Unlike wasps and bugs, flies are not known to elicit screams from women. This doesn’t mean they are any less harmful, in fact they probably are more hazardous than their fellow stingy cousins. Flies have been a nuisance insect for thousands of years.
5 Facts about Flies
- On average, there are at least 120, 000 species of flies worldwide with about 18,000 species being found in North America. Quite a number of these North American flies call Indiana their home. A typical female fly can lay up to 600 eggs in their short lifespan which averages about 21 days.
- Because they neither have teeth nor stingers, flies ingest food like a sponge. This means they can only eat food that is liquid or soggy. They have the capacity to turn many types of solid foods into soggy stuff by vomiting on it. They then use their straw-like tongue to suck up the food.
- Flies occupy different types of habitats. There are those that live in grassy places, others live on shores, many dwell in garbage cans, House flies tend to live within 2 miles of where they were born. However, they have been known to travel up to 20 miles in search of food.
- Flies have been known to be carriers of communicable diseases and pathogens that they pick from decomposing matter. Flies have been known to carry more than 100 different kinds of disease-causing germs and pathogens. They are known to transmit the eggs of parasitic worms.
- There are a number of ways you can go about keeping flies away from your home. First, keep your home clean since they tend to be attracted to open sewers, garbage cans, and decomposing foods. Remove trash regularly and seal your garbage. Clean up pet waste and put fine mesh on your doors and windows
What Types Of Flies Are In Central-Indiana?
- Fruit-Fly – These species are mostly found on fermenting residues and decomposing fruits around orchards, breweries and vegetable plots. They grow to 3mm in length and have bright red eyes. They develop to adulthood between 7-30 days and an adult life ranging from 2-9 weeks. They breed in rotten fruits and unclean drains.
- House-Fly. This species is a major carrier of diseases. They can live in all types of premises and grow to about 6mm in length. They have complex compound eyes and lays their eggs in batches of 120-150. These eggs hatch in between 8-72hrs. They can infest fences, walls, plants and rubbish heaps. They prefer to rest close to food sources during the night.
- Fermentation-Fly. They are yellow-brown flies with bright red eyes. They are known to lay up to 500 eggs and can mature to adulthood in 7 days. The adults live for about 14 days. They breed n unclean drains, cleaning utensils and any rotting organism. The larvae feed on yeast in rotting vegetables and fruits.
- Flesh-Fly. They tend to be about 9 mm long and have light gray thorax and abdomen. They have a lifespan of between 2-4 weeks. The female deposits live larva onto a feeding medium like fecal matter where it stays for a few days before moving to a drier part where it pupates.
- Cluster-Fly. This species lives in undisturbed parts of a home like dark corners, wall voids, and attics. They love warmer places and grow to about 8mm in length. They have a dark gray thorax and tend to be sluggish in flight. They lay their eggs in early autumn and late summer. They develop into adulthood between 27-39 days.
What Are The Health Risks Of Flies To Your Family And Pets?
Leaving your food open and unattended attracts flies into your kitchen. Flies will settle on the food and may lay eggs. They may also deposit pathogens and germs like E. Coli onto your food which carries the risk of food poisoning. This is usually the primary and most direct threat carried by flies around your home.
Besides food poisoning, flies can also transmit disease through carrying germs as well as pathogens. One of the health risks is that they can lead to salmonella infection. Some of the symptoms of salmonella infection include diarrhea, fever, vomiting, and abdominal cramps. This could be life threatening if not attended to.
Flies are also a cause of Shigellosis. This infection is also known as bacillary dysentery. Its symptoms range from mild abdominal discomfort to full-blown dysentery. The patient will experience abdominal cramps and diarrhea. It could also lead to dehydration. This is one of the most common communicable diseases spread by flies around your home.
Cryptosporidium Protozoa is one of the most prevalent pathogens transmitted by house flies. It is known to cause gastrointestinal illness with diarrhea in humans. The house flies are also known to transmit bacteria resistant to a number of antibiotics.
Flies use their feet to carry the eggs and cysts of various roundworms and flatworms. One of the major infections brought by flies is Myiasis, which is the infestation of human tissue with their larvae. This is often by eating food contaminated with maggots.
What Kind Of Damage Can Flies Do To Your Property And Home?
You have to make fly treatment a priority, otherwise, flies can make it difficult for you to rest and relax in your home. Flies can become a nuisance around the home and make the home feel inhabitable. As one of the premier pest control firms around the city, we have witnessed homes become virtually inhabitable.
Flies can render the food in your pantry or refrigerator in-consumable and contaminated. House flies are known to carry up to 100 different infections. This is the biggest risk that flies pose around your home. They can mess your food and significantly raise your food budget.
While flies bother adults and children alike, pets tend to be the biggest victims of a fly infestation. Flies are a nuisance to pets where the animal becomes irritated and stressed out.
Certain flies, especially fruit flies, tend to go after your fruits and can easily destroy them. There are certain types of flies that can destroy your plants and fruits in your gardens once they begin to bud. If you don’t effect fly treatment they will either mess your yield or lead them to dry up before they can bear fruits.
Very few flies are known to bite. Most of them simply contaminate foods and are irritating to have around. However, horseflies are known to have a razor-like mouth that can slash your skin by interlocking like scissors.
Most local residents have to deal with the flies’ menace at some point during the year. The easiest option is to call upon fly pest control services. We are always on call and ready to attend to any client within Central Indiana.