Clogmia albipunctata, commonly known as the bathroom moth midge, bathroom moth fly, or drain fly is a species of the family Psychodidae, whose members are commonly called drain flies.
Distribution[]
This species is very common and has a worldwide distribution in tropical and temperate places and is often associated with humans. C. albipunctata is found in and around sewer drains, sewage treatment plants, plant pots, swamps, and any other shaded areas that contain decaying, moist organic matter.
Description[]
C. albipunctata can grow to a maximum length of 3-5 mm. Both its body and its wings are covered with thick grey-brown hair. Its wings are pointed, and some have white spots. Despite the fact that it's a fly, C. albipunctata superficially resembles a small moth. Their antennae have dense setae, each segment with seperate whorts.
Biology[]
Adults sustain themselves by drinking water or consuming nectar and can live up to 12 days. Most of their life is spent perched on walls. They rarely move, their flight power is relatively weak. C. albipunctata larvae live in aquatic environments, feeding on decaying organic matter, and take 18 days to reach their pupal stage, which then reaches its adult stage after 5 days. They often infest around bathroom drains, which is why they're called "bath flies" in America.
Even though they are considered to be harmless animals, some myasis cases are caused by this insect's larvae according to some literature; mostly at the nasal, intestinal, and urinary levels but are often considered to be poor sanitary conditions or hygiene.
Pest control[]
Protected by the water-repellent hairs covering their bodies, both adults and larvae are hard to drown, and they aren't affected by contact with most water-borne toxins like bleach. Boiling water doesn't seem to have much effect on adults for the same reason, and even their eggs are highly resistant to both chemical and thermal assault. The eggs can also withstand periods of dehydration. Extermination of C. albipunctata depends on the maintenance of household drains for a period of about 3 weeks.
Suspected drains of C. albipunctata colonies can be identified by placing a glass jar or taping a clear plastic bag over them, and periodically checking for adult flies. A clear plastic cup coated inside with vegetable oil or petroleum jelly can also be used. Partially covering the drain opening with sticky adhesive tape is another method used to find breeding sources.
Thorough mechanical cleaning of drains can also help remove larval food sources, and is the most effective control measure. High-pressure cleanage of drains won't only eradicate the larvae's feeding source, but it also cleans the entire length of the pipe reducing the likelihood of drain flies returning. Alternatively, injected foams containing bacteria and enzymes may be useful to break down the gelatinous scum deposits. Besides sink drains, floor drains and shower drains are also common sources, as well as leaky shower pans, but any location with moist decaying organic matter can be a breeding sight. In commercial buildings, sump pump pits, sewers, and elevator pits may trap moisture where drain flies can breed.
Due to their attraction to light, drain flies may be monitored by using fan-based traps baited with visible or ultraviolet light. However, only killing adult flies isn't usually effective, larval food sources must be removed to stop more flies from emerging.
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