Any clog or buildup is attractive to drain flies. Some of the common things found in drains they particularly enjoy are: Hair: Hair can clog your drains and cause bacterial buildup, which attracts drain flies find quite appealing.
Remove the hair catcher or filter from an affected shower drain and clean it out thoroughly, removing all the hair tangled inside it. The key in destroying the drain fly's breeding ground is removing all hair, grime, and debris that the flies might lay their eggs in. Moisten the drain, if necessary.
Once the eggs hatch and become larvae, they need to feed, so they feed on contaminated water, food crumbs, hair, toilet waste, dead skin cells, and bacteria inside drains.
o They are attracted to the heat of the warm body, to sweat and salt, and the more the person sweats the more flies they attract. o Flies feed on dead cells and open wounds. o Oil is an important food for flies. Oily hair is an attractant.
Drain flies are attracted to small amounts of stagnant water they find in plumbing pipes, sinks or other drainage areas. The flies feed on tiny amounts of bacteria, algae and sewage, so you can find them gathering around kitchen and outdoor sinks, shower and bathtub drains, basement sinks, sewers and septic tanks.
What Causes Drain Flies? Drain flies thrive in stagnant and standing water. Common sources include slow or clogged drains, rarely used and unused toilets, refrigerator drain pans, and standing water created by leaking pipes. They typically enter buildings through basements, windows, and drains.
Essential oils are sometimes used to keep flies away from infested sections and also to kill them. Lavender, eucalyptus, peppermint, lemongrass, and citronella are just a few of the scents that insects despise (with lavender probably being the most effective).
Oily hair is an attractant. Less hairy skin gives the fly spaces to vomit. Some body-odours are more attractive to flies than others.
Hair heavily coated with fecal matter also becomes an inviting place for flies to lay eggs. The maggots feed on the organic matter, start to abrade the skin and then start to feed on live tissue.
Flies may also be attracted to earwax, a cut or wound, or the scent of an infection. The dog will scratch at the fly bites, aggravating the irritation and perhaps drawing blood, which only attracts more flies.
If you have a drain that frequently goes days or weeks without use, close it up with a stopper so that drain flies cannot find a home there in the meantime. Outside of your drains, keep an eye out for standing water in other areas in and around your home.
Once you've wiped out their breeding ground, the adults will eventually disappear because there is nowhere left for them to deposit their eggs.
The larval stage of drain flies lasts up to 24 days, while the pupal stage lasts between 1 and 2 days at most. The larvae feed on bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms that develop in the breeding medium in drains, standing water, and even sewage treatment beds.
One common remedy for killing drain flies is using household bleach. This is a very useful and cost-effective manner for getting rid of these little pests with an item you already have around the house.
Do Drain Flies Die in Winter. Most fly species cannot survive outside temperatures below 32°F (0°C). They die unless they find a warm and conducive place to overwinter, such as your home. Drain flies are one of the few insects that can tolerate cold weather conditions.
Often mistaken for fruit flies, drain flies tend to hover around sinks, bathtubs, showers, refrigerator drain pans or anywhere there is stagnant, standing water. They are ⅙ to ⅕ long, light gray or tan with two wings, have six legs and look like tiny moths. They enter homes through drains, windows or the basement.
No, drain flies (Psychodinae) do not lay eggs in humans. They are not parasitic, and the human body is an inhospitable environment for them. Their close relatives, sand flies, are not as friendly, but these are not going to be invading your home in most regions.
During that time, she has made some shocking discoveries – many of which challenge information considered common forensic knowledge. For example, human semen, particularly dried semen, happens to be a favorite of flies.
As black flies are attracted to sweet smells and CO2, avoid using products with strong fragrances like perfume, aftershave, soap, shampoo, and hair spray. If possible, try to keep from overexerting yourself, as it will cause you to breathe heavier and produce more CO2.
When it comes to breeding, large flies need a substantial amount of decaying organic matter to be successful. The odors created by these breeding sources are usually very strong, putrid smells – decaying animal carcasses, rotting organic materials, etc. Most often, these breeding sources will be outdoors.
They do not bite, sting, or spread diseases, but their decaying bodies may cause allergic reactions. They can also spread bacteria from trash, decaying vegetables and fruits. Drain flies breed in areas that are moist and have a lot of organic remains, including: Sinks.
For effective drain fly treatment, use three products: Forid Drain Gel Cleaner, Gentrol IGR Aerosol, and Pyrid. Forid is an organic microbial grease degrader that breaks down organic material and waste, which will eliminate their food sources and their breeding grounds.
Baking Soda, Boiling Water & Vinegar
The pour half a cup of bicarb soda down the sink as well, followed by a half cup of white vinegar. Let it settle for a few minutes then poor some more boiling water down the drain. Follows these steps every few days until the drain flies have completely disappeared.