It's never a fun experience to discover a swarm of flies huddled around your living room window, but fly infestations can happen if you're not careful. Flies are more commonly encountered during the spring and summer, but flies have to go somewhere during the colder months of the year, and sometimes those places include Estero homes. There are many reasons that common flies infest homes, so it's essential to know how to deter flies and the best way to get rid of flies.
Common Flies That Infest Estero Homes
Flies can infest your Estero home at any time during the year, so knowing which ones are a threat to your household is the first step in effective fly prevention:
- Drain flies – 1/8 of an inch, dark gray to black, wings that extend out into a heart shape when resting
- Fruit flies – 1/8 of an inch, yellowish-brown with 1red eyes, has a more bulbous abdomen
- Fungus gnats – 1/16 to 1/8 of an inch, dark gray to black, much thinner abdomen
- House flies – ¼ of an inch, dark gray, distinctive stripes on the thorax
- Phorid flies – 1/8 of an inch, light gray, more rounded thorax with a thinner abdomen
- Biting midges – 1/32 of an inch, light gray, difficult to see but inflict a painful bite
There are many reasons these common types of flies infest Estero homes and properties. For fruit flies and fungus gnats, they're often brought inside with produce and new houseplants, and drain flies infest homes because of dirty drainage pipes. Biting midges don't infest homes, but they do infest surrounding properties like their mosquito relatives. House flies and phorid flies infest homes that contain a particularly strong odor of decay, though, which could be from the contents of trash cans but could also be from a nearby dead animal. Some species of flies also overwinter, which is a type of hibernation for insects.
Easy Fly Prevention Tips For Your Estero Home
With the multiple different ways flies infest Estero homes, there are also numerous ways to deter flies from invading. Prevention doesn't guarantee that flies will stay away, but preventative measures always reduce your chances of an infestation:
- Keep your lawn nicely manicured – remove leaves and yard clippings, mow regularly, trim back shrubs and tree branches, remove branches and twigs from your property
- Install tight-fitting lids on all indoor and outdoor trash cans
- Empty your trash cans regularly
- Wash all fresh produce thoroughly to remove any eggs
- Wipe down counters, dining tables, and food prep areas daily
- Sweep, mop, and vacuum regularly
- Clean up spills as soon as they occur
- Keep pantry food stored in airtight containers
- Never leave food or dirty dishes sitting out overnight
- Seal up any potential entry points around the exterior of your home, from foundation to roof
- Replace any torn screens in windows and screen doors
The Best Way To Eliminate Flies In Your Estero Home
Flies may not seem like it, but they're dangerous pests that can spread all kinds of harmful diseases. Waging war with a swarm of flies isn't an easy feat to attempt on your own, and, luckily, you don't have to. The best way to get rid of flies in your Estero home is with the help of our pest professionals at Quest Termite & Pest Services.
As a family-owned and operated company for over 20 years, we understand the importance of maintaining a safe, relaxing environment in your home. That's why we offer environmentally-friendly, low-impact pest control services that are pet and family safe, and that's also why we make sure our treatments stay affordable for every budget. We want to make sure everyone can enjoy a pest-free home without going broke, so if you need pest assistance, then get in contact with us today for more information.
