You may be under the impression that a fly is a fly, but this is not true. There are actually many many different species of flies that can invade your home for numerous reasons. Knowing exactly what species you have buzzing around your home can help you to understand their habits and help to eliminate them from your home sooner than later.
Two species that are often found invading homes and are commonly confused with each other are the cluster fly and the house fly. Both are nuisance pests and can transmit diseases to you and your family. Because of this the experts at Thomas Pest Services want to help you understand the differences between these two, how to prevent them from choosing your home, and what to do if they do decide to invade your home.
At first glance cluster flies look very similar to house flies but upon closer inspection you will notice that they are actually slightly larger and darker in color. Cluster flies have irregular light and dark areas on their abdomen and short gold colored hairs on their thorax. Another distinctive characteristic of cluster flies is their slow movement, they move much slower than house flies and other fly species.
Cluster flies also transfer less disease and bacteria to humans than house flies because they don’t lay their eggs in our food sources, they lay them near earthworm burrows. Cluster flies enter into homes in the late summer or fall months in order to find a place to hibernate, often choosing attic spaces and wall cavities to overwinter in.
House flies, as their name suggests are very common to have flying around your home, they will enter to search for food and water sources. They are gray in color and have distinct black vertical lines on the top of their bodies. An interesting fact about house flies is that they are only able to ingest liquids and therefore constantly salivate and need a source of water.
House flies are a bit more dangerous to have in your home as they spread large amounts of dangerous diseases. This is because they continuously land and feed on excrement and garbage. This is why even though they don’t seem like that big of a deal to have in your home they should be eliminated as quickly as possible to protect your family’s health!
While it can be difficult to completely stop these pesky pests from getting into your home, there are some things as a home owner that you can do to help limit their presence.
Prevention tips from the experts at Thomas for both cluster and house flies include:
Storing exterior garbage cans away from the exterior of your home; making sure that they have a tight fitting lid.
Caulking gaps found around exterior windows and doors; repair cracks in your home’s exterior walls.
Fixing or replacing screen windows that are ripped or torn.
Fixing any leaky faucets or pipes found in your home.
Sealing cracks and crevices in your roof line; repairing or replacing loose or missing roof shingles.
So, if you have flies, either cluster or house flying around your home what do you do? The best way to identify the species and quickly and safely eliminate them from your home is with the help of an expert.
Professional pest control experts will be able to provide effective treatment methods to eliminate flies and other common household insects from your home. They will also be able to provide routine services to prevent future problems! Don’t let flies become an overwhelming nuisance in your home, get help today!