There is little more annoying than settling down for a good night’s sleep only to hear a fly buzz past your ear. Of course, if you jump up and put the light on you won’t be able to find the fly.
You’ll then need to spend precious time fly hunting as you don’t want to spend the night being bitten by the fly. Alongside the fact that this is painful, flies can carry many different diseases, none of which you want.
But, what do you do when, despite your best efforts, the flies keep coming back? It can almost seem like they have taken over your home;
Fortunately, you can get rid of them but you first have to understand why you have so many of them in your home.
Attraction
Flies, like most insects and animals, need water, food, and shelter. They’ll be attracted to anywhere that provides these three things. Unfortunately, your home is probably offering all of these, before they even start biting you.
Even the smallest amount of waste food can be a massive meal to a fly, just as a few drops of water can quench their thirst for several days. You need to be vigilant about cleaning countertops after food preparation and that you quickly put all the food away, in sealed containers.
Your rubbish bins should also be sealed to prevent the waste from attracting flies.
If you have pets you’ll need to try putting water down when they need it and then picking it up again, this can help to remove the water sources for the flies.
You’ll also need to take a good look around your home and yard to find any sources of standing water. This doesn’t just attract flies, it will attract mosquitoes and other small pests. You need to eliminate the standing water.
This will all make the area less attractive to flies.
Don’t forget that pet waste which hasn’t been picked up will also attract flies, get rid of it quickly!
Breeding
However, if you already have flies in your home then they have probably found cracks around your windows and doors in which they can live, and most importantly, breed. The average life cycle of a fly is short at just 2-3 weeks, but this gives them enough time to breed and create more, rapidly multiplying the number of flies in your home.
To get an idea of how fast flies breed considers this. 3-4 days after hatching a female fly will lay eggs, they’ll be 5-6 batches, with each batch having up to 75 eggs. If your house is warm the eggs will hatch within 24 hours and the larvae will burrow into the food that they were laid on.
It will take between 4-7 days for the larva to pupate and the adult fly to emerge, it will be ready to mate within 3-4 hours!
The reason you have so many flies is that they are living and breeding in your home, you’ll need to take several steps to eliminate them.
Step 1 –Electrical Help
Grab a led fly control unit and get it on your wall, if you have a large house get a couple of units. This attracts the flies and then kills them, helping to reduce the number flying around your house and annoying you when you’re trying to sleep.
Step 2 – Fly Traps
You can purchase insect repellant or fly sprays that are toxic to flies. However, you’ll need to be careful where you spray them as they may also cause you and your family unwanted side effects.
Instead, it’s a good idea to invest in some fly traps. You can purchase them in your local store or make your own.
In essence, you simply need to combine a sweet substance, such as apple cider vinegar, or sugared water, with some liquid dish soap. The sweet smell will attract the flies, while the soap makes the mixture poisonous to the flies, killing them.
You’ll need to monitor the traps to ensure they are emptied regularly.
You can also use flypaper or even replaceable fly light bulbs that will help to eliminate the flies around your home.
Step 3 - Professional Help
But, the key to beating the flies is to get rid of the larvae, this will stop new ones appearing and break the breeding cycle.
You can do this yourself by inspecting all the gaps around your windows, doors, and any other areas where the flies may call home. Once you’ve located the flies breeding area you’ll need to clean it thoroughly, this will eliminate the food sources that the larvae are relying on and kill the flies in the gap.
This can be a tedious process and you may struggle to find everywhere the flies are hiding, that’s why you may want to get professional help.
Step 4 – Clean Up
To avoid attracting flies you’ll need to check your entire home, inside and out, for any water leaks that could provide a water source for flies and other pests. Pay particular attention to the drainage in your home as this will often allow water to collect.
Getting rid of leaks will reduce the moisture in your home, you can also get a dehumidifier to help with this. The end result will be a healthy home and one that is less attractive to flies.
Don’t forget to store all your open food packets in sealable containers and to keep a lid on your bin at all times.
It’s also a good idea to make sure all vents are covered with mesh to prevent flies from getting in and your windows have mesh when they are opened.
Step 5 – Go Outside
To finish your anti-fly campaign, step outside and put some fly bait around your home. Pay attention to any warnings regarding children and pets, before you start putting the bait down.
You can also plant an array of plants, including lavender and citronella as these will deter flies and other insects from coming into your home.
