How to Prevent Maggots from Getting in the Trash

Co-authored by Elmer Bensinger

Last Updated: May 29, 2024

Ever open the garbage can and yuck, there's an invasion of little squiggly white worms? Those are actually not worms but larvae. After mating, the female fly lies eggs in a meat source such as a dead animal on the ground - or in this case, the all-too-common trash can. These eggs hatch into what we call maggots. They are, among other crawly things, nature's garbage disposers. They have their place in the world, just not in the trash can! The helpful tips in this article will help keep those white squirmy things from invading the household garbage.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Understanding the Maggots' Life Cycles

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1
Learn the identity of the species of fly that lays eggs in the trash can that produce maggots. All species of fly produce maggots (which are also called fly larvae), but not all flies lay their eggs in trash or rotting meat. Fruit flies are the ones that lay eggs in fruit such as apples. Bee fly larvae are parasitic and eat the larvae of other insects. The ones that lay eggs in trash are called filth flies.
- Blow fly , family Calliphoridae are commonly referred to bottle flies. This nickname comes from their coloring, which can be iridescent blue, green or copper. They can be rather pretty but their maggots can reach full size within 3 days after being laid as eggs by the female. ^{[1]
  X
  Research source} They reproduce rapidly during the warm weather. Some species also have an adaptable appetite for sweets as well, which is why they are found feeding on flower nectar and leftover sugars on food containers.
- House fly , Musca domestica is very easily recognizable by it's dull gray to brown body. Females live for about 3 to 4 weeks before laying 60 to 100 eggs. They reproduce less abundantly than blow flies but also will cause maggots in manure and rotting vegetation.
- Little house fly , Fannia Canicularis is similar to the house fly but smaller. Their life cycle is 3 to 4 weeks. They also rest with wings held to together.
- Stable fly , Stomoxys calcitrans and False stable fly , Muscina Stabulans look similar to house flies but have checkerboard markings and are smaller. The stable fly has a painful bite and also sucks blood from mammals, while false stable flies do not. This species can live for 17 to 50 days and lay eggs in soiled pet bedding and food dishes. The false stable fly also lays eggs in dead insects and bird nests to feed its parasitic larvae. Both can lay eggs in tainted meat products as well.
- It’s extremely important to ID the type of maggot, since the species may tell you a lot about how to get rid of the bugs. Contact a pest specialist if you aren’t comfortable ID'ing the bug (or don’t know how) and ask the pro for help.

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Purchasing Better Sealed Trash Containers

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1
Choose trash containers that don't strongly hold odors which attract flies. Opt to upgrade old trash containers to newer versions that don't hold odor if you can. Some communities already provide the designated container to residents. But for others, the resident of the home has to provide the container on their own. When choosing plastic containers, look for ones with smoother interiors and number 5 plastic, which lets odor-causing juices slide off if your bags bust inside the can. Metal cans should be made of polished stainless steel or high quality aluminum.
- Maggots are attracted to organic material, so anything you can do to keep maggots from getting into your trash will help dramatically.
2
Choose better-quality garbage bags. If you can't upgrade the can, at least consider a better bag. Low-quality bags also can mean doubling you bags which is a waste of extra bags. Bad-quality bags that break, bust and lose handles are an open invitation to flies and other pests. Shop around for different brands to find a high-quality bag.
- There are bags with fragrances which can be irritating to some people and don't smell like the real source of the original fragrances. You can always find natural alternatives and make your own.

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Eliminating Food Sources Inside the Trash

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This gas is produced as organic aka living things rot. The female fly has a sense of smell for this gas and is attracted to it. This gas also gives off the stinky, musty smell we associate with rotten food or a rotten houseplant that has been over watered. To eliminate the risk of maggots you must eliminate the sources of methane gas/rot.
Female flies smell the rotting meat scraps in the garbage can and will flock to it. Make note of your community garbage truck day of the week. Try to dump your meat scraps the night or day before to limit the time the flies will smell it. If you can't use this timing, place all your meat scraps into a zip lock bag and freeze them until that day.
The bones and fat can be placed in a pot of water and boiled overnight and seasoned. This is also less expensive and more flavorful than prepared box broth in the store. The boiled bones and meat will have less meat smell thus attracting fewer flies.
4
Rinse all the "meat juice" from bags and containers containing raw meat thoroughly. Maggots don't need much meat or meat juice food to develop into more flies, so cleaning up all meat juice and meat smells will starve them and prevent them from turning your trash can into a buffet. Use the same techniques when discarding tools and equipment used to cut meat.
- Also clean the rags used in cleaning up the meat juice and newspaper clippings used in preparation (keeping, say, fish scales neater instead of all over the place) with scalding hot water or in a tightly sealed bag or container before tossing out.
^{[2]
X
Research source} Not only is a smelly trash can a maggot magnet but a disgusting thing to smell for you and those who live in or visit your house. Rinse your trash can even if it's every 2 or 3 months with plain water during the warm seasons to keep the maggots away and the trash can smelling decent.
6
Dispose of animal and human waste trash correctly to avoid stable fly infestation. Place such trash in sealed containers. Kitty litter, feminine products, leftover pet food, and dirty diapers need to have their bags tightly closed so the stable fly can't smell the methane gas and want to lay eggs in the trash can. Same goes for manure and animal bedding including hay and straw. Don't put dead animals in the household trash either.
- Don't put rotting plant matter in the same can as the household trash. If you do you'll have triple trouble with stable flies, blow flies and houseflies. Put it in a separate landscape bag or in a sealed container before tossing it out into the trash can.
Cold weather doesn't bring maggots, but hot weather does. Don't worry about maggots if it's freezing outside because there won't be any flies to lie the eggs that hatch into maggots. If you live in a warmer climate, you'll have to be extra vigilant in controlling maggots.

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Repelling Maggots Using Botanicals and Organic Methods

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Basil has a nice licorice-like smell that flies hate. Just a sniff of basil will cause many species of flies to get confused and act crazy. It also makes your trash smell nicer and doesn't have allergens like many perfumed bags or bag scents do. You can use dried basil, fresh basil or basil oil. Oregano and Lavender can have similar effects.
Not enough of them to get noticed by the garbage collectors but a thin layer or grass, leaves, or conifer needles will reduce the smell of the meat in the trash can enough to keep the fly and maggot population inside that container in check. However, do not place clippings in the trash can abundantly unless the garbage pick-up is the next day, or else the rotting vegetation will attract stable flies.
Wintergreen alcohol burns the maggots and has a very strong pleasant minty fragrance that many pests including flies don't like. You can also regularly rinse and clean the trash can with this substance to keep maggots and other pests out.
This is a kind of limestone consisting of thousands of fossilized micro-organisms which have sharp edges that will cut the skin of any soft body insect and kill it.

Community Q&A

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I have a problem with maggots in my chicken feed storage can. What can I do to keep them out without ruining the food?

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The flies are laying their eggs at the very edge of the lid, and the small maggots are working their way into the can where they eat the nutrient-rich feed and grow almost overnight. Either change your storage container, or keep the feed can inside. If you change the container for an air-tight one and cannot seem to keep the maggots from getting inside, then you are probably bringing the eggs in on the scoop that you use. So, keep your scoop clean. Sweep up all spilled feed, and protect everything from moisture.

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I feed a cat on my back porch. Can the flys on the cat food hurt him?

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There should be no problem, assuming that these are just standard house flies. Almost no flies in the world could harm the cat.

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Maggots in a trash can, large plastic container with attached lid, not locked, flies get in, is there an easy method to prevent them, either the flies and/or the maggots?

CageyCat

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Maggots are the offspring of flies. A lock doesn't matter. Flies can get into very small openings. Keep the lid firmly closed in between trash days. Move the container away from the house and hose out the container after the trash is picked up. Let dry in the sun. Spray the inside with flying insect repellent. In summer or on hot days, double bagging trash can help reduce fly infestations.

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Tips

If you find maggots inside of your home, it’s a sign that you’ve either got a dead animal in your walls, or you’ve got rotting food somewhere you haven’t found yet. Keep your home clean to prevent maggots from showing up!

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Warnings

Wear gloves when handling a dead animal to avoid the contraction of a disease that might have infected the animal before you touched it. Dead mammals can be a source of rabies and birds can carry various kinds of serious flu. Don't put a dead animal in the trash can without sealing it in a plastic bag.

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Do not drink wintergreen alcohol. It is poisonous can seriously burn the inside of your body.

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Check with your local laws to find out about the restrictions of what can go into a curbside trash can. Failure to do so can lead to fines, refusal of pick-up or arrest. In some states it's illegal to put a dead animal or a certain size of dead animal into the curbside bin.

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Get rid of flies as soon as possible to avoid the possibility of the spreading of disease. House flies leave specks of dirt on the stuff they walk on. These specks can be a host to many illnesses. Stable flies have also been linked to a rise in cattle loss throughout the USA and might be linked to chicken flu.

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Always wash your hands after handling any raw meat waste or product to avoid getting diseases such as Salmonella. Don't lick your hands after handling it, either. The same goes for feces and other forms of animal and human waste.

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The grade of diatomaceous earth used for killing pests is very abrasive and not for human consumption. Do not eat it!

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How to Prevent Maggots from Getting in the Trash

Steps

Understanding the Maggots' Life Cycles

Purchasing Better Sealed Trash Containers

Eliminating Food Sources Inside the Trash

Repelling Maggots Using Botanicals and Organic Methods

Community Q&A

Video

Tips

Warnings

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