How Are Flies Getting in the House? Things to Check For
Not all flies take the same route into the house. Most flies are attracted to lights and warm air gusts that carry them indoors. Some flies are attracted to fruit while others appear in the house.
Flies are annoying and can even carry disease. Most homes see flies in the summer although some insects survive winters in warm homes.
Flies get into homes to attract light, warmth, or food. They enter homes through cracks or open windows. Some flies are carried indoors by pets. Other flies appear on rotting food and decaying organic matter as well as on garbage.
Flies can get in the house through the smallest openings or even appear in the house, especially on carcasses of rodents, rotting meat, garbage, or in dirty drains.
6 ways flies get into the house
Flies are common in almost all homes. They can live even in the cleanest homes but certain factors are known to facilitate a higher number of indoor flies.
1. Look for cracks in walls
Cracks in walls are among the most common entry points to the house for various flies. These cracks can be very small. They can be smaller than 0.5 inches in diameter and flies might still get through.
Cracks in walls are very common in old homes or homes that need maintenance. Silicone caulk is used to fill these cracks.
Some cracks in walls are actual gaps. Construction gaps in areas such as the attic are known to be entry points for flies.
Most flies are attracted to the warm currents that come through these cracks which means they know there’s a warm place on the other side of the wall.
Which flies get indoors through cracks in walls?
Almost all types of flies can get indoors through wall cracks. The Common house fly is the typical species that goes in and out through these cracks. Blow flies and Cluster flies also make the most of cracks in walls.
Cluster flies are very good at picking up warm gusts of air from cracks in walls. Almost all flies remain inside if they can find food and a warm place indoors without leaving the house.
2. Close the windows
Open windows are an invitation for flies. Leaving windows open during the day invites flies and insects inside. Open windows in the evening are even more problematic as flies are also attracted to indoor light.
Multiple types of insects can fly in the house whenever windows are open both during the day and at night.
One common solution against these flies is to install window mesh screens. Another option is to refrain from opening the windows in the evening since almost all flies are attracted to artificial light.
Types of flies that get in the house through windows
Almost all flies make it indoors through open windows and spaces around windows that don’t properly shut.
The Common house fly, Hore flies, Cluster flies, Flesh flies, Fruit flies, and deer flies are just a few types of flies known for taking advantage of open windows.
A combination of warm air and possible strong food odors is known to attract more flies. Rotting meat and rotting fruits are known to attract a large number of flies over a short period.
3. Look for dirty drains
Flies can sometimes appear in the drains and move on to the rest of the house. These flies are known for their preference for high humidity and decaying organic matter. Most of these flies can be eliminated by frequently cleaning the drains.
Types of flies that appear in drains
Drain flies are some of the most difficult flies to eliminate as many don’t know where they come from. These flies are native to tropical regions of high humidity. They maintain preferences for high humidity environments around the world as they lay eggs in drains.
Drain fly larvae start to feed on decaying organic matter in the drains, mainly rotting food. These flies then move around the house and start to reproduce in multiple drains such as the kitchen sink or the bathroom drain.
Drain flies are nocturnal and correctly identifying their source is difficult. As they only come out at night, the number of these flies can seem reduced at first. A single female drain fly can lay anywhere between 30 and 100 eggs at once which means they have high reproductive rates and easily take over the house.
4. Check the food
Food is one of the main reasons flies get inside of the house. They can get indoors looking for food that’s already there or they can make their way into the house by the food you bring in from the store.
The biggest problem with flies attracted to food is that they spread diseases. You can reduce their numbers by always storing food in sealed containers. You also need to inspect the food you bring into the house.
Fruit flies are known for their preference for overripe fruit. Buying overripe fruit is known to increase the risk of bringing these flies into the house.
Types of flies attracted to food
Common house flies are the most prevalent species attracted to food. You can find these flies are interested in almost all types of food, including decaying food. Fruits and meats are among the favorite of the Common house fly.
This group of flies is also attracted to other organic matter such as feces. These feces could come from pets but they can also come from pests such as cockroaches and rats. Almost all flies that are attracted to decaying food in the house are also attracted to feces.
Some of these flies also lay eggs in decaying food. Such flies cannot be eliminated without first eliminating the food that attracts them in the house.
5. Inspect the garbage can
Garbage in the house and next to the house is one of the most common ways of attracting flies. Decaying food and other types of organic materials are known to attract a large number of flies that multiply rapidly by laying eggs directly in the garbage.
Types of flies that appear in the garbage
Maggots are known to thrive in the garbage. These are the larvae of various flies which grow and feed on the food found in the garbage. The larvae soon become adult flies or gnats and they can move into the house easily.
Dirty garbage cans next to the house are the easiest for flies to access. Dirty trash cans in the house also attract flies to lay eggs.
Not all flies lay eggs in the garbage as some prefer to lay eggs in fruits or on the ground, such as in the case of Cluster flies. However, most flies are attracted to decaying foods found in the garbage. Drink sweet spills are also known to attract these flies that can move and multiply rapidly.
6. Look for flies following pets
Pets can carry various flies indoors as well. While most flies aren’t attracted to pets, biting flies are known to be a considerable problem animal can carry indoors.
There are multiple types of biting flies pets can bring into the house. Most of them are female and in need of a blood meal to reproduce.
Biting flies can feed on the blood of animals and humans, which means they can quickly become a considerable problem for home residents. Biting flies can also eat food around the house and only resort to biting whenever they need a protein-rich meal to lay eggs.
Types of flies pets bring in the house
Deer flies, Horse flies, and Black flies are all carried indoors by pets or people. These flies follow mammals around hoping to bite them and eat a large blood meal. Biting flies always lay more eggs as blood is nutrient-rich.
Pets carrying these flies in the house normally get them outdoors either from other pets or from animals around the house. Poultry and cattle are among the main sources of flies that follow pets in the house.
How can I tell where flies are coming from?
The easiest way to tell where flies in the house are coming from is by following them or observing their flight patterns.
You know flies are coming from the drains if you see them flying in and out of the drains all the time. Flies can also be coming from the garage outside of the house whenever you see them hovering over garbage cans all the time.
Other flies might be making their way into the house through cracks in walls or open windows. You know flies that enter your homes at night are attracted to lights.
Understanding where these flies are coming from is the first step toward getting rid of them. You need to check rotting foods, dirty drains, cracks and crevices, garbage cans, and lights that might be attracting insects to your house. Pets might be attracting flies that bite as well. Most flies can be kept away if food, lights, and cracks are dealt with rapidly.
