How to Get Rid of House Flies
House flies can be persistent and unwelcome guests in our homes, disrupting peace and cleanliness. These insects are not only a nuisance but can also pose health risks by transmitting diseases.
Dealing with house flies can be frustrating, but there are effective ways to rid your home of these pests. In this guide on “How to Get Rid of House Flies,” we will explore effective and practical methods to eliminate these pests from your living spaces.
From preventive measures to targeted interventions, we’ll provide insights into creating an inhospitable environment for house flies and regaining control over your home. Say goodbye to buzzing annoyances and learn how to maintain a fly-free and hygienic living space.
What Are House Flies?
House flies (Musca domestica) are a common type of fly found in homes and other human environments. They belong to the Diptera order and are known for carrying and transmitting various diseases.
Appearance
As you observe a house fly carefully, you’ll note that they are about one-quarter of an inch long with a grayish body. Their bodies are segmented into three sections – the head, thorax, and abdomen.
Their most noticeable features are the large reddish-brown eyes that occupy most of the head area. In addition, they have a pair of transparent wings, which are proportionate to their body size, aiding in their quick and erratic flight patterns.
Life Cycle
Your house fly, from its birth to demise, may live anything from a few weeks to a couple of months, depending largely on external conditions such as nutrient availability and temperature.
A fascinating aspect, and perhaps an unsettling one, is how prolific these flies can be in terms of reproduction. Female house flies can lay up to 500 eggs in multiple batches of 75 to 150 during their short lifetime.
Senses
House flies are equipped with remarkable sensory abilities crucial for their survival. Their compound eyes provide a wide field of view, and sensitive antennae aid in detecting food sources and potential threats.
They do not have noses but can detect odors for considerable distances through the smell receptors located on their antennae, which makes them adept at identifying possible food sources and breeding grounds.
Flies are equipped with complex eyes, providing them with a broad field of vision. This visual acuity aids in locating potential food sources and avoiding threats through agile maneuvers, contributing to their adaptability and survival in various environments.
Understanding these senses is essential to effective fly control strategies.
Behavior
House flies are agile creatures. Their vision allows them to easily avoid threats, which has likely frustrated you when trying to swat one.
They are most active during daylight hours, prefer resting inside structures or plants during the night or inclement weather, and demonstrate an unsettling but uncanny knack for discovering entryways into your home.
Food Consumption
House flies can’t chew. They rely on their sponge-like mouthparts to suck up liquid or semi-liquid food. Your housefly will lay its saliva and digestive juices on solid food to liquefy and then consume it.
They’re opportunistic feeders, enjoying a menu that ranges from human food, decaying plants and animal matter to feces.
Preferred Habitat
Unlike other species of flies, house flies are closely associated with human dwellings – hence the name.
They favor any comfortable environment where food, heat, and breeding spots are readily available, like farms, garbage collection sites, and, unfortunately, your home.
What Attracts House Flies?
House flies are attracted to certain environments. Understanding the causes of infestations can help you prevent and eliminate them. Below are some common factors that contribute to house fly infestations:
Unclean Surroundings
The leading cause of a house fly infestation in your space is poor sanitation. House flies are attracted to food and waste materials.
If garbage cans are left uncovered, food is kept in the open, or waste material needs to be correctly disposed of, it can attract these pests to your home. The chaotic state can provide feeding and breeding grounds for them, leading to an infestation.
Food Sources
Availability of food sources is a surefire way of attracting house flies. Any leftovers or uncovered human food, pet food, and even plant compost attract flies.
You’ll need to maintain a consistent regime of covering your food and properly storing pet food to avoid enticing flies into your home.
Breeding Grounds
House flies are prolific breeders, and they love moist and dark areas for laying eggs. Compost heaps, garbage bins, rotting organic matter, or even wet mops could potentially become house fly nurseries.
Ensuring that you don’t provide such conditions in your home helps to prevent any infestation.
Cracks and Openings
House flies may invade your living space through cracks and openings around your home.
For instance, open windows, doors, or unchecked crevices might act as gateways for these resilient pests to infiltrate your home.
Presence of Animals
If you live near a farm or have farm animals or even domesticated ones at home, you may find yourself dealing with more frequent fly infestations.
House flies are attracted to the odor of food and feces of such animals as they provide excellent breeding sites. Hence, animal farms need to maintain higher hygiene standards to avoid fly infestations.
How Harmful Is It?
It’s vital to understand the various effects of having house flies in your dwelling. These tiny creatures, while seemingly innocuous, can pose significant health threats and create discomfort due to their constant buzzing.
Spread of Diseases
House flies are notorious for their role in disease transmission by carrying a plethora of harmful pathogens that can lead to serious health conditions.
Due to their feeding habits and fondness for landing on virtually anything, food or utensils on which house flies land may quickly become contaminated with these dangerous organisms.
Diseases such as cholera, dysentery, typhoid fever, and salmonellosis could potentially enter your home with these flies.
Food Contamination
House flies lack the ability to bite or chew, so they liquify food using saliva and digestive juices before consuming it.
Thus, any contact they have with your food not only risks bacteria transfer but also exposes your food to their digestive process, leading to cross-contamination and potential food poisoning.
Allergic Reactions
You may not realize this, but house flies could be a cause of allergic reactions. Components of their body parts, saliva, feces, or even their discarded skin can lead to allergic reactions in some people.
These reactions may range from mild skin rashes and eye infections to severe asthmatic reactions.
Mental Distress
The persistent buzzing of house flies, their constant landing on you or your food, and the general feeling of uncleanliness they bring along can turn your comfortable living environment into a place of distress.
This can potentially cause psychological discomfort, including feelings of disgust and an inability to relax in your own home.
Damage to Reputation
In the case of businesses like restaurants, cafes, or even rental properties, a house fly infestation can result in significant damage to your reputation.
Customers or tenants who notice such infestations may consider it a sign of poor hygiene and spread the word, leading to loss of business or, in the case of rental units, lower rental values.
To summarize, managing house flies in your home is essential for your health, comfort, and in some cases, your business reputation.
Preventing House Fly Invasion
In the ongoing battle against houseflies, prevention stands as the first line of defense. Shielding your home from these persistent pests involves a strategic combination of cleanliness, secure food storage, and vigilant waste disposal.
Maintain Cleanliness
Efforts to eliminate house flies begin with meticulous cleanliness. Regularly clean surfaces and mop floors to get rid of the smell, food debris, and harmful pathogens.
Flies are attracted to the odor of decaying organic matter, so keeping your environment clean is crucial.
Secure Food Storage
Store food in airtight containers to minimize scents that attract flies. Properly seal and refrigerate food to reduce scent emissions that might attract flies into your living space, as well as your kitchen.
By adopting these practices, you create a less appealing environment for flies to thrive.
Proper Waste Disposal
A critical aspect of fly prevention involves promptly disposing of pet waste. Flies are drawn to animal excrement, so maintaining clean litter boxes and quickly removing pet waste significantly reduces the likelihood of a fly infestation.
Dispose of household garbage, particularly food waste, in sealed containers to minimize the odor attractive to flies. Use sealed garbage bins to eradicate potential breeding grounds.
Screen Windows and Doors
Prevent flies from entering your home by installing screens on windows and doors. This physical barrier not only hinders their access but also allows for adequate ventilation, contributing to a fly-resistant living space.
The use of food screen covers ensures that the prepared and served food is not contaminated by any pests that might have gone through your house entryways.
Natural Repellents
Utilize the power of natural repellents to deter flies. Essential oils like citronella and eucalyptus can create an environment that flies find unpleasant, serving as an effective and chemical-free method to keep them at bay.
Incorporate these natural scents into your living space to enhance your fly-prevention efforts.
Regular Inspection
Conduct routine checks for potential breeding sites, such as damp or decaying areas.
Identify and address damp or decaying areas promptly to disrupt the life cycle of fly larvae, preventing their multiplication and reducing the risk of infestation.
Natural Methods to Eliminate House Flies
Understanding the implications of a house fly infestation indeed emphasizes the need for effective pest control. Interestingly, not all methods have to involve complex or chemical solutions.
There exists a host of natural, DIY methods that you can leverage to keep these buzzing pests at bay.
Essential Oils
Certain essential oils like lavender, peppermint, and lemongrass are not only fragrant to us but are surprisingly effective in repelling house flies.
You can soak a piece of cloth or a sponge in one of these oils and place it in fly-prone areas or create a spray using a mixture of water and oil.
Fly Traps
An easy and natural method you can use involves making a homemade fly trap. Fill a container with enticing substances like sugar water, honey, or fruit pieces and cover it with a plastic wrap poked with holes for flies to enter.
Once inside, they will find it difficult to escape, effectively trapping them.
Vinegar Trap
Another version of a homemade trap uses apple cider vinegar. Heat the vinegar to release more of its tempting fruit fly-attracting scent, then pour it into a jar.
Wrap the opening with a clear plastic secured by a rubber band and punch small holes for flies to enter and be trapped.
Plant Herbs
Planting herbs like basil, lavender, lemongrass, and mint in your garden or pots near your windows can deter house flies.
These plants produce a scent that is unattractive to house flies while also adding a pleasing aroma and a touch of greenery to your home.
When to Call Professional Services?
While natural DIY methods may be effective to a degree in controlling small-scale house fly infestations, there are situations that demand more potent and professional interventions.
If the infestation is large, persistent, or posing significant health risks, turning to professional pest control services can be the most sensible course of action.
A professional pest control expert will assess your specific situation, identify the reasons behind your fly problem, and design a holistic plan, including prevention, control, and ongoing monitoring. This comprehensive strategy ensures long-term, sustainable solutions rather than short-term fixes.
Insecticide Application
Professional pest control services commonly use insecticide applications, both indoor and outdoor, specific to the gravity of the infestation.
For instance, surface sprays can be applied to resting areas, while space sprays are effective in infested rooms. Professionals will ensure the safe and effective use of these chemicals, minimizing the risk to you.
Ending the Life Cycle
Interventions focusing on breaking the breeding cycle of house flies are essential for long-term control. Larvicides are products that kill fly larvae and inhibit their progression into adults.
Pest control professionals can correctly identify and treat breeding areas with larvicide, dramatically reducing future populations.
Fly Bait
Professional pest control services also use fly baits, an effective control method. Baits contain an attractant and a poisonous substance that draws in flies and kills them upon ingestion.
Professionals ensure the optimal placements of these baits away from food preparation areas and out of reach of pets and children.
Electronic Fly Killers (EFKs)
Professionals often recommend the use of Electronic Fly Killers (EFKs) for infestations, particularly for businesses in the food sector.
These devices attract flies using UV light and kill them instantly upon contact with an electrically charged grid. A pest control professional ensures the safe installation and maintenance of these devices.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the leading cause of a house fly infestation, and how can it be prevented?
The main cause of a house fly infestation is poor sanitation. House flies are attracted to food and waste. You can prevent infestations by not leaving garbage cans uncovered, not leaving food in the open, and properly disposing of waste materials.
These actions can deprive house flies of their feeding and breeding grounds.
What health risks do house flies pose?
House flies can pose significant health risks as they carry numerous pathogens. Consumer food or utensils contaminated by house flies landing on them can quickly be infested with these harmful organisms.
Diseases such as cholera, dysentery, typhoid fever, and salmonellosis can be transmitted into your home by these flies.
How can I naturally eliminate house flies?
Several natural methods can help eliminate house flies. You can use essential oils like lavender, peppermint, and lemongrass to repel flies or make homemade fly traps using sugar water, honey, or apple cider vinegar.
Additionally, planting certain herbs like basil, lavender, and lemongrass can help.
When should I consider professional interventions for a house fly infestation?
If your house fly infestation is large, persistent, or causing significant health risks, you may need to consider professional pest control services.
These professionals can apply insecticides, use larvicides to disrupt the flies’ breeding cycle, install electronic fly killers, and devise comprehensive pest management plans.
How do professional pest control services manage house flies?
Professional services have an array of interventions for managing house flies. They can use insecticide applications, larvicide treatments to break the breeding cycle, fly baits that kill flies upon ingestion, and even Electronic Fly Killers for larger infestations.
These professionals also design holistic plans for prevention, control, and ongoing monitoring – known as integrated pest management.
