Everything You Need To Know About Flies

Flies are a common pest in the home. They’re also known as house flies, and they are attracted to garbage and any other organic materials that give off an odor. In addition to being a nuisance, flies can spread diseases such as typhoid fever, dysentery, cholera and polio—and even the cleanest restaurant or home can have them.

Appearance

Flies have two wings that are held over their body when they fly. They have large heads with large eyes and antennae. The mouthparts of the fly are adapted for sucking liquids from plants or animals. Flies have a pair of short legs on each side of their body, which allow them to walk on smooth surfaces and climb up walls.

Habitat

Flies live in all types of homes, but prefer warm, humid areas where there is plenty of food available. Flies are often found around garbage cans or compost piles where they lay their eggs on decaying organic matter such as fruits or vegetables that have been left out in the open air for several days without refrigeration.

Diet

Flies feed on almost any kind of food including decaying fruit or vegetables; leftover scraps from kitchen counters; spilled liquids like coffee grounds or tea bags; dead insects caught in spider webs or stuck on windowsills. They also love to snack on cheese and meat products.

How to Get Rid of Flies

The best way to get rid of flies is to keep them from entering your home and breeding in the first place. Here are some tips from our experts on how to do just that:

Keep garbage cans clean and covered. Flies love the odor of garbage and waste, so make sure to keep your garbage cans covered and sealed at all times. For particularly bad smells, try sprinkling baking soda or vinegar into the bottom of the trash can before you put a new bag in it.

Make sure your kitchen is clean at all times. If you spill something on your counter or floor, make sure you clean it up right away. Flies will be attracted to any food residue you leave behind — even if you don’t notice it.

Don’t let your dog or cat eat outside. Flies love pet feces, so keep their food bowls indoors and clean up after them if they go outside in your yard.

If you have fruit trees in your yard, pick up fallen fruit regularly so that flies don’t have a chance to breed there.