It’s highly likely you have heard the catchy song, “Shoo Fly, Don’t Bother Me”. Even in the 1860s when that song was written, flies were considered a nuisance pest. Flies find a way to disrupt meals and gatherings and can be quite annoying, especially if they have made their way into your Northwest Ohio or Southeast Michigan home. We have reviewed some tips for how you can keep flies out of your home.
What are Flies?
We know of flies as those insects that won’t leave us alone and we are constantly try to fend away from our food and beverages in the warmer weather. More scientifically, flies are insects of the order Diptera. Insects of this order use a single pair of wings to fly.
While there are numerous types of flies, the flies that invade our homes in the spring and summertime are usually ordinary houseflies (Musca domestic). This insect is roughly 3/8 inch long with large compound reddish eyes. This pest spends most of its time flying, and is typically very quick to fly away, making a fly hard to catch.
Less commonly found in homes are cluster flies (Pollenia spp) or horse flies (Tabanus spp.) These are larger flies with a noisier buzz, they spend more time walking around than houseflies. Tiny fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) are another common pest found in the home.
How can you Keep Flies Out of your Home?
Flies are attracted to spilled foods, fruits left out, sweet smells, and dampness. To keep flies out of your home, you need to eliminate items that will attract them, and keep your Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan home clean and tidy.
Here are some additional tips to keep flies away:
- Keep trash in closed bins and empty frequently and as needed
- Clean spills thoroughly and quickly
- Cover foods that are not being eaten or refrigerated
- If having a potluck or hosting an event with a lot of food, cover the food in between times when people are filling their plates
- Don’t leave dirty dishes around
- Keep pet food and litter areas clean and covered when not being used
- Eliminate areas of moisture and fix leaks around your home
- Ensure your window and door screens have no holes or areas for insects to enter through
- Keep doors, windows, and other vents closed when you can
- Try not to hold a door open for long periods of time and securely close it behind you
Pest Control Solutions
Houseflies typically live no more than 30 days, but because they reproduce quickly, an indoor infestation may be nearly perpetual with the right conditions.
Houseflies and other types of flies can carry disease, so you should keep flies out of your home or solve for them if you have an infestation. The World Health Organization (WHO) identifies at least 65 diseases that can be spread by the common housefly, including cholera, conjunctivitis, dysentery, leprosy, and typhoid fever.
At Delving Pest Control, we offer a range of discreet home pest control services to help you achieve the results you’re after. Contact us and we can come out and we can explain what services are right for you and tell you more about our costs for services.
We will help you shoo your flies away in no time!
