Pest Guide for Flies
Types of Flies
When you think about flies, you probably think of the common housefly, however, there are around 18,000 species of flies that can be found in the U.S. There’s no favorite habitat for the fly, so you can find them virtually everywhere – in warm climates, dry climates, wet climates, and more. No matter what kind of fly you encounter, it can be quite a nuisance and getting rid of them can be tedious. That’s why we suggest calling our pest control experts to get rid of the problem.
Diet
Flies love to feed on decaying matter including fruit, vegetables, meat, animals, plants, and feces. Because they favor these materials, they can easily collect bacteria, fungi, and other potentially harmful germs on their bodies and transfer them to the next place they land. If the next place they land is your home, you could face some serious health concerns.
In fact, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reveals that flies contaminate or destroy $10 billion worth of agricultural products annually. When it comes to humans, these pests can trigger serious illnesses such as food poisoning, meningitis, cholera, leprosy, bloodstream infections, and more.
Infestation Preventions
Many species of flies have short lifespans (anywhere from eight days to one year) and can lay several hundreds to several thousands of eggs in this time. Once the eggs are laid, they only take hours to hatch, making an infestation easily possible in your home or office. There are a few things you can do to prevent a fly infestation, including:
- Make sure your entry points (including windows and doors) are sealed well
- Clean your home regularly with disinfectant
- Take your garbage out when it’s full and keep garbage cans clean
- Dispose of anything organic that’s been sitting out for awhile
- Invest in insect-eating plants to place around your home
If you find that you have an inordinate amount of flies in your home, contact our pest control experts right away so we can take care of the problem before it gets worse.
