Flies are so annoying! They seem to be always present in all the outdoor picnics and barbeques that I have been to. They also seem to find their way indoors, either crawling on food or flying around me. Not only do they fly around me, but they buzz around, fly right onto my face. They love it if I have a wound somewhere, and they cannot seem to have enough of it.
I know you can relate; all of us must have encountered flies at some point in our lives one way or another. Flies are a nuisance, but that is not all they are. These small insects are vectors of disease, some are very deadly. No other insect can rival the filth of cockroaches than flies. They both like the same things. They thrive in dirty places and eat unimaginable things. Flies are not finicky when it comes to food. They eat fresh food, rotting food, rotting bodies of dead animals and insects, fecal matter, and trash.
Triangle exterminators are always on the lookout for these pests. The health risks are real whenever flies are around. The presence of flies though also presents an underlying problem: it means the surroundings itself need plenty of cleaning up.
But all is not lost. Pest control methods have been developed and have succeeded to a certain extent. Flies have not been totally eradicated, and there is doubt that they ever will. We can still, however, protect ourselves from them at least right in our own turf.
Description Of Flies
Flies are tiny insects that have a pair of wings used for flying and another pair of hindwings that are used for balance. Flies can be found in all parts of the world, save for Antarctica. There are so far 120,000 species of flies that scientists have already identified. Flies have complex compound eyes that contain 28,000 light-sensing receptors called ommatidia, which allows them to have 360-degree vision. Their heads are movable and are equipped with mouthparts that can pierce and suck.
Vectors Of Diseases
Due to their filthy habits, flies carry with them a lot of bacteria and viruses. This translates to them being capable of transmitting several diseases. The World Health Organization (WHO) says that flies transmit around 65 types of diseases. The diseases they transfer include cholera, dysentery, diarrhea, gastroenteritis, and salmonellosis. They indirectly transmit diseases by simply landing on our food since they do not bite humans. Flies can only eat liquid or semi-liquid food because they are not capable of biting. They vomit liquid made of saliva and digestive juices that can break down solid food. When we eat food that a fly landed on, we are actually ingesting feces, saliva, urine, and vomit coming from flies.
Another thing is that flies carry lots of bacteria and viruses on their legs. Simply landing on our food can transfer these pathogens to us.
Flies Have Four Distinct Life Stages: Egg, Larva, Pupa, & Adult
Adult female flies lay eggs, which then hatch to become larvae. Flies typically spend most of their lives in this stage than they do in the adult stage. Then they enter the pupae stage, followed by the adult stage. The adult stage is usually short, and the purpose of only mating and laying eggs. The reason why their species are very successful is that they have the ability to reproduce very quickly during mating season.
Identifying Flies
Let us now identify the most common types of flies here in the United States. Fortunately for us, not all 120,000 species are here in our midst. Below is a rogue's list of these pests.
Housefly
House flies are about ⅜ inches in length, with gray or black colored bodies with four dark lines in the thorax. These are the flies that are usually found inside our homes. The female house flies are slightly larger than the male house flies. They have large compound eyes that enable them to have a 360-degree vision. They have hair-like projections found all over their bodies.
House flies are also common in restaurants. They can turn off customers just by their presence alone. They also are the top causes of disease among their workers.
House flies are disease carriers and are able to transmit these diseases to humans. They carry bacteria that come from feeding on animal feces, body excretions, garbage, and dead animals. They transmit diseases like diarrhea, cholera, dysentery, and food poisoning.
Little House Flies
This group of flies has a brown-grey thorax with three black longitudinal stripes. Their size - which is just ⅔ the size of the house flies - is about 3.5 to 6 mm in length. Unlike the house flies, the little house flies do not transmit diseases and are simply nuisance pests, as they have the habit of annoying humans. They prefer to live outside the houses.
Horseflies
They have yellow markings that make them look like bees. Their eyes are large, with a small pair of antennae attached to their heads, and sharp mouthparts that can make them bite. Their size is about ½ to ¼ inches long with black or gray bodies with green eyes but can grow to as large as an inch in length. Horseflies are different from the house flies in that they bite animals and humans, and they do so during the daytime. They choose moist soil near a large body of water to breed.
Cluster Fly
Cluster flies have checkered marks on their bodies. They move less quickly than house flies. When at rest, their wings would overlap. They are called as such because they like to live in clusters along with the windows of houses on a warm, sunny wall.
Black Fly
Black flies are annoying, but they are not just a mere nuisance. They bite. They thirst for blood and have the necessary mouthpartsto suck them out. Though they do not transmit diseases to humans, they pose a threat to livestock because they transmit a number of diseases. The size of black flies is about 5 to 25 mm in length and comes in black colors. Most female black flies need to feed on blood for the development of eggs.
How To Get Rid Of Flies
If only we can swat flies in one single motion, this world would be a better place to live in. Much better definitely. But we can't. Aside from the fact that there are too many of them, they seem to always be one step ahead of all of us. Man versus flies will always be a battle that no one would win.
Flies reproduce quickly and in great numbers, but what tilts the advantage to our favor is our ability to control pests. Pest control methods have been developed. Insecticides made with chemicals are popular, but more and more people are finding the value in natural methods of pest control.
Below, we will give you ways on how to get rid of flies without using harmful chemicals:
- Since flies thrive on dirt, the first thing to do that makes sense is to keep your house clean. Dispose of your trash regularly, while keeping your trash cans covered with lids. Wipe off food residue and drink spills. Always sweep the floor, mop, and vacuum.
- Keep your food in sealed containers to prevent them from being contaminated by flies.
- Install screens on doors and windows so you do not have to close them all the time. You can allow some fresh air to come in, but not flies.
- Make use of a fly swatter to reduce their population.
- If you have pets, clean up after them. This includes cleaning up their feeding area and removing their poop at once.
- Insect your house for any cracks or holes that may be used by flies as entry points. Seal them by caulking, if any.
These tips are proven effective. Follow them. In cases where there are too many of them, do not despair. It is suggested that you seek the help of a professional. For your pest control needs, call Go-Forth Home Services, insect control near the Triangle/Raleigh area.
Why Go-Forth Home Services
Go-Forth Home Services is a family-owned company specializing in the extermination of pests. These pests include flies, mosquitoes, termites, roaches, bed bugs, poisonous spiders, weevils, moths, mice, rats, silverfish, and many more. They have been at it since 1959. Their team of expert professionals uses only the latest and most advanced equipment in the business with a method that is family-friendly and pet-friendly. You assured of your family's safety. You may check us on Facebook or Google us to see what our happy customers have to say about us. Want to know why we are so confident? It is only because we are the highest rated pest control company there is.
For more information, call us now!