When spring arrives, many bugs begin to emerge from their winter hiding spots, including flies. Several fly species can be active in spring, causing problems in your home. Knowing what to expect from these pests will make it easier to prepare for their arrival. We’ve gathered information about flies to help you prevent and control an infestation this spring.
Common Types of Flies in Spring
Knowing what pest you’re up against is the first step to controlling an infestation. We’ve made a list of the most common flies that you could find in your home in spring.
Houseflies
Houseflies thrive in warm temperatures and are active throughout spring and summer. These bugs head indoors looking for food and water. During the day, you can find them near trash bins or resting on walls. Houseflies breed on trash and decaying matter and can reproduce quickly. They have a gray body and can reach about 1/4" in length. These pests have black stripes on their thorax. Like other fly species, houseflies have a pair of large red eyes.
Fruit Flies
Fruit flies start to become active in early spring. Females begin looking for protein so that they can produce eggs. As these eggs hatch and the flies develop, you will start seeing more flies buzzing around. You will often spot fruit flies hanging out near produce since they lay eggs under the skin of fruit and vegetables. Fruit flies are about 1/8" in length and have a tan body. Most fruit flies have red eyes, but some can have darker eyes.
Cluster Flies
Cluster flies are known as an overwintering pest. They congregate on the outside of homes in fall before making their way inside and settling down for winter in attics and wall voids. When temperatures increase in spring, these flies will start to become active. They leave their hiding spots and try to head back outside, causing them to be seen near doors and windows. Cluster flies have a gray body with a black checkered pattern. They are about 3/8" and have golden hairs on their thorax.
How to Prevent Flies in the Spring
To keep flies from invading your space, there are a few steps you’ll want to take. Check out a few tips to help keep pesky flies out of your home this spring.
- Seal Entry Points: Flies sneak into homes through small openings. Sealing cracks with caulk and repairing loose seals can help to keep them out. Make sure your screens don’t have any tears. Avoid leaving your doors and windows open if they don’t have screens.
- Remove Food Sources: Removing potential food sources is a great way to prevent a fly problem. Flies will only stick around if they can find something to eat. Clean up crumbs, spills, and food residue. Regularly take out your trash. Don’t leave food, especially overripe produce, on your counters. Wash the dishes after your meals instead of leaving them in the sink overnight.
- Reduce Moisture: Water in your home can also attract flies. Check for and repair leaks and other plumbing issues such as clogged drains. Wipe down counters and floors to remove excess moisture. Empty mop buckets and avoid leaving damp mops in your home.
- Spray Away Cluster Flies: In fall, cluster flies will gather on the exterior of homes before moving indoors. If you spot them hanging out on your house, you can use a garden hose to knock them off, deterring them from getting into your home.
- Create a Protective Barrier: Our plant-based insecticide sprays provide contact kill and residual repellency protection. Spraying the perimeter of your home and yard with our Yard Bug Spray can help to prevent fly activity. The repellent properties will act as a barrier, helping to keep flies away. You can also spray common entry points with our Home Bug Spray to prevent flies from entering.
How to Get Rid of Flies in the Spring
If you’re dealing with a fly problem, our plant-based insecticides can help. To kill flies in your home, you can spray them with our Flying Insect Killer or our Home Bug Spray. Not only does it kill flies, it also has repellent properties. You can also place a Garbage Refresh Deodorizer & Insect Control block in your trash can to help kill and repel flies. Our Drain & Fruit Fly Killer can be used to treat drains infested with fruit flies. You can also put a standard sprayer top on the bottle to spray areas where flies are likely to be found including trash cans. Our Fruit Fly Traps can be used to help control fruit flies too. The traps can be placed on counters, near sinks, and garbage areas.
Flies may become active in spring, but that doesn’t mean you need to share your home with them. Being prepared for their arrival will help you to prevent and control an infestation. If flies or other pests are bugging you, we want to help! Check out our Maggie’s Farm Simply Effective™ Pest Control products.