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Anderson Fly Control

Flies in the house are more than just annoying - they're a health hazard. More than a hundred pathogens are associated with the house fly, including Salmonella, Staphylococcus, E. coli and Shigella. These pathogens can cause disease in humans and animals, including: typhoid fever, cholera, bacillary dysentery, hepatitis, ophthalmia, polio, tuberculosis and infantile diarrhea.

The most common flies people see in their homes are the common house fly, fruit flies, drain flies, and blow flies. See Pest Identification for more information about these common household pests.

Fly Facts:

• The life expectancy of a fly is from eight days to two months, or in some cases, up to a year, depending on the species.
• There are more than 16,000 species of flies in North America.
• Flies are found in every part of the world except the polar ice caps.
• One pair of flies can produce more than 1 million offspring in as little as six to eight weeks.
• Flies are one of the most efficient carriers of disease because they move quickly from rotting, disease-laden garbage to exposed human foods and utensils.
• Flies have only two wings, which means they need to land often, enabling them to deposit thousands of bacteria each time they land.
• According to sources at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, flies contaminate or destroy $10 billion worth of agricultural products each year.
• For every fly that you see, there are as many as 20 that you don't. If you think you have an infestation, it's probably worse than you suspect.

House Fly Control

The three basic principles of house fly control are sanitation, exclusion and non-chemical measures. Sanitation will provide the best long-term control, followed by exclusion and non-chemical measures, which provide shorter-term management.

Sanitation: Flies can't breed in large numbers if food sources are limited. Don't allow materials such as manure, garbage or other decaying organic matter to accumulate. Keep trash cans clean and tightly covered. If garbage becomes infested with maggots, dispose of it immediately.

Exclusion: Flies can be kept outside of homes by the use of window and door screens. Make sure screens are tight fitting and without holes. Keep doors closed, making sure there are no openings at the top or bottom. Check for openings around water or gas pipes or electrical conduits that feed into the building. Caulk or plug any openings. Ventilation holes should be screened, as they can serve as entryways for flies as well.

Non-chemical Measures: The use of devices such as ultraviolet-light traps, sticky fly traps, fly swatters, and baited fly traps can eliminate many flies inside a home, but the fly swatter is the most economical control method for the occasional fly.

But remember - a fly infestation is a serious problem requiring a professional solution. Call Anderson at the first sign of fly trouble and we'll "fly" right over to investigate the problem.

Fly Control Tips

Flies that are attracted to the outside your facility are more likely to move inside. Here are some tips to help control the presence of flies around your business:

• Clean drains where food and water can collect.
• Install good weather-stripping on all edges of doors and windows
• Clean and maintain outside garbage areas and keep trash in plastic bags.
• Keep trash as far from the house as possible to keep flies away.
• Install screens on all windows and self-closing devices on doors.
• Keep doors and windows closed whenever possible.
• When flies get to be a problem, call Anderson!

For year-round protection from 40 flying and crawling insects, bees, wasps and rodents - peace-of-mind that's guaranteed all 365 days a year - and just pennies a day - you should strongly consider our Natural Choice™ Home Prevention. For a complete list of pests covered by Natural Choice™ Home Prevention, click here.