Shoo Fly.. Don’t bother me!

One fly here… another there.. have you experienced the frustration of what seems like the fly that can’t be killed? The first step in solving the issue is identification. It is easy to confuse house flies with several other fly species, including cluster flies. The different types of flies may look similar, but they require different control methods. A reputable pest control specialist can help with the identification (I’m always happy to recommend a few great locals).

So What Is It?

Cluster flies are capable of crawling through small openings in the walls of a structure. These flies enter homes looking for overwintering sites during the cold months. Cluster flies prefer warm areas, so homeowners often find them flying around houses on sunny days in the winter and late fall months. While cluster flies do not carry diseases, they may darken walls or windows with their droppings and may attract other insects if they die inside the wall voids. Large numbers of these flies often congregate on windows and inside ceiling light fixtures, making them a nuisance to residents.

House flies are usually gray in appearance and display 4 black stripes on their thorax. They have slightly hairy bodies, single pair of wings with compound red eyes, which allow them to have wider vision. House flies take advantage of structural issues, such as damaged weather stripping or torn screens, in order to enter a household. These pests are attracted to buildings by air currents and odors. Their preferred temperature is 83 degrees Fahrenheit, and house flies are attracted to warm air currents coming from buildings on cooler days and vice versa on warmer days.

While these are the ones I hear homeowners complain about most often, below are the 6 top flies found in homes:

Take Action!

It is very important to identify the places where the flies have been laying their eggs. It may be something simple like an uncovered trash can or a left out bowl of pet food on the patio. Commonly, flies are known for breeding in kitchen bins, feces, or on piles of old food (HINT HINT: CLEAN THE KITCHEN SINK).

However the house fly breeding site could be something not as obvious. A reputable pest control specialist can help pinpoint these breeding sites.

Regardless where it is, the breeding site must be cleaned up or removed. If the breeding site is not removed, the flies will continue to be a problem.

The next step is to eliminate the adult flies. Depending on the situation, it may be necessary to use fly bait, traps or an insecticide application. Specialized pest control companies often can set up a specific gameplan that works best for you and your household, with continued monitoring. Let me know if you’d like a few great local contacts 🙂