5% to 6% acetic acid, remaining as water. It’s a common kitchen ingredient.
If you want to use it as a pesticide,1 part of vinegar and 5 parts of water is effective against maggots. As said earlier, it doesn’t kill the maggots immediately. It takes about 18 hours to kill them.
We also have white vinegar, containing about 6% to 7% acetic acid. Being a stronger solution with more acetic acid content compared to apple cider vinegar, it is a better solution.
For maggot control, 1 part of white vinegar is mixed with 3 parts of boiling water. The boiling water had an additive effect to that of white vinegar. The maggots die almost immediately after this is applied.
White vinegar kills the larvae and also eliminates odors that can attract flies. An added advantage of white vinegar is that it has antimicrobial properties, and therefore when used to kill maggots in garbage bins, it prevents subsequent infestation.
You can use any type of vinegar to kill maggots. The choice depends on the availability of the vinegar and how fast you want the maggots dead.
To kill a maggot with a Vinegar solution, you must prepare the solution containing vinegar and water. Stir and mix the two liquids, and then flood the maggots with the solution. You have to clean the area with any disinfecting solution after the maggots are dead.
Does Salt Kill Maggots?
Different ways exist to kill a maggot. Killing a maggot with salt is one of the quickest ways. When you find maggots in your garbage bin or around your home, you can kill a large amount of salt.
Maggots live in warm and moist areas. When you sprinkle salt on and around this space, it eliminates moisture and water, making it impossible for the maggot to survive. Salt is a natural dehydrator. When poured on these small creatures, they find it fatal due to their need for water.
This is the most prominent method of killing maggots from a confined area, but it is not effective in an open space. Also, you can keep adding salt to the garbage bin to prevent the maggots from reforming and infiltrating your garbage bin once again.
After killing the maggots with salt, you must ensure you complete the clean-up process by removing the dead maggots and scrubbing the garbage bin.
How to Get Rid of Maggots in Your Garbage Plastic Bags?
If you find maggots in your trash bags or crawl around between the bin and the bag, you need to find a way to get rid of them. You have to start cleaning your plastic bag on a more regular basis.
It is very difficult to keep maggots away from places that are full of decomposing food, like the garbage bin. If you take some steps, you can easily get rid of maggots in trash and bags. Doing this also prevents bad odor that can come from maggots in the future.
If you find maggots in a plastic bag in your home, you can take these simple steps to get rid of maggots. The first thing you need to do is clean the garbage bag with the maggots. You need to dispose of the plastic trash can liner as soon as possible.
Also, you need to get rid of any decomposing food inside your garbage bin. After this, you should get rid of the maggots by pouring hot water or insecticide into the trash can. After killing the maggots, ensure you clean the plastic bag.
Boiling water is not always advisable to use as it may warp and deform the shape of the garbage bin. In this case, you can use a large quantity of salt to cover the maggots in the trash can. Finally, you must disinfect your bin to prevent reoccurrence or future infestation.