House Flies

​What are house flies?

House flies are common pests that are found living and breeding throughout Kansas, Oklahoma and Missouri. They pose significant health threats to people, and a plan should be in place to keep them out of commercial facilities.

House Flies are dull gray in color. The have oval-shaped, fairly hair bodies. House flies have a single pair of wings and compound eyes which provide them with a wide range of vision. They have two distinct, velvety stripes on their faces, and their thorax has four narrow stripes running down it. House flies have specialized spongy mouthparts that they use for feeding on liquids. Their greasy-appearing larvae are eyeless, legless, taper from rear to head, and have a cream coloration.

Are house flies dangerous?

House flies are considered dangerous pests. They are capable of carrying and spreading many different pathogens that can make people ill. Before finding their way into your commercial facility, these flies were landing, feeding, and laying their eggs in trash, decaying organic materials, and animal excrement. During their day-to-day activities they pick up many different pathogens, including Salmonella, that they can spread to people. 
  
It is also important to realize that house flies only feed on liquids. In order to feed on solids, they regurgitate their stomach contents onto the surfaces of food to break it down into a liquid. They then use their sponging mouthparts to suck up the liquid. This process, along with the fact that they are constantly defecating, make them pests that quickly contaminate surfaces and food wherever they go. 
  
House flies not only pose significant danger to customer and employees, but can also damage the reputation of your business. No one will want to conduct business in an establishment where they are constantly swatting away annoying, disease-spreading house flies.

Why do I have a house fly problem?

House flies are drawn to commercial properties that provide easy access to food, water, and breeding sources. Animal feces, garbage, compost piles, leaky outdoor fixtures, outdoor eating areas, and clogged gutters all attract house flies. Once on your property, they will find their way inside your facility to forage for more food sources. House flies enter facilities through open windows and doors, through torn screens, spaces in its foundation or exterior walls, through vents, and through spaces found around utilities entering your commercial building from its exterior walls.

Where will I find house flies?

Outside 
Outside, house flies can be found swarming around feeding and breeding sites. They are often problematic around dumpsters, outdoor trash cans, outdoor eating areas, in fields where animals are kept, in garden areas, and around compost piles. They are active during the day and rest at night, positioning themselves close to their found food source. 
  
Inside 
Inside, house flies become challenging in areas where there is food, such as kitchens, pantry areas, and break rooms. House flies can become a problem in any commercial facility, but especially so in grocery stores, restaurants, and food processing facilities.

How do I get rid of house flies?

The best way to prevent and eliminate house flies from your Kansas business is to partner with a pest control professional. At Pinnacle Solutions, we specialize in providing customer-focused, commercial pest control services to protect a wide variety of facilities and industries from house flies. To learn more about the fly control services we offer, contact us! 
  
Our team of experienced professionals utilize advanced treatments and eco-friendly products to accurately identify the fly species you're dealing with, and provide consistent treatment to solve your property’s fly problem for good. Learn more about our fly control services and how they can help protect your Kansas City-area commercial property from fly invasions and the problems they cause. Reach out to us at Pinnacle Solutions for more information!

How can I prevent house flies in the future?

Preventing problems with house flies can be a difficult task. There are several things you can do in and around your commercial facility to keep them from damaging your business and its reputation:

• Move trash cans to a cool, dry area where garbage will decompose more slowly.
• Empty and clean garbage cans, bins, and dumpsters with a disinfectant solution.
• Maintain outdoor eating areas.
• Inside, be sure to dispose of food waste and garbage in a timely manner.
• Keep delivery doors closed when not in use.
• Store food in the refrigerator or in air-tight containers.
• Frequently wipe down counter tops.
• Keep drains and garbage disposals clean.