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.
Mix together 1/2 cup of salt, 1/2 cup baking soda and 1 cup of vinegar. Pour the mixture down the drain. Let sit overnight, then flush the drain with hot water in the morning. This should kill all flies and the organic material they've been feeding on.
Identifying the Source
For the plastic cup method, lightly coat the inside of the cup with vegetable oil or petroleum jelly then invert the cup over a drain where you suspect flies may live. Leave the cup in place for several days, but check it daily.
The best way to get rid of drain flies is by eliminating their breeding grounds. Get rid of organic matter in your drains using DIY homemade solutions or store-bought products.
Nine times out of ten, a drain fly problem will go away on its own. Once you get rid of the drain flies that you see, start flushing toilets and running the water in your sinks. This eliminates the standing water in which they dwell.
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.
IT STARTS WITH MAGGOTS IN YOUR DRAINS!
It's the larvae or maggots of these flies that live inside the drains, feeding on the gelatinous goo that forms on the inside of the pipes.
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).
They reproduce in polluted, shallow water or highly moist organic solids where they feed on decaying organic material in mud, moss or water. In homes, the adult flies are most likely found on the walls of the bathrooms, kitchens, basements and other locations where sewer drains and plumbing fixtures are located.
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.
A cup of household bleach is generally more than sufficient to kill most drain flies, and all you need to do is pour it down the affected drain.
One possible sign of an undetected mold problem in your home or office could be the presence of Phorid flies, sewer flies or some other gnats or bugs.
To make an all-natural drain fly trap, fill a bowl with apple cider vinegar and cover it with plastic wrap. Punch small holes in the wrapping. The vinegar's smell will attract the drain flies, and the wrap will trap them inside the bowl. Another option is to mix a few drops of dish soap with a cup of vinegar.
These flies will breed in any moist area that they can find. So if you are facing a drain fly infestation that you cannot figure it out, you may want to look deeper for the cause. The problem could be from a leaking pipe or drain under the sink or even a leaking pipe inside of your walls.
Mix 1/2 cup salt, 1/2 cup baking soda and 1 cup of vinegar and then pour the mixture down the drain, leaving it overnight. In the morning, pour boiling hot water down the drain.
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.
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.
Your kitchen sink and garbage disposal is paradise for drain flies. Their ideal breeding environment is wet, humid, and laced with food waste to feed on. Your first course of action to deal with drain flies is prevention. Don't throw anything down your garbage disposal that will cause build-up.
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.
Drain flies breed in the buildup in pipes. While it is less common for them to appear in a toilet, it could be they are entering the bathroom through a faulty seal between the toilet and sewer flange. This might indicate they are breeding lower down in the pipe and flying upwards.
These pests are a nuisance because they infest in large numbers. Once inside, drain flies may plug pipes and spread bacteria from the filth they live in, possibly contaminating food in the process. These pests, even though they live in filth, are not known to spread any disease to humans.
Behavior: Drain flies are most active at night. They are weak flyers that make short hopping flights of a few feet when they are disturbed. Drain flies rest on surfaces with their wings held over their back like a roof. You'll usually find a drain fly close to its breeding ground.
Some species hold the wings out to the side, which gives them a moth-like appearance—hence the name "moth fly." They are weak fliers and make irregular, hesitating flights covering only a few feet in short, jerky lines. Eggs are tiny, brown or cream-colored and are laid in irregular masses of 10 to 200.
Many people associate the control of drain flies and bleach. The idea that pouring bleach down the drain gets rid of drain flies is actually a common misconception since doing so rarely helps get rid of these insects.