Blog Layout

Getting Rid of All Kinds of Flies

YESpestpros • Aug 29, 2020

Shoo, fly, don’t bother me! 

We can all relate to the words to this classic nursery rhyme. The sound and sight of a single fly buzzing around your home is enough to disturb your peace of mind. 

Beyond being a nuisance, flies can also pose a threat to the health of your family. Since they are known to land on both feces and food, some flies have been proven to spread disease. Other flies even bite!

The National Environmental Health Association warns that houseflies “Can carry more than 1 million bacteria on their bodies and can transfer these to contaminate surfaces and food,” adding that “The common housefly can transmit the pathogens that cause shigellosis, typhoid fever, E. coli, and cholera.”

The point is, you don’t want flies in your home. What kinds of flies live in Indiana, and how can you get rid of them? 

Here are the most common types of flies in Central Indiana, along with tips on how to get them out of your home, besides the classic fly swatter approach.    

House Flies

Perhaps the most common fly, the house fly, is easily identifiable with its characteristic blackish-yellow body, translucent wings, and often red-toned eyes. The house fly’s multi-directional vision and speedy reflexes make it hard to catch.

Tips for getting rid of house flies: 

  • Frequently take out the trash and keep a lid on garbage bins
  • Keep your home sanitized
  • Clean up pet droppings and empty litter boxes daily 
  • Get strong-smelling, fly repellent plants such as mint, basil, and rosemary
  • Use fly strips
  • Keep window screens in good repair 
  • Infuse your home with essential oils, such as lavender 

Fruit Flies

Only 1/8-inch in length, the fruit fly is known for its tiny brown body and its ability to reproduce quickly. You may find fruit flies swarming in your trash or around your fruit bowl. Since they are so small and are often found by the hundreds, it can be hard to get rid of them.

Tips for getting rid of fruit flies: 

  • Make a homemade trap by mixing vinegar with dish soap, covering it with cling wrap, and poking a few holes in the top  
  • Store fruit in the fridge
  • Keep your kitchen clear of crumbs, food scraps, and damp cloths
  • Cover your trash tightly
  • Wash your produce and quickly toss anything rotten 

Drain Flies

Due to their resemblance to moths, drain flies are also called moth flies. Drain fly larvae can be found in the decomposing, organic sludge found in kitchen and bathroom drains. Some adult moth flies appear hairy, and their scales leave behind a film of fine dust when touched. 

Tips for getting rid of drain flies: 

  • Clean your kitchen and bathroom drains with a metal pipe brush
  • Make a drain fly trap with equal parts sugar, water, and vinegar and a couple of drops of dish soap
  • Keep all areas in your home dry and clean
  • Use a dehumidifier 

Horse Flies

Though similar in appearance to house flies, there is one key difference; female horse flies bite! Larger in size than a housefly, horse flies typically have bright green or black eyes and colored or transparent wings. 

Tips for getting rid of drain flies: 

  • Use a store-bought or homemade fly trap
  • Clear your home and surroundings of stagnant water 
  • Bathe your animals frequently
  • Keep tall grass and weeds to a minimum around your home

Pest Control Services in Bloomington, IN 

If you’re struggling to get rid of flies in your home, contact Yes Pest, Inc. for professional fly pest control. We have the expertise and equipment necessary to manage pests in a safe and environmentally-responsible way. With offices in both Columbus and Bloomington, we’re here to help free your home of pests. 

Contact us to schedule an inspection. 

15 Jun, 2022
Insects that feed on human blood can cause incredible discomfort. In many cases, we don't even know we've been bitten until after they have had their meal. Some inject an anticoagulant into the bloodstream to suck up their meal faster, while others clamp on and indulge in our life-preserving liquid. It helps to know which of these creatures to be watchful of before they attack. That way, we can take active steps to avoid the misery before they get a chance to start.
15 Jun, 2022
We often think of fleas as a nuisance for your cat or dog. They have an annoying way of getting into their fur, and it can be a real problem to get them out. But it is their uncanny ability to get into your home and cause a significant infestation that is a source of concern for many, especially if their presence is not properly eliminated. This has become a significant problem for many people. No doubt, the best way to ensure you don’t get a flea infestation in your home is to make sure they never get inside in the first place.
15 Jun, 2022
Waking up with tiny little bite marks all over your body is never a good thing. As you look at your irritated skin with the tell-tale red spots that itch persistently, you're sure that they result from bed bugs. No one wants their bed infested with these creatures, so you want to get rid of them as soon as possible. But before you decide to launch an all-out attack on these irritants, you need to be sure of what you're dealing with. Unfortunately, plenty of other pests may invade your mattress, and using the wrong treatment to eliminate the problem could delay getting you relief or even worsen the situation. Before you decide on a method of extermination, you need to make sure of what you're actually dealing with. Still, because these bugs are so tiny, you might wonder if they can be seen with the naked eye. The answer is - sometimes. Bed bugs are usually visible in the later stages of development, but there's a good chance that if you can identify bed bugs in their adult stage, many younger ones are lying around, just waiting to take a bite out of you.
15 Jun, 2022
As their name implies, carpet beetles infest carpets and other fibers and are especially active during springtime. The first sign of an infestation is often a dead carpet beetle trapped in a window sill. But you can be sure if there’s one; there are many more. Carpet beetles typically live outdoors but are wintering insects . They will seek the warm cozy interior of your home after temperatures drop, and once inside, they become a threat to your property and food and can cause rashes with their tiny hairs. Carpet beetles feature: “Mottled” coloring of black, brown, white, or yellow. Oval-shaped bodies. Adult length between 1/16 - 1/8 inches. The first concern with any infestation is safety.
15 Jun, 2022
As spring approaches and temperatures begin to rise, all sorts of creepy crawlies emerge in search of food, warmth, and a place to reproduce. Unfortunately, your home could be the perfect place to find all three. If you're not quick to eliminate these pests, you could have a serious infestation on your hands. Here are a few spring bugs that you should keep an eye out for as winter comes to an end. 
By YESpestpros 15 Jun, 2022
Aracniphobs everywhere look to winter as a moment’s respite from spiders. The myth goes that spiders are cold-blooded and can’t survive the winter, but the truth is complex. There are 400 different species of spider in Indiana and 3,500 nationwide. Each one has different behaviors and approaches to surviving the cold. Some die off before winter, like the North American black and yellow garden spider, but others adapt. The body content of your post goes here. To edit this text, click on it and delete this default text and start typing your own or paste your own from a different source.
By YESpestpros 28 Feb, 2022
Moths can be pretty pesky little things; the larvae they leave behind can quickly chew through a wide variety of substances, including your clothes, bedding, and food. In addition, many people can have adverse allergic reactions when they are in their vicinity.  While moths play an essential role in our environment, they tend to be […] The post How to Get Rid of Moths appeared first on Yes Pest Control.
By YESpestpros 15 Feb, 2022
At first glance, ticks do not appear to be dangerous. But don’t let their tiny size and small mouths fool you. These guys are voracious eaters, and the females are known to suck at least 200 times their body weight in blood. They need this feeding cycle to develop through the different stages in their […] The post What Types of Ticks are Dangerous? appeared first on Yes Pest Control.
By YESpestpros 30 Jan, 2022
Nothing can make a homeowner more proud than the exterior beauty of a perfectly landscaped yard. However, all your dedication to beautifying your outdoor space can be tainted when you have underground guests come to visit.  When you start to notice a series of small holes in your yard that seem to emerge out of […] The post How to Get Rid of Moles in Your Yard appeared first on Yes Pest Control.
By YESpestpros 15 Jan, 2022
So you’ve been noticing strange things happening in your house, and you assume that you have a rodent problem. You’ve noticed the corners of your cereal boxes appear to be chewed on. You found a hole in your couch cushions. You may have even seen a mouse or two in the house! But now you’ve […] The post Can Mouse Droppings be Harmful? appeared first on Yes Pest Control.
More Posts
Share by: