Last updated on July 28th, 2023 at 08:10 am
Imagine what a nuisance flying houseflies can be. But it doesn’t stop there. They contaminate food and surfaces by defecating on them. Since they pick up fungi, bacteria, and viruses and spread these pathogens through contaminated food and water, they can also transmit diseases.
When houseflies feed, they liquefy and soften up food by regurgitating stomach contents onto your food before they ingest it. Because of their proximity to people, they can cause health problems such as dysentery, food poisoning, eye infections, and tuberculosis.
Houseflies belong to the insect order Diptera and are found almost everywhere people live. This post shows you why your house has so many houseflies and how you can eliminate them.
Flies in House Where Are They Coming From?
Houseflies are among the most common insects on earth. A fly’s ecosystem is not particular. They breed on any filth, including decaying organic matter such as garbage, or waste. While people living closer to farms, fields, and manure see more flies, it’s a common problem everywhere.
Flies in your house mean there’s something attracting them into the house to lay eggs. Not frequently emptying your bin, leaving a dirty plate in the sink, or leaving the food waste bin accessible can make your house inviting.
Also, having animal waste in your garden such as animal feces or manure makes for excellent breeding grounds. Poor sanitation, unsealed cracks in windows and doors, as well as ripped screens can cause housefly infestations. Bright night lights also attract flies.
Why Are There So Many Flies Outside My House?
There are many types of flies ranging from the common housefly to the lesser housefly. The type of fly infestation you’re facing may vary, but there are 3 main reasons you have an increased number of flies:
- Quick life cycle: flies breed quickly and in large numbers. The average life cycle of a fly is 15 to 30 days, but this depends on temperature, species, food availability, and living conditions. It takes only 7 – 10 days for a fly to develop from an egg to an adult. Left uncontrolled, flies can become a serious problem.
- Food sources: flies will eat almost anything, which means they can find multiple things to eat in and around your home. Their sponge-like mouth helps them absorb food easily. A steady food source provides them with a breeding ground and the energy to move around and reproduce.
- Quick breeding: on average, one female housefly can lay 6 batches of eggs in a lifetime, with over 100 eggs each time. A housefly infestation occurs when multiple flies lay eggs simultaneously.
Why Are There So Many Flies in My House in Summer?
Adult housefly eggs require specific conditions to survive and grow into a larva. Flies prefer warm temperatures of 75 °F (ca. 24 °C) or above to thrive, which is why the excessive warmth experienced during summer is more favorable for growth.
Warm temperatures support the housefly’s life cycle, helping them transition faster from maggot to fly. Under normal temperatures, flies hatch to larvae within 20 hours. But in temperatures between 32 – 37 °C, fly eggs can hatch up to 2.5 times faster.
These temperatures also keep their body temperatures regulated, letting them stay active. If you notice the housefly population in your home increasing, monitor the temperatures. This way, you can prevent them from multiplying at the hatching stage.
How Do I Get Rid Of Flies in My House?
Eliminate the Source
Removing or minimizing what attracts flies to your home is the first step to eliminating them. Don’t leave any food debris or uncovered food items out on counters or tables. Store food in airtight containers. Keep your countertops clean of crumbs.
Wash dishes soon after meals and firmly close the dishwasher door. Keep garbage cans covered and take all garbage outside regularly (at least twice a week). Completely cover or clean pet bowls between meals and discard any unfinished pet food.
Seal the Entrance
This is one of the best ways to keep flies out because they often use entrances to get in. Caulk around windows and doors to seal gaps and crevices where they can enter. Repair cracks in walls and foundations. Install window screens, especially in the kitchen area, to keep flies out. Repair any damaged mesh on windows and door screens.
Don’t leave cellar doors or attached garages open for extended periods. After dark, block out light with curtains or keep your windows and doors closed. Add a magnetic screen door to high traffic portals to keep flies out.
Clean More Often
Flies are often drawn to filth, so cleaning and sanitizing more often can eliminate them or disrupt their breeding. Don’t place garbage bins close to windows or doors because they attract flies. Clean up all sites likely to encourage them to linger and breed. Keep trash receptacles and dumpster areas clean, and trash far away from your home. Seal plastic bags well or use tight-fitting lids on trash receptacles.
How To Get Rid Of Flies In The House Quickly?
Use Pyrethrin-Based Insecticide
Insecticides are ideal when you have a large housefly infestation because they work quickly. Pyrethrin-based insecticides are the most common for managing indoor fly infestations. Buy an insecticide specifically for indoor use and follow the directions carefully. But beware, flies can develop resistance to insecticides because of their short life cycles. Also, the effect of insecticides doesn’t linger.
Get a Trap
Traps are a passive, effective, easy to use and ever-ready technique to catch flies. Place traps strategically around your home to prevent flies from reaching you, Flies, like other insects, are naturally drawn to light. Light traps have a light that attracts flies. Depending on the one you choose, when flies try getting to the light, they are trapped or killed.
Mount light traps 5 feet (1.52 meters) off the floor and away from entrances and windows, so they can’t be seen from outside. Sticky traps are strips of sticky flypaper you can hang or lay down throughout your house. Use foods or drinks such as sugar, honey, molasses, wine, fruit, meat, to entice flies into traps.
How to Get Rid of House Flies With Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is a simple, effective way to get rid of flies. Fruit and vinegar are particularly alluring to houseflies. You can get rid of flies with vinegar in these two ways:
Apple-Cider Vinegar and Dishwashing Soap
Mix a little fruit-scented dish soap with some apple cider vinegar (about an inch) in a tall glass or bowl. The soap changes the vinegar’s consistency so flies become trapped immediately.
Leave the dish uncovered or cover it tightly with cling film. Use a rubber band to secure the wrap with a rubber then poke small holes at the top. Vinegar will attract the flies into the glass via the holes and the soap will make them sink.
Apple Cider Vinegar and Paper
You can also fill a glass jar with apple cider vinegar, then place a paper funnel in the jar. The scent will attract flies, but the paper funnel will prevent them from flying out.
How Do Flies Get In The House When Windows Are Closed?
As long as there’s something attractive inside the house, flies will get in to find it. They often enter homes through openings such as open windows and doors, cracks in foundations, or damaged screens. Flies may also come in through cracks in walls or gaps around pipes. Sometimes a fly will latch on to you or your pet as you walk into the house.
Home Remedies To Get Rid of Flies
Home remedies are the best ways to eliminate flies and stop them from breeding. So, if you prefer to stay away from pesticides, use these methods to remove flies naturally.
Grow Herbs and plants
Plant herbs and flowers in your garden or indoor planters to keep flies away. The bonus is you can also use some herbs for cooking. Herbs and plants that repel flies include basil, marigold, lavender, mint, bay leaves, and catnip. Placing these plants by the window windowsill makes flies less likely to enter. The Venus flytrap is a carnivorous plant that eats insects. If you plant it outside, it will naturally eat flies.
Essential oils and essences
Essential oils such as lavender or eucalyptus are great for eliminating flies. Natural essences like lemongrass, peppermint, and cinnamon also deter flies. Mix a few drops of these essences or oils with water in a spray bottle and mist window frames and door frequently to keep flies away.
Swat the Flies
Despite multiple prevention tactics, flies may still get into your home. Use a flyswatter or rolled-up newspaper and the right technique to hit flies. To win this fight against flies, you need sharp reflexes and good eyesight. A fly’s vision is almost 360-degree, so approach from behind and hover before making a fast, decisive flick. Use a flyswatter in a neutral tone because flies are actively affected by colors.
There are multiple reasons you may have a fly infestation. Given how quickly and often flies reproduce, you only need a few flies and the right environment before they become a great problem. Identifying the source of the problem is the only permanent way to handle the problem. Thereafter, use mechanical, natural, or pesticides to eliminate them.