Open doors and windows are the most obvious place to start when considering how a fly infestation began. Check all windows and doors for openings in the screens or under the door. Seal up those places. Drain flies in the house often get inside through gaps around utility pipes.
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.
Conditions that attract flies in and around homes include: Garbage cans left uncovered. Animal carcasses in the walls, attics, or elsewhere. Manure or pet feces around yards.
Through Cracks and Crevices
You may not think much about cracks or open spaces in the window sills or walls, but flies and other bugs will jump at the opportunity to make their way through these little spaces. They can also find their way in through the vents in your home!
Cinnamon – use cinnamon as an air freshner, as flies hate the smell! Lavender, eucalyptus, peppermint and lemongrass essential oils – Not only will spraying these oils around the house create a beautiful aroma, but they will also deter those pesky flies too.
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.
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.
Fungus Gnats: If the flies are small, black, and flying around windows or potted plants; then they are probably fungus gnats. These flies are the most common small fly in houses. They are small, delicate black flies that are weak flyers and often collect at windows.
Check under sinks in the kitchen and bathroom, especially around garbage. Consider investing in dehumidifiers for particularly humid areas of your home. Clean up and prevent any other sources of excess moisture, too. No matter how small it may seem, flies can and will use it.
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.
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.
Drain flies, also known as sewer flies, filter flies, moth flies or sink flies, look similar to the average house fly as they are very small – about an eighth of an inch – and black/brown. They also have a unique vein pattern in their wings, which are covered in tiny hairs. They leave a powdery smudge when crushed.
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.
Flies are more active during the day, but they can be a pest at nighttime as well when they're looking for someplace to sleep. Indoors, houseflies live on floors, walls, and ceilings.
So, what is a junk fly? Flies that really don't look like anything in the natural environment that are tied with synthetic materials like beads, rubber, mop material and chenille.
Filth flies, such as the house fly, blow flies and flesh flies, are relatively small, soft-bodied insects with large eyes. They are strong fliers. Other filth flies, e.g., drain flies, fruit flies and phorid flies, are smaller with more delicate bodies and legs.
House flies, for example, can spread diseases such as food poisoning and dysentery. Flies, including stable flies and mosquitoes (which are also classified as flies, or Diptera), can inflict painful bites while feeding on the blood of humans and other animals, and some species transmit disease.
The fly lays its eggs on the ground or on bedding or clothing that is laid on the ground to dry and once hatched the larva seek the warm skin of humans which they penetrate rapidly.
The likely breeding sites for house fly larvae indoors include animal carcasses, large numbers of dead insects, rotting meat or produce, and pet feces (see Sources for House Flies Inside a Home). I know of a case where a meat delivery for a home freezer was left as usual on the customer's workbench in the basement.
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.
Create a fly and wasp repellent.
This DIY pest repellant should be a staple in the Southern home. Pour equal parts water and Pine-Sol in a spray bottle to spritz on outdoor furniture, the deck, and indoor areas where flies are most likely to flock to, such as kitchen countertops.
Eucalyptus oil is a good option, but you can also use lavender, citrus, pine, clove, peppermint, and thyme essential oils. Most flies hate these scents, so the oils will act as a fly repellent.
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.
As with most flies, the most noticeable sign of drain flies are the adults. They typically are seen resting on the walls in bathrooms or near the breeding materials. Larvae also may be observed wriggling in the breeding material.