What Attracts Flies

What Attracts Flies

What attracts flies inside the house? How can you prevent that?

As we welcome summer, we are reminded of weekend getaways, BBQs, and many other outdoor activities. But with summer, we also notice the rise in the insect population. One of such insects who love to crash a party are flies. What attracts flies into your home and gatherings are several different factors. To prevent flies, one should make note of what makes their home attractive and take action to change that.

Adult common fly
Adult common fly. By Vinayaraj – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, 

Not only are they insanely unhygienic creatures but they also go about spreading diseases like dysentery, food poisoning, typhoid, cholera and more with their tiny, filthy limbs. Flies are the most common household pests and they thrive in hot and humid climates. Flies are capable of surviving off of almost anything. They will continue to create their colony of families unless taken care of right away.

Let’s find out what attracts flies:

  • Rotten/ Damaged food remnants

Like other species of insect population who are attracted to filth, flies are extremely attracted to rotting foods and any other food for that matter. If you’ve recently taken out your trash which consisted of rotten food or meat, you would find your garbage disposal bins swarming with flies in just a matter of a few hours. Consequently, these insects would carry bacteria around their limbs and spread bacteria-infecting diseases all around your house. In order to avoid that, make sure to properly dispose of your food remaining from the previous night and other such food products.

garbage can
Keep the lid on your garbage can to avoid flies and the diseases that they transmit.
  • Foul drainage system

If the drainage system around your house isn’t properly cleaned and looked after, flies are going to gather in those areas and breed. Since flies are drawn towards filth and dirty spaces, open drains and sewers form their perfect dwelling spot. They will start expanding their colonies in such areas and regions.

  • Heat and moisture

Houseflies live happily in heat generated and moisture loaded atmospheres. Summers bring out an infinite amount of flies and although you cannot control the temperatures outside, you can regulate the temperature inside your house. Keeping the house cool and dry will not only prevent flies but also make your home unattractive to similar insects.

rain water flowing on rooftop
Hot and humid places attract flies.

Now that we have an idea about what attracts flies, let’s find out some of the ways in which we can prevent their entry into our abode.

Preventing Flies in the Home

  • Prevention is better than Cure

Being the horrid creatures that they are, flies are extremely attracted to unsanitary regions. In fact, almost all kinds of repulsive insects prefer trash and garbage and such conditions invite the other species of disgusting creatures. Keeping your surroundings tidy and sanitized will not only avoid the admittance of flies but will also prevent against other insect species.

  • Knowing your enemy

There are around 120,000 species of known flies with plenty of other undiscovered species of flies. While you are devising a plan to keep your house free from this nuisance, you might as well do a little research about the types of flies and what preventive techniques are used to remove them.

  • Find the breeding areas

Identifying the correct source of breeding for these flies and removing it is the most important thing to do when experiencing a fly infestation.

Flies breed rapidly and unless identified sooner, their population will exceed out of control. Due to this, you must find the breeding origin of these insects and follow an appropriate and thorough cleaning process so as to curb the breeding.

  • Generous use of disinfectants

Cleaning your house with disinfectants will create somewhat of a protective barrier all over the house. Especially houses with the presence of children, use of disinfectants are a must-do to keep your surroundings bacteria-free and also harbor a sanctified environment for your children. Flies are easily repelled by the smell and actions of disinfectants thereby preventing their existence.

Fly Exterminator
Fly Exterminator
  • Insect repelling sprays

Insect repelling sprays are the most popularly used methods of eradicating the existence of flies from your home. There are plenty of products which can be used around the house to prevent the entry or re-entry of flies into your home. They make sure to stop the rampant presence of flies in your home. While you are spraying around the house, make sure to keep away from children and food items. Most of these sprays contain insecticides which help eradicate the pests.

  • Soap sprays

The most underrated fly preventive technique is the usage of soap water spray across your house. Like most insects, flies breathe through their exoskeleton, essentially meaning that they breathe through their skin. Soap water sprays create a layer over their bodies thereby cutting their means of respiration and ultimately killing them. This is an inexpensive yet effective way of preventing flies from causing you trouble.

  • Use of natural insect repellents

In case you are apprehensive about using sprays containing harmful chemicals and insecticides, you can formulate your own natural insect repellents. These will guarantee the equal measure of remedy as the sprays but will take longer to take action. Using lemongrass oil works wonders as an insect repellent. All you have to do is add a small amount of the oil in a hot water pan and bring it to a simmer and pour it into the spraying can. Spread it evenly across the house and use it generously in the pest-infected region for maximum benefit.

  • Light Traps

The most commonly recommended fly control techniques are the insect light traps. These devices are commonly used in buildings as a means of preventing flies inside the common areas. Insect light traps are installed with highly effective UV bulbs. The bulbs attract the flies and trap them inside the canister-holding the lights. This is a popular device being used in offices and other such places.

  • Usage of IGRs

IGRs, or Insect Growth Regulators, are one of the most organic ways to treat a fly infestation. It is widely accepted by many people. Essentially, IGRs moderate with the life cycle of flies and tamper with their hormones thereby destroying their ability to reach their full maturity and curbing their rapid growth rate. Once they are unable to reach their adult stage, they fail to reproduce which subsequently satisfies your purpose.

A single fly can lay up to 500 eggs, so imagine the extent to which these creatures expand and add generations to their family. Make sure to use every possible avenue to restrain the presence of flies in your house. Keeping the house clean should be your number one goal for any pest prevention. Then, always take away what’s attractive to flies and you shouldn’t have to worry about them. Flies are an insect Earth can’t live without, but they don’t belong in our homes.


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