Pest Prevention - Flies
Flies are excellent at spreading disease and bacteria, walking across surfaces they excrete saliva as they feed transferring bacteria from their last meal. Flies not only present a hazard to bio-security and health but they leave witness marks to their presence in small brown dots around ceilings and lights. Flies present a problem to businesses and homes.
NBC Bird and Pest Solutions, a national pest control company will deal with your fly problems and fly infestations. We have specialist staff and equipment to provide a solution tailored to your needs from a small kitchen to a landfill site or poultry unit, if you have a need to manage flies or fly populations we have the answer.
Common House Fly
Adults are 6 mm long with a wingspan of 13-15mm and the 4th vein on the wing bends sharply forward. The thorax has 4 distinct stripes.
The eggs are laid in decaying material, particularly rubbish dumps and manure heaps. Under ideal conditions it can take as little as 2 weeks to complete its life cycle. Removal and exclusion of breeding sites, such as refuse areas is essential.
Lesser House Fly
Adults are 6 mm long with 12 mm wingspan. They have a grey thorax with 3 longitudinal stripes, less pronounced than those of the Common Housefly. The base of abdomen has an extensive yellow patch. At rest, wings are folded along back; venation shows 4th vein extending straight to wing margin. They have an erratic flight pattern and are often seen flying in large numbers around indoor light fittings. The Lesser Housefly is more tolerant of cool conditions than the Common Housefly. When the eggs are laid they are about 1mm long and they hatch in 24 to 48 hours. Larval development is 8 days and they have 3 skin molts. Larvae are 6 mm when fully grown. Lifecycle from egg to adult takes about 3 weeks and they breed mainly in poultry manure.
Good hygiene is necessary to limit potential breeding sites and food sources.
Filter Flies
Adult are 2mm, wings are almond shaped and the flies are very hairy. They are frequently mistaken for small moths since the wings are held roof-like over the body when at rest. They are weak fliers and often appear to be jumping or hopping.
Filter Flies are often associated with moist, highly organic areas such as sink drains, sewage treatment facilities, storm drains, dung and rotten vegetation. Each female can produce about 100 eggs and, under optimum conditions, development can be completed in two weeks.
Fruit Flies
The adult flies are very small insects, about 3mm long. Body colour is usually a light yellow to tan colour and the abdomen is grey underneath. A common characteristic of the flies is distinctive red eyes. Female Fruit Flies lay their eggs on the surface of rotting fruit, fermenting juices, soured milk etc. Fruit Fly larvae feed on the yeast organisms and fungi growing in the fruit and vegetable materials. Through their feeding efforts, they soon turn their food into a semi-liquid mess and given their biology, they are a common pest in pubs and commercial kitchens.
Cluster Fly
At about 9mm long, the Cluster Fly is slightly larger than the common house fly. The thorax is dark olive grey, with fine golden hairs which can easily be rubbed off. There are no distinct lines or stripes behind the head and the abdomen has irregular light and dark grey areas.
The female lays eggs in the soil near the burrows of earthworms. The tiny maggots that hatch from the eggs seek out earthworms to feed upon. As cold weather progresses, adults seek protected places to spend the winter, particularly during September and October (activity can often be noted again in early spring). In many cases the flies seek shelter within walls, roof voids and attics, usually returning to the same building year after year and often favoring south facing buildings.
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