If there’s one thing we hate about summer, it’s the flies. It would have been better if they were like birds that never want to get into our homes. But they’re house flies, and they live up to their name.
Despite their tiny size, houseflies are dangerous and pose health risks to entire families. They perch in rotting food particles, garbage, and excrement. As they do so, their footpads collect matter from such substances, and they go on to perch on our food substances. Some house flies even go as far as dropping larva wherever they perch.
What diseases do flies spread?
The diseases flies are known to transmit include:
- Cholera
- Diarrhea
- Dysentery
- Typhoid
- Eye infections such as epidemic conjunctivitis
- Among livestock, flies can spread parasitic tapeworms.
How do flies breed?
Garbage bins are a breeding ground for flies. Houseflies perch on and hover around any dirty, decaying, and smelling organic matter where they can get their food source.
And once they find such environments, each female fly can lay up to 600 eggs there and hatch up to 150 eggs every two weeks.
It takes about a week for a maggot housefly to develop into an adult in favorable temperatures. The quantity of food available and weather conditions will affect the length of their transformation. Those tiny, white larvae you see in decaying food matter in dust bins will soon turn into adult flies. If care isn’t taken to prevent or eliminate them, they can quickly ravage your home.
Controlling fly infestation in your home
You can get any insecticide from the store and spray it within any fly-infested part of your home. The sprays are absorbed into the fly’s central nervous system, paralyzing and killing them. Flies move around by day, so this is the best time to do it.
You can also go for more potent products like pyrethrin-based insecticides. These products are more poisonous, so you should use them in lower concentrations than regular insecticides. Pyrethrin disintegrates under exposure to light and air, so there’ll be no build-up of harmful chemicals in your home.
Perhaps you currently have a full-blown fly infestation. If it seems you just can’t get rid of them all, it’s best to call in an expert such as the Terminix pest control firm. They’ll be better equipped with the right tools and chemicals to control and even prevent further infestation.
Preventing housefly infestation
Here are crucial ways to prevent flies in your home this summer.
1. Eliminating fly breeding sites
The first step to preventing houseflies in your home is to eliminate their breeding grounds, including garbage and decaying organic matter. The smell can attract flies from miles away.
Do not allow garbage to stay in your kitchen for too long. Instead, take out the trash at least twice weekly to prevent flies from laying and hatching.
2. Keep fruits in closed areas
Decaying fruits are fly magnets. The moment your fruits start to decay, you’ll notice the house that was once a no-fly zone is now swarming with these tiny insects. So keep your fruits refrigerated. And check those on your dining table to ensure rot hasn’t started.
3. Wash and disinfect your trash can
When flies lay eggs in your trash can, removing the refuse may not be sufficient. If there is still decaying matter lodged in the bin, it can attract flies. Additionally, fly eggs that have already been laid may still be present.
It becomes crucial to regularly wash and disinfect your trash bin to prevent fly infestation.
4. Take care of your lawn and drains
If you use manure on your lawn, you might be at risk of a fly infestation. That’s because you’ll likely keep decaying organic matter for some time and later spread it in your yard. Be sure to stack dung heaps to reduce their surface area when placed in your yard. Use a light material such as a plastic sheet to cover it to prevent flies from perching. Also, inspect your drains to ensure organic matter from your kitchen isn’t lodged.
5. Put the fan on
Flies and mosquitoes cannot thrive in a windy environment. They can’t perch as they’re caught in the crosswinds. So you can place a standing fan in fly-prone areas (such as around fruits) during summertime and leave it on.
6. Use nets to block windows
Flies come through the windows. In summer, you’ll likely open your window and put up the curtains for ventilation. To prevent flies from coming in, ensure you have nets up. And be careful when opening the door to your exterior. In fact, you can even install nets for your doors, so even if you have to keep them open, you won’t have to worry about the insects getting inside the house. Check this Fly Screen Doors Melbourne company or others closer to you and find out if they can be helpful if installed for your house.
Wrapping up
Houseflies are a complete nuisance. Even the sound they make can be pretty unbearable. So there’s every reason to prevent flies from getting into your home at all.
If they do get in, never hesitate to use insecticides or call in procedure pest control.