Although we may think we know when we see pests in our home, some have become so commonplace in homes, that we don’t even realize they are, in fact, pests. One such pest, that we face here in Allen, is the common house fly. As their name may suggest, common house flies are common in homes. So much so, that we often don’t pay them much mind unless they’re directly bothering us. Unfortunately, this also means we don’t take precautions against the hazards that house flies bring with them. The truth is, even though they are common, house flies can be dangerous pests to have around your Allen home. You need to know the prevention techniques you can rely upon to keep your house free of house flies.
What Do House Flies Look Like?
House flies have small ovular, slightly-hairy bodies that are typically dark gray in color with black stripes on their thoraxes. They also have antennae and a single pair of translucent wings. House flies have compound red eyes that consist of thousands of lenses which allows them to see a wider view than most other animals.
Although house flies can live outside, they will make their way into our homes if they find an opening somewhere. Once inside, they can make their way into any room, but will frequently travel to kitchens or any other areas that they might find food. When it comes to eating, house flies are not capable of swallowing solid food. However, they will eat solids by regurgitating the food back up and sucking it up with their tube-like mouthparts.
Are House Flies Dangerous?
Because they are such a common occurrence in our lives, many folks do not think house flies are dangerous. However, this is a common misconception as house flies can spread more than 100 different harmful pathogens. House flies often live in unsanitary locations and frequently feed on trash, animal feces, and other decaying substances where they can pick up harmful pathogens on their legs, mouthparts, and bodies. They can then spread those contaminants to the surfaces in our homes including onto any food that they land upon. Additionally, house flies are constantly defecating, so they can contaminate surfaces as well. Some diseases that house flies have been known to spread include salmonellosis, typhoid fever, cholera, and tuberculosis.
How To Keep House Flies Out Of Your Home?
In order to keep house flies from entering your home, you should remove any factors that might attract them inside. Furthermore, you should also try to seal off any potential entry point. In order to achieve these, you should:
- Store food in airtight containers.
- Wipe up spills and crumbs from countertops and floors immediately.
- Take out the trash regularly.
- Store trash in bins with tight-fitting lids.
- Pick up your pet’s feces from the yard and dispose of it properly.
- Install screens in windows and exterior doors.
- Be sure all current screens are free of tears and holes.
- Install weatherstripping around windows and exterior doors.
For More Advice & Assistance
If you have any further questions about house fly prevention for your Allen home, or if you require assistance in getting house flies out, the professionals here at Adams Exterminating Company would be happy to help.
Here at Adams Exterminating Company, we know what it takes, not only to eliminate pests from a home but to keep them from returning, as well. That’s why we offer a selection of ongoing pest treatment plans that you can count on to keep pests out of your home all year long.
House flies may be common, but that doesn’t mean they need to be regular visitors to your home. Give us a call today, and let us help you keep your Allen home house-fly-free.