How You May Be Underestimating House Flies In Your Jacksonville Home

We all know about this pest. It comes by the dozen and is always an annoyance you’d rather do without. They land on your food during barbecues and buzz around your head while you're trying to prepare a meal. What pest are we referring to? We’re referring to none other than the common housefly. This pest is a small ¼ inch long insect that is marked by a dark gray or black body featuring four black stripes along its back.

This pest is so common that most people underestimate the impact they have on people when they invade their home. It’s helpful that they have extremely short lifespans. Unfortunately, they reproduce so quickly it’s hard to notice this benefit. For this reason alone, it’s worth understanding a little more about this pest so you don’t write them off as simply a nuisance.

Why Houseflies Are Troublesome

Let’s get the good news out of the way first. Flies don’t bite at all. They’re actually unable to bite anything, including humans, so that’s one concern eliminated immediately. However, their real threat lies in their habits and behaviors. Flies like to dig through trash and other waste including feces. Considering how far they will fly to hunt food, this can be concerning. The two major problems houseflies cause are:

• Disease: Due to their feeding habits, they pick up pathogens left and right that are easily transmitted to people. It’s been reported that cases of salmonella, tuberculosis, and typhoid have developed from interactions with flies.

• Food contamination: Houseflies love to get into your food and have no problem making themselves at home while doing so. This results in easy food contamination that should never be ignored. This contamination makes people sick and reduces food supplies since the left behind food would need to be thrown out.

Houseflies are an annoyance for sure, but they’re much worse than that, which is why it’s recommended to consider professional fly prevention services if you’re suffering a housefly infestation.

Housefly Prevention

At this point, it may seem like there’s no hope, but the truth is there are steps you can take to better your housefly prevention efforts starting today. We’ve taken the time to collect the best tips to accomplish this task and included them below. Follow these tips for a fly-free home:

• Seal the home: Flies end up making it through anything that has an opening. They don’t need a wide-open door, although that certainly helps them. The best thing you can do is to seal up as many access points as possible. This means double-checking your screens and filling any holes or cracks along the perimeter.

• Consider your pet area: Most pet owners will leave the food and water dishes full so their pet can eat and drink as desired. While this effectively spoils your beloved pet, it also spoils the houseflies. This pest isn’t picky and will gladly eat your pup’s water and food. In addition to keeping the dishes empty when not in use, be sure to thoroughly clean and wipe down the bowls regularly.

• Don’t neglect the trash: Make sure to take the trash out regularly. The receptacle should be kept far away from the house to limit the number of flies present nearby. In addition, make sure the trash bags are tied shut and the lids are securely closed to maximize your protection. Every so often, it’s a good idea to clean the trashcan and lid to account for left behind residue.

 Housefly Elimination With Lindsey Pest Services

When it comes to houseflies, the best thing to do is to take the steps necessary to prevent them from invading the home. Sometimes, that’s just not a possibility. That’s why we proudly offer housefly elimination services in addition to our other services. We’ve served the Jacksonville area for over 60 years thanks to our commitment to delivering results that put the control back in your hands.
 
Are you ready for housefly prevention services? Then give us a call to speak with one of our agents about our professional pest control options or fill out our online form to schedule your free inspection.