What You Need To Know About Flies In Your Huntsville Home
May 22, 2020
It’s a fact several pests range from annoying to outright harmful. However, for good reason, most pest prevention efforts are geared towards the noticeably harmful pests such as termites or rodents instead of the more benign pests. Unfortunately, this means one common pest, the fly, keeps flying under the radar when it comes to the harm they bring homeowners.
This common pest is known as the housefly and is the most common breed of fly found in the United States. While flies have short lifespans, it’s canceled out by their reproductive capability. Houseflies are normally gray in appearance and they’re further identified by four black stripes along their body. Adults flies are known to reach sizes of up to ¼ inch long.
Houseflies are possibly the most well-known pest, but they’ve gained a reputation as a nuisance pest, which is a mistake when determining if you need home pest control services. That’s why we’re covering the things homeowners need to know when dealing with a house fly infestation.
Why House Flies Are A Big Problem
The good news is that houseflies don’t bite. They’re physically incapable of biting anything. Rather, they have a mouth appendage similar to a straw to drink what they need to stay alive. Unfortunately, while flies don’t bite, that doesn’t mean they’re harmless to humans. The most common problems include:
- Disease carriers: Flies feed on human food, dead animals, feces, and trash among other decaying substances. This exposes the flies to a variety of pathogens that can be transmitted to people. Some of the most serious illnesses include salmonella, tuberculosis, and typhoid.
- Food contamination: Since they love human food, it’s a common sight to find them flying around your food. While this is annoying, the real concern is the pathogens and droppings they leave behind. Not only does contaminated food make people sick, but it also reduces the food supply since the food would require being thrown out.
Flies are indeed annoying when they buzz around, but their potential for spreading disease makes them a pest that should be removed with professional pest control services.
House Fly Prevention Tips
It may seem like flies invade at will, but there are ways to reduce the house fly population within the home. By following the tips below, you can be on your way to a more comfortable home environment regardless of the season.
- Secure the home: Flies will slip through cracks and crevices of your home with minimal effort. The best way to keep the flies out is to secure every door, window, and seam along the perimeter of the house. Also, it’s important to double-check your screens and replace them if they’ve been damaged. Don’t forget to shut the doors when heading in and out of the house.
- Tidy the pet area: It’s a wonderful feeling to spoil your pet, and it seems easier to just leave food in the bowl so they can eat whenever they’re hungry. However, this creates a significant attraction for flies. By sticking to designated feeding times and regularly cleaning food bowls, you can take away a preferred environment for flies in your Huntsville home. Don’t forget to apply cleaning methods to the rest of the house.
- Cover the trash: Flies love getting into the trash. It’s a basic food group for them. As such, they have no problem diving into open trashcans or improperly tied trash bags. The best way to keep the flies away is to ensure every trash bag is sealed properly. Also, make sure the trashcan lid is secured. It’s also recommended to periodically clean the trashcan and lid to address left behind residue.
- Invest in some tools: Fly swatters, fly strips, bug zappers, and other disposal methods do an adequate job at controlling the existing fly population if full prevention fails to succeed. With flies, it’s best to use a comprehensive approach instead of sticking to one or two options.
Control The House Fly Population With Custom Pest Control
At Custom Pest Control, we work to treat your home like our home while gaining control of your pest problem. Whether you’re affected by houseflies or another troublesome pest, you can count on our team of professionals to deliver a customized treatment plan that fits your needs and budget. We proudly offer monthly and quarterly treatment services as needed for our customers in Huntsville.
Are you looking for housefly prevention services? Contact us today to speak with one of our agents about our professional housefly control options or fill out our online form to schedule your quote. Additionally, ask us about our comprehensive commercial pest control offerings.