A foul rotting piece of organic matter (from food, to feces, and everything in between) is probably the reason why the house flies are growing at an alarming rate in your home. It is the perfect breeding ground for houseflies and they will show up near and far to take advantage of the filth that is available to them.
If your home has been overrun with flies, look in places of your house that offer temperatures that are favorable for fly eggs. Bathrooms, laundry rooms, and areas around appliances (hot water heaters, dishwashers, fridges, etc.) are a few examples of some of the spots that can offer ideal temperatures for fly growth.
It's likely that the flies in your house are coming from a source near the house (typically your backyard) where there is rotting fruit and vegetables or garbage.
Different flies have different breeding sites, but examining your compost, garbage cans, uncovered fruit or produce, and drains for maggots is a good place to start.
The House Fly
Keep in mind that flies feed on and lay eggs in anything that is rotting or putrefying. The likely breeding sites for house fly larvae indoors include animal carcasses, large numbers of dead insects, rotting meat or produce.
Mint, lavender and marigold – plant these in your garden and have pots in your house to deter them from entering your property before they even make it to the front door! Cinnamon – use cinnamon as an air freshner, as flies hate the smell!
House flies and other larger flies that usually infest a house can live for days, maybe even months. Mayflies, however, usually only have a 24 hour lifespan. Flies can contaminate food and cause other problems.
Door Traffic
One of the main reasons flies are getting into your home when the windows are closed is because you may have a lot of door traffic. If you and other people consistently go in and out of a door, this is prime time for flies to enter your home.
A fly infestation is hard to remove completely. Using chemicals without knowing how to use them correctly can be extremely dangerous and fly traps can leave fly carcasses behind. Rentokil has a range of Do-It-Yourself fly control products.
Homeowners typically find house fly eggs in moist, decaying organic material like trash, grass clippings, or feces. Elongated and pale in color, they appear in clusters and hatch quickly after being laid by the female fly.
First, check your screens and windows for holes, and remind your family to close the door behind them. Then, make sure your house is clean. House flies are attracted to things that make you go "ew," like pet waste, drain gunk (especially if you have a garbage disposal), overripe produce, trash cans, and sticky spills.
The black or brown flies/moths you see in your drain are most likely “drain flies” that live on decomposing, organic matter in your drains, which explains why they hang out near sinks or showers. These flies are also referred to as: Moth flies.
(Gross.) Many flies, like cluster flies, love the sunlight and warmth, which is often why they buzz against windows. So always make sure your open windows have screens to keep flies from entering. Likewise, don't leave doors without screens open for long periods of time.
Flies are just like us – they spend the entire day buzzing around with their friends and get pretty tired at bedtime. Before sunset, a sleepy fly will try and find a safe place to rest. Some favourite places are on the undersides of leaves, twigs, and branches, or even in tall grass or under rocks.
For the most part, flies are attracted to windows for warmth. And, once they get to the window, they simply get confused as they fly around trying to find a food source. You may have a housefly problem outside because flies will sleep in plants, fence wires, garbage cans, and on the ground.
Choose from either chemical sprays, household cleaners, or hairspray. Chemical sprays kill flies instantly upon contact, though they contain harsh chemicals. You can also spray the flies with household cleaners, like Windex or Formula 409, or with an aerosol like hairspray. All of these sprays will help you kill a fly.
A mixture of apple cider vinegar and dish soap can help you trap flies and kill them. Mix about an inch of apple cider vinegar and a few drops of dish soap in a tall glass. Cover the glass with plastic wrap, secure it with a rubber band and poke small holes in the top.
If you notice flies swarming in a small area, it may be an indication of rotting food or garbage, a pet's bathroom accident, or a dead animal. But often flies around the house aren't a “sign” of anything in particular. The bugs just flew in and are looking for a convenient spot to feed and breed.
Does Vinegar, Dish Soap, Essential Oils Repel Flies? Vinegar attracts, not repels flies; however, a container with vinegar and dish soap will function as an attractant trap as the vinegar lures flies to enter the trap and the dish soap will cause the flies to sink and die.
Piles of decaying grass clippings, compost heaps and other accumulations of rotting vegetable matter serve as good breeding places for flies. Eggs are laid on organic material such as manure and garbage.
House fly eggs resemble small grains of rice. The eggs hatch into larvae, also known as maggots, which range in size from about ¼-3/8” (7-10 mm) long. Maggots are cream colored with a greasy appearance.
If you've suddenly noticed an abundance of very small, moth-like creatures hanging around your sinks, showers, or bathtub, you may have drain flies. These very common pests can reproduce in just 48 hours, making it easy to find yourself with an infestation in little time.
You're likely getting lots of little black flies if there are cracks or holes in the foundation, walls, windows, and doors or if they have easy access to moist spots near decomposing material.
These tiny insects are attracted to moist places, so they are often found near sinks, showers, and drains. Female fruit flies lay their eggs in these damp areas, and the larvae feed on organic matter like hair and soap scum.