Controlling Your Pests at Home: Dealing With Flies
Nothing is more bothersome than having to deal with flies in your home. Though there are over 10,000 species of flies in Australia, you’d be surprised to know that only a few are considered pests and nuisances, and some of these can be found in your home.
You’ll often see flies circling your backyard and find their way to the interiors of your home. These flies can sometimes be pests, such as the Biting Midges or a nuisance, like the pesky House Flies. But nothing’s irks households more than the Fruit Fly.
Perhaps you’re here because your home has some of these disturbing visitors. If that’s the case, getting an organic pest control team to help you mitigate this issue is ideal. However, it still pays to know what you could do to control this issue.
The Different Flies
As mentioned earlier, there are thousands of species of flies in Australia. But here are some of the common flies that you may have to deal with at home:
- House Flies: This type has been associated with human activity and arrived in Australia with early European settlers. These flies are about five to seven mm long with red eyes and a greyish top.
- Bush Flies: These little flies have a way of getting to your eyes during the summer, and they are hugely accountable for the “Great Aussie Salute.” Adult bush flies look similar to house flies and are about four to six mm long. However, they have two black stripes on the thorax split into four, resembling the letter Y.
- Blow Flies: These large, buzzing flies are drawn to kitchen windows and where meat is cooking. Blow flies are hairy, large flies and can grow up to 11 mm long — which is about twice the size of the house fly.
- Stable Flies: Unfortunately, this type of fly bites and sucks the blood of people and domestic animals. Just like the house fly, they can grow up to five to seven mm, but they have a checkerboard pattern in their abdomen.
- Biting Midges: Also known as sand flies, these blood-suckers put people in agony during the wee hours when you’re outdoors. However, these critters are incredibly tiny, growing to about one to three mm, and you’ll only know they’re around when they bite you.
- Ceratopogonidae: These flies also impact humans and have over 150 species in Australia.
How to Know When You Have a Fly Infestation
You’ll know you have a fly problem in your home when you notice maggots appearing in your kitchen tidies or compost bins, you find fly droppings on your benches or window sills, or you have bite marks on your skin or pets’ ears.
Another thing to note is that if you start smelling decomposing carcasses, you may have a fly infestation in your midst.
How Do I Get Rid of Flies?
- Make sure that all your windows and doors are shut and intact;
- Always seal your bins or make your compost system too hot for house flies to breed in;
- Seal open gaps in your windows, roofs, and doors to prevent flies and other critters from entering your home;
- Regularly change your bedding and clean your carpets to prevent flies from breeding;
- Clean up animal droppings right away;
- Always repair cracks and gaps from your walls, windows, and doors;
- Contact an organic pest control company to help mitigate your fly issue and prevent them from breeding in your home;
The Bottom Line: Control The Flies In Your Home
Knowing the different flies you may have to deal with can help ensure that you won’t have to deal with these pesky critters often. If you think you have a fly situation at home that you can’t manage on your own, it’s best to call an organic pest control company to help with this issue.
How Can We Help You?
Clean and Green Pest eradicates and treats common pests that are found in homes and workplaces. From ants to cockroaches, rodents and spiders, and fleas to flies — we’ve got you covered. Looking for an organic pest control company? Reach out to us today!