Flies are a common pest in Hartwell homes. Unfortunately, they’re not just an annoying nuisance. They can also cause real problems for you and your family. In this guide, you’ll learn about the different types of flies that invade our homes, the difficulties they create, several tips to prevent fruit flies in particular, and one great way to keep them away. We’ll give you a spoiler: Call a professional Hartwell pest control company like American Pest Control. Whatever the pest, American Pest Control is the best!
The Kinds Of Flies That Invade Hartwell Homes
There are many different kinds of flies in Hartwell that you may find in your home. They include:
- Cluster flies: Also known as attic flies, this large, slow-flying species moves into your home in the fall to have a nice, warm home for the winter. They’re similar in appearance to house flies, but cluster flies are 1/2 inch long, black, and very slow-moving. You’ll find them hanging out in your attic or other out-of-the-way places.
- Fruit flies: Fruit flies are tiny, no more than 1/8 inch long. They’re tan with red eyes and are typically found swarming around any fruit or vegetables on your kitchen counters or near your trash can.
- Gnats: Often mistaken for mosquitoes, the most common of these flies are 1/4 inch long and black. Their eyes are so small that they’re hard to see. Many people use “gnats” and “fruit flies” interchangeably, but they’re in different families of flies.
- House flies: These flies are 1/8 to 1/4 inch long and dark gray. They have four black lines running down their thorax. They can be found throughout your house but often stay near kitchens.
If you need to get rid of flies, no matter which species, your best bet is to call a professional pest control company like American Pest Control. We continuously educate our universal technicians so they can give you the best service possible.
The Problems Flies Can Create In Your House
Various flies can cause several dangers when they invade your home. Of the four common types most often found in Hartwell homes, only the cluster flies don’t pose any risk to you or your family.
Fruit flies and house flies have a lot in common when it comes to the hazards they bring with them into your home. Since they often feed on carrion and feces, they pick up any number of pathogens that can be harmful to humans. They spread these diseases by walking and continuously defecating on your food or food prep areas or eating your food.
Some types of gnats are known to bite humans, with the most common variety known as no-see-ums because of their tiny size. They’re between 1/25 and 3/25 inches long. They feed on the blood of mammals, typically larger ones like humans, deer, and cows. These gnats are disease vectors for ailments that can be lethal to cows and deer but don’t typically transmit disease to humans in the developed world. The most serious reaction in people is a large, itchy welt, an allergic reaction to no-see-um saliva that they inject you with to keep your blood from clotting. However, if you scratch at those welts, you’ll open yourself up to secondary infections that could become serious.
Because of all these dangers, it’s crucial that you learn how to get rid of flies. The simplest way is to enlist the help of a professional pest management company like American Pest Control.
Tips To Prevent Fruit Flies Around Your Home
There are several ways to prevent fruit flies around your home, including:
- Fragrant plants: Rosemary, basil, lavender, mint, eucalyptus, lemongrass, or clove can repel fruit flies with their strong smell. You can also use an oil diffuser with these plants’ essential oils.
- Do some extra housekeeping: Fruit flies love sweets and alcohol. When storing all your produce in the fridge, they have to look elsewhere, like in your drains and trash cans. Give your garbage bins a good cleaning every week or so. Clean out your drains by dumping half a cup of baking soda, then half a cup of vinegar down the drain, plugging it, and letting it sit for an hour. Then rinse with a pot of boiling water.
- Inspect produce before you bring it home: If you find any bruising or damage, put it back on the pile and pick another one.
- Wash your produce when you get home: This removes fruit fly larvae or eggs.
- Wash your sponges and dish towels frequently: After cleaning your plates and bowls, they may have small bits of food sticking to them.
- Fan them away: If you’re prepping for once-a-month cooking or a long canning session, set up an oscillating fan in your kitchen. The fruit flies will be blown out of your kitchen.
If you have fruit flies in your house, partnering with American Pest Control can get rid of them for you, no muss, no fuss.
Professional Pest Control Is A Great Way To Keep The Flies Away
Even if you know how to repel flies, you’ll still get flies in your home at some point. They’re just a fact of life.
But that’s where we come in. American Pest Control knows how to get rid of flies fast so they cause the least possible disruption to your life. We are a local family-owned and operated company, and we’re familiar with home pest control in Hartwell. Contact us today for a free inspection.
Our certified pest experts will work with you to find the best solution for your needs. Simply fill out this form for a free, no-obligation estimate.
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