Phorid life cycle

After mating, adult females are attracted to developing mushroom mycelia in spawned compost.
The compost remains attractive to adult females throughout the entire spawn-run period, and is particularly susceptible during the second week.
Mycelial development, which occurs following casing, renews attraction to adult females.
Each female can lay up to 50 eggs in close proximity to developing mycelia.
Duration of the life cycle is temperature dependent and will vary in relation to the environmental conditions associated with cropping periods.
Increased air temperatures associated with spawn-run and case-run periods facilitate life cycle completion in 24-26 days.
The lower temperatures following breaking and during cropping periods may extend the life cycle to 40-50 days.