Houseflies and All the Ways to Get Rid of Them

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(Newswire.net — September 20, 2016) – Houseflies are one of the most common pests that the average homeowner will have to deal with. Almost everyone has had a minor housefly infestation at some point, and they can cause many health issues. Being able to identify and eradicate houseflies in your home will help to keep your family health.

The Problem With Houseflies

Though they do not bite humans, there are more problems with houseflies than just being annoying. These little insects are voracious pests that walk all over rotten food, animal droppings, roadkill, and garbage while eating it. They can then land on food or surfaces in the home while carrying pathogens. Studies have found that the average housefly can carry up to 200 infectious diseases, include e. coli bacteria, parasitic tapeworms, salmonella, and typhoid.

How to Tell If You Have a Housefly Infestation

Houseflies may look somewhat similar to other buzzing pests, but they have a few key characteristics that make it easy to identify them. These pests tend to be anywhere from ⅓ to ½ an inch in length, and they are a grey color with four vertical darker stripes behind the head. If you think you may have houseflies, you can try to capture or locate a dead fly and look at it with a magnifying glass to see if it has these stripes. In addition to their appearance, you can also identify houseflies by their behavior. They lay eggs that hatch into cream colored larvae that develop into adults within a few weeks.

Popular Locations for Houseflies

If you know the popular locations for houseflies, you will be able to apply pesticides and prevent breeding grounds from forming at these spots. Housefly maggots need areas with a semi-liquid food sources, so they often reside in the bottom of damp garbage cans.Adult houseflies will stay anywhere with a good food source. They prefer staying on the edge of thin items, include countertop corners, wires, light cords, and curtain edges.

Getting Rid of Houseflies

Most housefly prevention methods rely on either killing the pests or making your home an unappealing location for the insects. Pest control professionals like UltraPro Pest Protection find that the following methods are particularly helpful:

  • Fly Traps: Devices such as sticky fly traps, baited traps, or traps that use ultraviolet lights attract flies and then kill them without using pesticides or other chemicals. These are a good option for homeowners who are wary of pesticides.

  • Food Removal: Flies may move on from your home if all food sources, including human food, garbage, and open pantry supplies, are kept out of their reach.

  • Pesticides: Pesticides work by killing houseflies at all stages of growth. The most effective ones are pyrethroids that are applied with a spray can. You can sometimes get these from stores, but a licensed pest control professional may have more effective pesticide solutions and application methods.

Preventing Houseflies From Coming Back

Once you have gotten rid of houseflies, you can take a few steps to avoid dealing with another infestation. Make sure that all of your windows and doors seal properly to keep bugs from getting in, and patch any holes in the screens that are big enough to let houseflies into the home. Regularly take out your trash if it contains any organic food waste instead of letting it sit around for days. Try to clean surfaces with disinfectants right after use so that there is no organic residue left in kitchens, bathrooms, or bedrooms. This will keep flies from seeing your home as a viable feeding site.

 

UltraPro Pest Protection

23 Bergenline Avenue

Westwood, NJ  07675

877-492-2252

http://ultrapropestcontrol.com

 

With over 30 years of experience in eliminating bed bugs, termites, and rodents, UltraPro Pest Protection is emerging as New York and New Jersey’s leading pest control service for homeowners and commercial businesses.

 

For more information, visit ultrapropestcontrol.com