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Fly Control for Commercial Premises
What are house flies?
House flies (Musca domestica) are one of the most common pests found in homes and businesses. These small insects can quickly become a nuisance, spreading bacteria and contaminating food. House flies thrive in dirty conditions and feed on decaying matter, garbage, and animal waste. These insects reproduce quickly, making it hard to control infestations if not dealt with early.
Key characteristics
Adult house flies are small with a gray thorax with four narrow stripes and a yellow or buff-colored abdomen. Their large, reddish-brown eyes help them see movement quickly.
House flies have transparent wings with slightly pointed tips, which allows them to fly quickly, darting around in search of food. They use sponging mouthparts to feed on liquids instead of biting.
Appearance
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Adult — 3/16"-5/16" in length; thorax gray with four narrow stripes; abdomen buff or yellow; 4th wing vein bent and wing tips slightly pointed.
- Larva — White and tapers to a point at the head end. Two spiracles “spots” at the hind end. One-half an inch long when mature.
The life cycle of house flies
Female house flies lay eggs in batches of 120 to 150, and the eggs can hatch in eight hours to three days. After hatching, white, legless larvae, or maggots, begin eating the decomposing material.
The larvae take three to 60 days to grow. Then, they form a protective shell and enter the pupal stage, which lasts three to 28 days. Inside the pupa, they change into adult house flies. Once they emerge, they can reproduce within a day, causing their population to grow quickly.
Seasonal behaviors of house flies
During the summer months, house flies reproduce at a much faster rate due to warm temperatures. This often leads to large infestations in homes and businesses. In colder months, they seek shelter indoors, hiding in walls, attics, and basements to survive. Some may remain active throughout the winter, especially in heated buildings, while others enter a dormant state until temperatures rise again.
Habitat and diet of house flies
House flies thrive in dirty, moist areas and feed on rotting food, garbage, and waste.
Where do house flies live?
House flies prefer warm, moist environments with access to food and breeding sites. They are commonly found in garbage bins, dumpsters, and compost piles, where decaying organic matter provides an ideal place for egg-laying. Animal waste, such as manure from livestock or pet feces, is another common breeding ground for these flies.
House flies often gather indoors near drains, food preparation areas, and exposed trash. They can also be found near decaying plant material or in damp, dark spaces, similar to filter flies.
What do house flies eat?
House flies feed on a variety of organic substances, particularly those that are moist and decaying. They are highly attracted to rotting fruits and vegetables, sugary spills, and leftover food. Open garbage and pet waste serve as major food sources for these pests.
House flies will consume almost any organic material that is easy to liquefy. Since they cannot chew solid food, they regurgitate digestive fluids onto their food, breaking it down before sucking it up. This feeding behavior makes them highly effective at spreading bacteria and pathogens.
Habits and behavior of house flies
House flies are very active during the day and rest on walls, ceilings, and other surfaces at night. They are always searching for food, moving from one surface to another, and picking up bacteria. While they don’t bite humans or animals, their feeding habits can be a serious hygiene concern.
House flies can travel long distances from where they breed to find food, often entering homes through open doors, windows, and vents.
Managing and preventing house fly infestations
Keeping your home clean and sealing entry points can help prevent house flies from becoming a problem.
Signs of an infestation
A clear sign of a house fly infestation is the presence of multiple flies buzzing around windows, trash bins, or food areas. These insects are often seen hovering near light sources or flying in erratic patterns around a room. Another indication is the appearance of small, dark specks on walls and surfaces, which are fly feces.
How to get rid of house flies?
The best way to get rid of house flies is to keep your home clean and block their entry points. Start by reducing food attractants, such as keep trash bins covered, clean up spills, and store food in sealed containers. Flies breed in moist, dirty areas, so taking out the trash regularly and cleaning drains can stop them from laying eggs.
To keep flies out, install window screens and seal cracks around doors and windows. This prevents them from getting inside and laying eggs. If house flies are already inside, traps can help reduce their numbers. Sticky fly traps, UV light traps, manual removal like fly swatters, and cleaning up pet waste in a timely manner methods can help manage adult flies
For large or ongoing infestations, professional fly removal services may be needed. Our experts can locate breeding sites, use targeted treatments, and help prevent future infestations.
Frequently asked questions
Why are so many flies suddenly in my house?
A sudden increase in flies is often due to the presence of food sources, open garbage, or unsealed entry points. Warmer temperatures can also lead to a spike in fly activity.
What attracts house flies?
House flies are attracted to decaying organic matter, including garbage, food scraps, sugary liquids, pet waste, and compost piles.
Where do flies lay eggs in a house?
Flies lay eggs in warm, moist, decaying organic material. Common locations include garbage bins, compost piles, pet waste, and damp areas that are preferred by lesser house flies and drain flies.
Other types of flies
Learn more about other common flies found in the US, including fruit flies, lesser house flies and autumn flies and how to identify them.
Lesser house flies are small, grayish flies with darker stripes on their thorax, often found in decaying organic matter.
Autumn flies, known for clustering around windows in cooler months, invade homes seeking warmth.
Fruit flies are small, reddish-brown insects with distinctive red eyes, commonly found around overripe or decaying fruit.