It’s not a secret that all kinds of pests love our homes, especially flying insects. There is an abundance of food, and places to hide and shelter from the weather outside. While our homes may look like a great place for bugs to live, most people don’t like seeing them flying or crawling around.
So, let’s look at the top 4 ways to get rid of flies in the house, along with some other useful tips that will keep your home bug-free for longer.
So, if you are ready to deal with different pests, keep on reading, and let’s get started.
Finding flying bugs buzzing around your home can be annoying and downright gross. Getting rid of these unwelcome guests, however, doesn’t have to be difficult With some detective work and the right products, you can safely and effectively kill common flying insects in your house
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk through the key steps for exterminating airborne pests in your living space
Identify the Culprits
To kill flying bugs, you first need to know what you’re up against Here are some of the most common flying bugs found indoors
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Fruit flies – Tiny flies usually 1/8 to 1/4 inch long. They are attracted to ripe or rotting fruit and vegetables, as well as drains and trash cans.
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Drain flies – Resemble small moths, around 1/5 inch long. They breed in drains, sewers and other moist areas that contain organic matter.
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Gnats – Long, thin flying insects with a large wingspan compared to their tiny bodies. They are attracted to decaying organic material.
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House flies – The most prevalent fly species indoors. They are known for rapid, erratic flight patterns and love to feed on garbage and animal feces.
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Moths – Most active at night and attracted to clothing and fabrics. Clothes moths and pantry moths are common home-invading species.
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Mosquitoes – Distinctive long, piercing mouthparts. While some fly indoors, most are outside pests.
Take note of when and where you see the flying insects to help identify them. Check around potential breeding sites like sinks, produce bowls and trash cans.
Locate the Infestation Sites
Once you know what type of bug you’re dealing with, try to find their main infestation sites. This allows you to concentrate your extermination efforts in the proper areas.
Fruit flies and drain flies will congregate near moist areas like sinks, showers, garbage disposals, and rotting produce. Clothes moths live in closets and feed on natural fabrics. Pantry moths infest stored foods like grains, flour, and cereals.
Use a flashlight to inspect cracks and crevices around potential breeding areas. Look for groups of stationary flies which may indicate major infestation sites.
Remove Food Sources
Eliminating access to food and breeding sources is crucial for killing flying bugs in your home. This step will starve the existing ones and discourage new ones from moving in.
Be diligent about cleaning dishes, taking out trash, and sealing food containers. Store dry goods like flour, cereals and pet food in airtight containers. Keep counters and floors free of crumbs and spills.
Promptly remove ripe or overripe produce. Don’t allow wet debris to accumulate in drains or garbage disposals. Eliminate standing water in leak-prone areas.
For clothes moths, regularly wash or dry clean susceptible items. Store woolens sealed in plastic bags with cedar chips or lavender.
Use Insecticide Sprays
Insecticide sprays provide rapid knockdown of adult flying insects. They’re useful for reducing populations around infestation sites.
Look for ready-to-use, all-natural sprays like those containing essential oils such as peppermint, lemongrass and rosemary. They effectively kill flying bugs without harsh chemical fumes.
Make sure to follow label directions carefully when applying insecticidal sprays, especially around food surfaces. Target known congregation areas and potential entry points like windows and doors.
Limit spraying to spot treatments rather than broad applications. This minimizes exposure for people and pets in the home.
Set Out Traps
Traps provide ongoing control by capturing flying bugs as they emerge. They’re great supplementary tools when used along with insecticide sprays.
For fruit flies, a simple vinegar trap works well. Just fill a small bowl with apple cider vinegar, add a drop of dish soap to break surface tension, and cover with plastic wrap secured by a rubber band with a few small holes poked in top.
There are also ready-made fruit fly traps that contain formulated attractants. These are mess-free and typically reusable.
Sticky traps like fly paper capture all types of flying insects. For drain and fungus gnats, hang strips near moist breeding areas. Some brands also include attractants.
Keep Them From Returning
To prevent future fly infestations, make your home as unappealing as possible to flying insects. This involves maintaining cleanliness, sealing entry points, and using repellents.
Keep window screens in good repair. Add weatherstripping around doors and windowsills. Seal cracks and small holes with caulk. Make sure screens fit tightly over drains and vents.
Use fans near doors and windows to deter flying insects. Grow natural repellent plants like basil, mint and lavender in pots near entrances.
Clean drains thoroughly and consider using a microbial drain cleaner regularly to eliminate organic buildup. Keep trash areas clean and empty garbage frequently.
Follow these steps to safely, effectively and affordably kill common flying pests in your house. With diligence and the right products, you can knock down existing infestations and help ensure buzz-free living all year long.
Most Common Insects in Your Home
It’s time to talk about some other bugs you might find before we learn how to get rid of flies. Not all bugs like living in our homes, but the ones that do tend to get really good at eating our food and are good at hiding.
So, here are a few bugs you might see around your home:
- House flies
- Bed bugs
- Roaches
- Silverfish
- Fruit flies
- Ants
- Fungus gnats
Next, this article should be mostly about flying bugs because they are very common and have their own unique ways of getting rid of them. So, house flies, fruit flies, and fungus gnats all like living in our homes. They usually come in because of food scraps and safe places to stay.
There are many kinds of flies and other flying insects, and some of them can be very harmful to people and pets.
You would be surprised at how many illnesses and health problems they can cause, even with the common and easy-to-spot house fly. They land on various filthy surfaces and thus carry pathogens, bacteria, and viruses on their feet.
As they often land on edible items in your kitchen you can easily get infected with E. coli, dysentery, cholera, typhoid fever, get severe eye infections, or food poisoning. It might look like small flies in the house are just annoying and not dangerous, but they are actually one of the worst pests you can have.
So, we’re discovering the best ways to kill flies and any flying bugs you might encounter.
How to Keep Your Home Bug-Free
Once you kill flies in your home you might be wondering if it’s possible to prevent future infestations. It’s hard to get rid of flies because their strength is in numbers, but there are a few things you can do to keep them out of your home in the first place.
Your kitchen will most likely be the first place all the bugs are attracted to. There are often food sources, leftovers, and dishes they love to explore. Bugs will be less likely to come into your home if you clean your kitchen, counters, sink, and trash can.
Once your kitchen is clean you should focus more on the rest of the house. Not only should you check the plants and soil, but you should also check for the bugs we talked about, like fungus gnats.
Your garden is where most of the pests in your home come from, so you should also keep it clean. Clear the unnecessary bushes and keep the garbage cans away from the home. Getting some glue traps to put in your garden is also a good idea. That way, you can catch all the bugs before they come inside.
All the food in your home can possibly attract unwanted pests.
This is why you should keep food in containers that seal tightly and get rid of any leftovers right away. Some bugs will even eat pet food, so don’t forget to pack it very tightly.
Some plants like lavender and bay leaf serve as great repellants for many bugs. Plant some around your house and garden to keep bugs away and hide the smells that come from your home.
It might be common sense, but many people forget about the open doors and windows during summer. Bugs can get in through small holes and cracks, but you should make it as hard as possible for them to get in.
Natural smells that can work on flies include mint, lavender, eucalyptus, cinnamon, basil, and others. Even though these smells might help keep bugs away, remember that you will need more tools, tips, and tricks to be completely bug-free.
Glue traps for flies that are strong and waterproof are the best way to get rid of flies outside. You can enjoy a hot day outside with these traps, and they will catch all the flies before they get inside.
If you come home to a lot of different kinds of flies, it could mean that there are pests nearby and that the flies are coming from the same nest. In this case, it’s best to get professional help right away and get rid of the source of the problem.
How To Deal With Fruit Flies And Drain Flies
How do I get rid of flying insects in my home?
Here’s how to get rid of flying insects in your home including flies, mosquitoes, gnats, moths and wasps – using an homemade trap, handy tips, natural repellents and more. Find out how to get rid of flying insects in your home using these fail-safe methods such as natural remedies and prevention tactics.
What are some home remedies and tips for bed bugs?
For bed bags you should disinfect the entire room or house. Wash the bedding very well and consult a specialist, it may be necessary to take more measures.
Are flying bugs hard to get rid of?
Flying insects are among the hardest bugs to get rid of in your home, because they can easily gain access through open windows and doors, and even the smallest cracks, but are less easily caught than the ground-loving varieties.
How do you get rid of bugs in a house?
Place electric bug zappers on the exterior of your home, outside of doorways, porches, or terraces, to kill any bugs waiting for their chance to enter your house. Fly swatters: It may seem old school, but swatters are handy for killing the occasional fly lingering too long on a table or wall.
