How to Get Rid of Flies in the House

Are flies pestering your customers? If they want solutions, you need to be ready with some ideas on how to get rid of flies. Your first step is to understand what these unwanted insects need to survive and flourish, and, with that knowledge, you and your customers can battle them effectively.

So... What's a Fly?

When you or your customers hear the word "fly," the common housefly probably comes to mind. These fies enter homes through holes in window screens, open doors and any unsealed cracks and crevices around a structure. Common houseflies are most commonly recognized in their adult stage. The adults have two wings and measure about 1/4" in length. They’re easily recognizable by their gray-colored, bristled bodies and round, red eyes— you may see them landing on piles of manure or garbage cans. However, houseflies are just one type of nuisance fly attracted to filth. Blow flies and flesh flies are also germ-carrying pests that can be found in homes, barns, garages and businesses. Fly larvae are called maggots, and they feed on rotting matter often found in these places.


Larvae of houseflies and other filth flies are maggots that feed on rotting matter.

Reproduction Patterns of Flies

The female housefly lays about 50 to 100 eggs at one time in organic debris. The eggs will hatch into maggots in a mere 12 hours after being deposited. These maggots will feed on the organic debris and then each will build a cocoon where it will pupate and turn into an adult housefly.

It's a good thing that houseflies can only survive for about two to three weeks at most, because during that time, a female can lay over 500 eggs. If even half of those eggs are females, and each of those females can produce 500 eggs, and so forth, it is no wonder flies are found in endless numbers!

Female blow flies live between 2 to 8 weeks, but they can lay thousands of eggs during their short life span. Eggs can hatch within 24 hours under ideal conditions. Their larvae develop inside rotting animal carcasses, causing it to take on a bloated appearance.

Female flesh flies’ eggs hatch in the female’s body. She then deposits up to hundreds of larvae inside a decaying host, such as a rotting animal carcass or on rotting meat. The larvae feed on the host for about 4 days. The adult flesh flies emerge in about two weeks, and repeat the same reproduction cycle.

Are Flies Harmful?

Common houseflies, blow flies, and flesh flies do not bite, but they do carry certain diseases. This makes it important to find natural ways to kill flies.

To understand why flies spread various diseases, take a look at their unique feeding habit. Flies land and feed on decaying organic matter that contains bacteria, and then land on your food that’s sitting unprotected on your indoor dinner table or at an outdoor picnic.

Their mouths also consist of proboscises. The proboscises are curled up under the flies’ heads while flying. A fly uncurls the proboscis to release saliva and other digestive juices onto food and to take in the juices created by doing so.

Flies also land on feces of animals and humans, garbage, rotting animals, and spoiled foods. These items can contain bacteria, fungi, and other potentially harmful germs. Flies can easily spread the bacteria and other germs when they come inside your home. Once you consume the food flies land on, the bacteria may begin to multiply and could make you sick.

To prevent yourself from contracting diseases that flies carry, it’s important to learn how to keep flies away by understanding their habitat and how to control them.

Fly's Habitat

Flies can be found throughout the world. Due to all of the organic material waste we produce, flies are attracted to our dwellings, outdoor buildings, yards, and just about any other area we humans can be found! These insects carry diseases; therefore, it is imperative that we control them and learn how to get rid of flies.

Controlling Fly Populations

Shooing flies away from your food or face, or following them around with a flyswatter can become tedious. If the flyswatter is your weapon of choice for fighting off pesky flies because you’re concerned about using chemical pesticides, there are additional natural methods to get rid of crane flies and other flies.

There are other safe and natural steps you can take to help control the fly populations and get rid of the flies in your home. This includes taking measures to make your home less attractive to flies and using organic control measures as a natural way to kill flies.

Create an Unfriendly Fly Environment

Your home can become a fly magnet if you leave food uncovered or trash bins open. Female flies may use your trash as a place to lay their eggs. To make your home less attractive to these pests, make sure your kitchen is clean by following a few tips.

If your family takes the time to follow these tips, you can greatly reduce the amount of flies in your home because you have removed their food source and breeding grounds.

If you’re having trouble with large numbers of blow flies or flesh flies in your home, look around for dead rodents or birds inside your home. Rotting carcasses can sometimes hide in basements, crawlspaces, walls, and other areas where animals may hide or take shelter inside.

Invest in Hungry Plants

If you like houseplants, consider placing some insect-eating plants in your home. These plants may also be able to control whiteflies on your indoor plants.

Venus Flytrap - Venus flytraps are a fun and attractive plant. They have two hinged leaves with large hairs along the edges. When flies or other insects land on the plant leaves, it triggers the plant’s trap to snap shut. The two halves remain closed until the fly is digested.

Venus flytraps need a frost-free area to grow with high humidity and good light. To care for them, you must keep the plant constantly moist — mist it regularly to provide additional humidity.

Pitcher Plant - Pitcher plants are carnivorous plants. Their long, trumpet-shaped leaves have a hooded top, and the plant’s nectar attracts insects. Once trapped, insects are digested by enzymes and bacteria. Pitcher plants are also easy to grow. Like the Venus fly trap, pitcher plants need good lighting, consistently wet soil, a humid atmosphere and regular misting to grow well.

Both Venus flytraps and picture plants don’t require feeding, just a little TLC. While these plants will readily help you get rid of white flies and other pests, they cannot control large fly infestations.

Natural & Organic Controls

Controlling flies in and out of your home doesn’t have to be a difficult or complicated task. There are many successful solutions that avoid using harmful chemicals so that you can safely tackle your insect problem. You can choose from a variety of different traps and place them in all the areas where you’ve noticed bothersome flies.

An indoor plug-in fly trap, such as the Dynatrap® Indoor Fly Trap, is a discreet solution to tackle flying insects. Simply insert a glue card and plug it into any indoor outlet. Flies are attracted to the trap by light. Once drawn to the device, the glue card securely traps them. The best part? Trapped insects are hidden from view on the back of the glue card, so you'll never have to see them.

Another option that uses light to lure flies onto a glue card is the Dynatrap® Indoor Insect Trap. This discreet, lightweight trap blends in with any décor and can be AC or USB powered. Just plug the trap into a wall outlet or USB port, insert a glue card in the basket, and place it anywhere in your house where flies are active.

Other indoor fly traps, such as the TERRO® Window Fly Traps or Terro® Discreet Indoor Fly Trap Plus can be used safely inside the home when directions are followed. Simply place the trap in an area you commonly see flies. Both of these traps lure and trap flies without any bait or harsh chemicals.

TERRO® Fly Magnet® Sticky Fly Paper Trap can eliminate your fly problem without the use of harmful chemicals OR bait as it uses an adhesive type of paper to trap and eliminate insects! With its portable, flexible placement, you can place traps around windows, garages, barns, and stables.

Cookies On This Site OK This site uses cookies to improve your user experience. By using this site you agree to these cookies being set. To find out more see our Privacy & Cookies Policy.
© 2022 Woodstream Corporation, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
29 E. King Street, Lancaster, PA 17602