Fly Problems? How to Treat a Fly Infestation

Summertime is prime time for flies to increase activity and become a problem for the do it yourself pest controller. There are many of types of flies that can cause a problem in our homes.  There are house flies, fruit flies, blue and green bottle flies, and moth flies.  Flies are prolific proliferators and eat most anything. Some flies can lay 150 eggs at a time, every 5-6 days.  Not only are they annoying, they can be carriers of numerous diseases and pathogens. In this article, we discuss ways to treat and limit a fly infestation.

Ohio State Extension Program says:

Domestic flies, often called "Filth Flies," are not only a nuisance by their presence, but are important from a human and animal health standpoint.  House flies may spread diseases such as conjunctivitis, poliomyelitis, typhoid fever, tuberculosis, anthrax, leprosy, cholera, diarrhea and dysentery. They may serve as intermediate hosts for parasitic tapeworms on poultry or parasitic roundworms on horses.

Luckily, there are a now plethora of pest control products to address our fly pest problems available to the general public. There are insecticide sprays, fly lights, fly baits, fly traps and treatments. Some treatments such as contact sprays are good for the immediate treatment of unwanted flies. Whereas other fly treatment options, such as fly traps and fly lights provide an ongoing support system to keep fly infestations under control.   

It is important to determine if your fly problem is only a fleeting instance, or associated with an ongoing breeding site. The treatment method for each situation would be different. For instance, have you only had fly issues during a gathering where food was outside for extended periods of time or do you constantly notice fly activity in and around your home?

For the first situation, you may only need to spray the outdoor area that will be used for your gathering a few hours before guests arrive. For the second situation, you may have a fly breeding site in or around your home.  In that instance, the breeding site would need to be located and eliminated. But you would also want to use a combination of baits and residual insecticide sprays to control the existing fly population and stop them from entering your residence.

There are other easy steps you can take to stop a fly infestation from happening in the first place:

• Be certain that your windows, screens and entry ways are sealed tightly and in good repair.
• Spray your entry ways and sills with a residual insecticide
• Use time released pyrethrin sprays
• Do not locate trash cans located near any entry ways.
• Empty cans regularly, and wash them out weekly with a good bleach bath.
• Use only trash cans with locking lids
• Keep food covered at all times
• Wipe up any crumbs, etc immediately
• Don’t leave produce on the counter without cover
• Check any cracks between your appliances and counter tops to be sure that there are no trapped food particles
• Keep the backs of cabinets clean and clear from excess storage items or clutter
• Review under sinks and appliances to be certain that there is no accumulation of food or moisture
• Do not leave any standing water or food build up in drains
• Regularly flush your drains to remove any ‘gunk’ that may be building up on the insides of pipes.

Keep Flies From Entering

Nothing is a more unwelcomed sight than to have flies zooming about inside of your home. Not only is it annoying but an unwanted fly problem can be very embarrassing as well. The presence of flies is somehow tied to notions of unsanitary. One way to keep flies under control is to limit their entrance into your home in the first place. In this article, we will discuss how to keep flies from entering your home.

First of all, be certain that your windows, screens and entry ways are sealed tightly and in good repair. If there are tiny cracks, crevices or tears in the screens, you are handing over your home to flies for their pleasure. If one fly can make its way in, you can bet more flies will follow. Try spraying your entry ways and sills with a residual insecticide so that if a few flies move in, they will die where they land. Time released pyrethrin sprays are another option. Pay attention that you do not have trash cans located near any entry ways. Flies LOVE trash cans and are very opportunistic. Make their lives a little harder by extending the area that they would have to travel from meal to meal.

While we are discussing trash cans, make sure that you empty yours very, very regularly. Sitting trash decomposes and emits more enticing odors to the fly. Giving them ample time to reproduce and begin another generation. So empty cans regularly, and wash them out weekly with a good bleach bath. Using locking lids can also limit access to your trash as a breeding and feeding site for the fly.

When cooking, be sure to keep exposed food covered at all times. Wipe up any crumbs, etc. as soon as they are made. Don’t leave produce on the counter without cover. Check any cracks between your appliances and counter tops to be sure that no food particles have made their way down. Keep the backs of cabinets clean and clear from excess storage items or clutter.
Check under sinks and appliances to also be certain that there is no accumulation of food or moisture, further limiting the fly’s access to a man made fly buffet.

Keep all drains free from any standing water or food build up. Regularly flush your drains to remove any ‘gunk’ that may be building up on the insides of pipes. Drain flies particularly love this type of environment. Don’t forget to check bathroom shower and tub drains for build-up of soap scum, hair, etc. It sounds gross, but remember, you are making your home completely unappetizing for fly existence.

If you are able to remove all food sources and breeding site, your fly problem can be limited to one or two strays who accidentally gain access to your home, instead of a replay of horror film proportions.