Pest Control Guide: Flies and Fly Infestation
Flies are one of the biggest nuisances to people and animals in the UK, causing illness and disease, and buzzing around in homes and businesses. But with over 7,000 species of flies, it’s hard to stay away from them. In this guide, you can find out all the information you need to know about flies, including how to identify fly species, how to get rid of flies, fly infestation, and more.
Fly Species | Size | Appearance |
house flies | approx 5-8mm | yellow abdomen with narrow stripes, and a grey thorax |
fruit flies | approx 3mm | black-grey abdomen, a yellow thorax, red eyes, and transparent wings |
bluebottle flies | approx 5-8mm | bright, metallic blue bodies, clear wings, black markings, and red eyes |
cluster flies | approx 6-10mm | deep olive thorax that is covered in brown hairs |
Flies have 4 stages- eggs, larvae, pupae, and adult stage. Species differ, but on average, a fly lives for 15-30 days in the adult stage. Fruit flies have the longest lifecycle; they can live for up to 50 days.
Flies in the house can be common in the Summer months. They are attracted to decaying food, waste and faeces, and come into homes and businesses to seek shelter and food. They commonly hover around bins, food waste, animal and insect carcasses, and wheelie bins.
Fly Infestation
The easiest way to spot a potential fly infestation on your premises is through regular sightings of flies. Other giveaway signs include small, dark clusters of spots in light areas, and maggots (which could indicate a potential breeding site on the premises).
If there are a lot of flies in your house or business, this could be a sign of a fly infestation. In these cases, you may need to use a domestic pest control or commercial pest control service. The four main reasons that there could be so many flies are:
- Flies reproduce quickly.
- Flies lay their eggs near sources of food.
- Flies eat almost anything.
- They love (and often depend on) warm weather.
Pest Control for Flies
Whilst you can use at-home remedies or bug spray to rid your house or business of the occasional fly, this is not always the case for a fly infestation. In this case, it is recommended to use a professional service.
There are several plants and herbs that may work as a deterrent against flies. These include lavender, basil, marigold and mint. Their natural fragrance and oils repel flies, so keeping them in your garden or home can be helpful. Another option is to use a fly screen to deter and repel flies.
The most effective method for indoor fly infestation prevention is regular cleaning, including cleaning up food spillages and debris, keeping upholstery and food surfaces clean, cleaning up after your pets, removing dead insects and animal carcasses as soon as possible, and covering up unused food.
You can also deny access to the property where you can, by filling in crevices and cracks in the walls where small flies can get in. This is particularly useful for Cluster flies, who live in small dark areas.
Whilst home remedies, fly traps, and deterrents work in some cases, if you have an infestation of flies, the best thing to do to get rid of it is to use a pest control professional.
Fly Survival: Feeding and Breeding
Flies feed on decaying meat, fruit, vegetables, and faeces, and they often contaminate the food that they eat, making it unsafe for consumption.
Flies reproduce rapidly, and often lay huge batches of eggs. Females begin producing eggs 48 hours after reaching their adult stage. During her lifespan, female adult flies can lay 5 or 6 batches of 75-150 eggs.
Flies and Disease
Many species of flies carry and transmit diseases. They do this by contaminating the food they consume.
Flies carry a plethora of diseases, many of which they transmit to humans and animals. Some of the diseases that flies can carry include Salmonella, E. Coli, Typhoid Fever, Dysentery, Diarrhoea, Cholera, Tuberculosis, eye infections such as Conjunctivitis, and food poisoning.
Affordable & Effective Fly Infestation Pest Control
Whether in a domestic or commercial property, flies can be a nuisance. Throughout York and the North of England, our affordable, effective solutions have helped homeowners and businesses with their fly control problems.
VermEx are a family-owned and operated extermination service based in the North of England. We offer tailored fixed-price service contracts and a fixed-price callout charge. What’s more, we are also registered with the British Pest Control Association Quality Standard, so you know the work we do is effective.