3 Types of Flies and Why They’re a Threat to Your Home

Flies are one of the most common pests around the world, with more than 120,000 types of flies globally. And while they may have extremely short life spans, they’re able to produce abnormally fast and create a problem if you’re not careful.

But they’re more than just a familiar nuisance. They also carry diseases that can be detrimental to your health.

Monitor Pest Control understands the importance of properly eliminating flies from your home, and how dangerous they can be if precautions aren’t taken. There are three common species of flies that love to congregate around and inside your home. We’ll show you how to identify them, what risks they present, and how you can ensure they never take over your home.

#1: House Fly

It’s safe to say that the house fly lives up to its name, as it’s the most common type of fly you’ll find in your home. Their slightly hairy bodies are usually gray in color, and have four black stripes on their thorax. Their eggs hatch into larvae, which are also known as maggots. They can multiply like crazy, and you’ll typically find them near the garbage can, or by the kitchen sink.

Due to the health threats that they pose, you must take care of them immediately. They carry over 100 different pathogens which include salmonellosis, typhoid and tuberculosis. They also defecate more than most pests, which also produces unhealthy bacteria.

#2 Fruit Fly

Fruit flies are all over the United States, and can reproduce at a rapid pace, just like the house fly. Their lifespan lasts around 25 to 30 days, so while they may not live very long, they can do quite a bit of damage in a short amount of time.

They’re 3 to 4mm long and brown or tan in color. Most of the time they’ll have red eyes, but they’re also known to have darker eyes. They love rotting food, especially fruits or vegetables, and fermenting liquids such as beer, wine and liquor. Dark and moist environments are their favorite hiding spots.

They’re an important pest to watch out for, because they’re capable of contaminating your food and transmit diseases and harmful bacteria if the food is eaten.

#3 Horse Fly

Just like the house and fruit fly, horse flies are also appropriately named, as they prefer to hang around horses and various other mammals. They’re commonly found in both suburban and rural areas and near large bodies of water, and can fly up to 30 miles. They mostly attack moving and dark objects, and can be found on paths, roads, and wooded areas waiting to find a host.

Horse flies have a gray or blackish body and are 10 to 30mm long, which is substantially larger than house flies and fruit flies. You’ll usually see them with a lighter shade of color on their wings, but there are some species of the horse fly that have very dark wings.

While they aren’t known for carrying diseases or harmful bacteria, their bites are very painful and they can cause allergic reactions, which could be quite dangerous for some. They do not stop biting until the host produces blood or is killed. Persistence and pain is the name of their game.

What You Can Do

Do you have a fly problem in your home? Monitor Pest Control would love to assist you. We’re a 5-star rated pest control company that proudly serves the Atlanta metro area, and we have years of experience with treating flies and various other pests.

Give us a call at 404-848-1508 for a free consultation!