Houseflies are a nuisance when they invade your home. Unfortunately, these are the flies that are most likely to bug you. While swatting at flies is a good temporary solution, there are more effective strategies to get rid of these pests. We’ve gathered information about houseflies to help you keep them out of your home.
What Attracts Houseflies?
Houseflies are attracted to several things in your home and yard. They hang out in areas where they can find something to eat and a place to breed. Houseflies lay eggs in moist and decaying organic material. Garbage, yard debris, and pet droppings can attract them. These flies are also attracted to your food and drinks, so crumbs and spills can make your home inviting. Moisture can also lure houseflies to your home.
How Long Do Houseflies Live?
The average lifespan for a housefly is between 15-30 days. Conditions, like access to food, water, and warmth, can affect their lifespan. During their life, flies will complete four stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult.
How Fast Do Houseflies Reproduce?
Houseflies reproduce quickly. During their lifetime, female houseflies can lay several batches of eggs. Each batch can contain between 75-150 eggs. In warm weather, eggs can hatch in as little as 12-24 hours. When eggs hatch, white maggots emerge and feed on rotting food and other organic material around them. Flies will stay in the larval stage for several days.
After the larval stage, flies enter the pupal stage. They find a secluded, dark place and remain in an inactive state while the fly develops. This stage typically lasts for a few days before flies are fully developed. Female houseflies will begin breeding a few days after emerging from the cocoon.
How to Get Rid of Houseflies
If you’re dealing with houseflies, there are a few things you can do to get rid of them. Check out a few tips to help keep houseflies from bugging you.
- Eliminate Food Sources: Removing food sources will help you to avoid attracting houseflies. Clean up any crumbs or spills as soon as they happen. Don’t leave dirty dishes in the sink, especially if they have food residue. Make sure your trash cans have sealed lids, and remove trash regularly. It’s best to pick up your pet’s food bowl if they aren’t eating.
- Minimize Moisture: Flies are attracted to moisture in homes and yards. Minimizing excess moisture can help to prevent fly problems. You’ll want to repair or replace leaky pipes. If there are damp areas in your home, try using a fan or dehumidifier to keep things dry. Avoid having standing water in your yard.
- Clean Up After Pets: Houseflies are attracted to pet droppings. Keep litter boxes clean and regularly clean up after your pets in your yard. It’s best to make this a daily chore. This will eliminate potential breeding spots and help to keep houseflies away.
- Seal Entry Points: Houseflies like to sneak inside through open windows and doors, but there are other ways they can enter your home. Check for and repair any torn window or door screens. Look for cracks or gaps and seal any you find. Carefully inspect the weather stripping around your doors and adjust or replace as needed.
- Plant Fly-Repelling Plants: Many bugs have an aversion to the fragrances of certain plants. Flies are known to dislike lavender, mint, lemongrass, and basil. Keeping these plants around your kitchen and garden can help to deter fly activity.
- Use a Plant-Based Insecticide Spray: For spot treating flies, you can use a plant-based insecticide spray. Our Flying Insect Killer is formulated with plant essential oils. It effectively kills pests on contact and provides residual repellency.
Having houseflies buzzing around your home isn’t any fun. Fly-proofing your house and using pest control products can help to keep these pests away. If pests have invaded your home, we’re here to help! For a more environmentally and family-friendly solution, check out our Maggie’s Farm Simply Effective™ Pest Control products.