Flies are not only nuisance pests, they are also responsible for transmitting diseases and contaminating food. Sanitation and preventative measures are the best practices to preventing flies, along with having screens on windows and keeping doors closed. Keeping trash bins away from building, entry points and having trash removed regularly will aide in this effort as well. We use products and devices in combination with these preventative measures to achieve satisfactory results for our customers.

APPEARANCE 

Shiny, metallic blue or green; 1/4″ to 3/8″.

HABITAT 

Bottle flies are one of the first insects to reach a dead animal, and the sudden appearance of dozens of them within a building signals a dead rodent, bird or other animal in the wall, ceiling, attic or crawl space. They breed in garbage containers, dumpsters and decaying vegetative matter. They are attracted to buildings by food odors and also warm or cool air currents coming through cracks around doors and windows.

DIET 

Like all flies, bottle flies feed on a variety of food materials but prefer fermenting or decaying organic matter.

BOTTLE FLY CONTROL 

Fly control is challenging because their larval sites must be located and eliminated for success, and these sites may be some distance from where the adults are a nuisance. Throw trash away in trash cans in plastic bags, and locate trash receptacles as far from the building as possible. Keep doors and windows closed unless they are equipped with a tight-fitting screen. While a dead animal behind a wall or in a crawl space is not always easily found, if you suspect a dead animal it must be removed to avoid attracting these flies.

APPEARANCE 

Adult crane flies, which do not bite or sting, resemble large mosquitoes with very long legs are grey to brown in color, with thin, smoky wings and extremely long legs. Crane flies may be mistaken at times for mosquitos, but they are significantly larger and never feed on blood. The body is long and thin measuring between 5/8" to 1".

HABITAT 

Crane flies are typically associated with moist vegetative habitats. Crane fly larvae can be found in moist soil feeding on decomposing vegetation and various plant roots. Some species may be found in streams feeding on small aquatic insects, invertebrates, and any decaying plant life found near the surface.

DIET 

Adult crane flies do not feed, the larvae are the only feeding forms. They feed on roots of grasses and decaying organic matter. The food sources for the larvae remain abundant due to the regions the insects inhabit.

CRANE FLY CONTROL 

An insecticide application will kill the crane fly larvae in your turf. There are several products available labeled to control crane fly larvae, in liquid or granular formulas, that can be applied to your turf.

APPEARANCE 

Tan brown with red eyes; 1/8″ in size.

HABITAT 

Fruit flies are attracted to freshly decaying, moist organic matter, like fruits and vegetables. Once indoors, fruit flies can find and exploit other potential breeding sites such as poorly maintained trash containers, recycling bins, mop heads, garbage disposals, etc. They may also be found breeding in dumpsters outside and flying into the building through doorways. Because of their small size, many species are able to penetrate ordinary screens.

DIET 

Ripened fruit or vegetables, or any other fermenting products.

FRUIT FLY CONTROL 

The key to controlling fruit flies is finding the breeding sites and removing them by cleaning thoroughly. Some breeding sites will be obvious, like ripened fruit, while others, such as food kicked under the stove, may be easily overlooked. The inspection needs to focus on finding all sites where moist organic matter has accumulated and then removing that matter completely. Fruit flies only live a few days, but will breed rapidly if conditions are ideal. Maintaining sanitation and storing food in the refrigerator will greatly reduce populations.

APPEARANCE 

Tiny flies ranging from 1 mm to 1/4″ in length; black or brown, with a humped back, very long thin legs, and wings.

HABITAT 

Rotting logs and similar fungi- and mold-laden settings are ideal places for gnats to breed in nature. Indoors, they are attracted to the soil in potted plants. When plants are over watered, molds in the soil provide a breeding medium for gnats. Gnats are not dangerous to humans, but most people find them annoying.

DIET 

Molds and fungi that thrive in damp areas.

FUNGUS GNAT CONTROL 

The key to controlling gnats is finding the breeding sites and then drying them out sufficiently to stop the growth of the molds in which gnats breed. The top inch of soil in potted plants should be turned over several times a day to dry it out. Plants should be watered only when necessary and their soil should be well-drained. Wet wood and areas that have suffered leaks should be replaced and/or allowed to dry thoroughly.

APPEARANCE

Usually gray, with four black stripes on their backs; less than 1/4″ in size.

HABITAT

As their name implies, house flies are the most common type found in homes. They lay their eggs in almost any warm, moist material that will supply suitable food for the larvae. House flies excrete and regurgitate whenever they come to rest. This habit, combined with their many body hairs and the sticky pads on their legs, makes them well adapted for transporting disease organisms.

DIET

Wide variety of food, including human food, animal food and carcasses, garbage and excrement.

HOUSE FLY CONTROL

To minimize problems with flies, eliminate their breeding sites by throwing away trash in plastic bags. Let trash cans dry out, and keep them as far from your home as possible. Regularly pick up pet waste. For commercial establishments, professional cleaning of dumpsters and nearby areas may be necessary. Equip all doors and windows with tight-fitting screens, and apply weather-stripping to the edges of all doors and windows; flies can squeeze through amazingly small cracks.

APPEARANCE

Adult Phorid flies, also called humpbacked or scuttle flies, are relatively small and only reach between .5 to 5.5 mm in length. Color includes a blend of yellow, brown and black. May appear similar to fruit flies but the most distinguishing characteristic is the color of their eyes, fruit flies being noticeably bright red on their head.

HABITAT

Phorid flies target the drain pipes for breeding sites inside residence areas because of the moisture and presence of decaying organic material upon which they feed. It is also around these areas that the females lay their eggs so as to allow the larvae, upon hatching, to sustain them and reach adulthood. Other areas include garbage receptacles, cracks near kitchen equipment and septic system equipment.

DIET

Some species feed on fungi, while others are parasites of various insects.

PHORID FLY CONTROL

Sanitation is the key for preventing the development of a phorid fly population, and this includes constant inspection and sanitation of the likely development sites, especially water pipes. Pouring bleach down a drain on a regular basis will not prevent nor effectively treat an infestation because it does not remove the actual breeding material, the biological film that collects inside the drain, nor the larvae inside that material.

Residual products are not normally necessary. Instead, a drain agent that is capable of breaking apart the biological growth and thereby removing the breeding ground is most preferable. In the meantime, to redress the adult problem, an assortment of fly traps, including insect light traps and glue traps, can prove effective.