Intrusively buzzing flies in the house are a frequent and very unpleasant occurrence. They irritate with their chaotic movements, sit on food, and spread dirt and bacteria.
In order to protect your home from arrogant insects, first of all you need to understand where they came from in the apartment and what attracted them.
What attracts flies to our homes?
The smell of food and warmth are the main reasons that attract flies into homes. Insects have a unique sense of smell; they sense odors from afar, so they fly to apartments where they can profit from something. Flies can be attracted by:
- rotting vegetables, berries, fruits;
- spoiled meat, fish;
- waste in the trash can;
- leftover food on the table, dirty dishes;
- dirty, wet dish sponges;
- stale food in a pet's bowl;
- Stagnant water in trays from under indoor plants.
Flies in food
Also, a factor in the appearance of flies can be the pet’s bedding, which has not been changed for a long time. In the bedding of hamsters and guinea pigs, excrement and food debris accumulate, the smell of which is attractive to flies.
Thick, black, sleepy flies: who are they?
Firstly, it is worth knowing that we are not talking about small midges, which can sometimes be found circling over fruits - these are small fruit flies , which will not be difficult to deal with. They are quite harmless and are attracted only by leftover food. As soon as you remove or cover the fruits on the table, the circling small fry will immediately disappear.
Leftover food serves as an excellent breeding ground for small midges.
More annoying and even dangerous are relatives of fruit flies - thick, black and very annoying flies. Ubiquitous, they can buzz in your ear for hours, irritating all family members. In addition, they are also dangerous: their paws are covered with small villi, which collect a huge number of all kinds of harmful bacteria.
There are about 75 thousand flies in the world. Some of them are very dangerous, like the famous Tsetse fly, others bite unpleasantly, while others are completely harmless creatures.
The inhabitant of houses and apartments is most often the housefly. It is she who, as a rule, bothers us in the summer and autumn. An insect of this species does not bite and is not blood-sucking, but is dangerous only as a carrier of various diseases . Interestingly, the life cycle of a housefly is quite short: these insects live only 8-20 days.
Flies are very annoying insects
In addition, you can find a thick carrion fly in the house. It can be distinguished by its bright shiny green body color.
Where do flies come from in an apartment?
The question of where flies come from worries many clean housewives, especially since insects often appear even indoors. There are only two options:
- the fly flew in on its own;
- the insect, eggs or larvae were brought by someone who visited the apartment.
In the first case, insects enter the apartment through open windows, doors, ventilation systems, sewers, cracks in window frames, door frames or walls.
Flies can appear after fruits or vegetables, flowers, or soil contaminated with eggs are brought into the house. Eggs or larvae can stick to outdoor shoes or get on your pet's clothing or fur during a walk.
in spring
Many summer residents, making their first test forays outside the city in the spring, are perplexed as to where the flies came from in a house locked for the winter. Most often, the cause of insects is eggs or larvae that were laid in the fall and overwintered somewhere in the bowels of the house. With the arrival of spring, the temperature began to rise, the development of insects resumed, and now the owners of the dacha are greeted by several young flies with the discordant buzzing.
Another explanation for the fact that flies appeared in a house or apartment in the spring is that they spent the winter in a secluded place, and now they have woken up. This option is also possible - the early spring was very warm and a new generation of flies was born, then the cold returned and the insects entered warm human habitation in search of warmth.
In summer
Where flies come from in the house in the summer is clear to everyone. It is during the warm season that insects are most active. There is simply an infestation of flies in houses and apartments. Most often they fly into rooms through windows that are open for ventilation. Residents of houses whose windows overlook garbage dumps and garbage cans suffer the most.
But even with the windows closed, getting into the room is not a problem for flies. Any small opening for her is a hospitably open gate. And if we are talking about a wooden house, in which there are always cracks and cracks, then insects penetrate there with ease. There are always more flies in the country. After all, nearby there is a plot with flowers, fruit trees, beds, compost heaps, often cesspools or street toilets.
In addition, buildings for keeping animals are often located next to private houses. In cowsheds, chicken coops, and pigsties there are always a lot of flies that periodically fly into the house.
In the house
You can even bring flies with a bouquet of wild or garden flowers, and eggs or larvae can be found on vegetables and fruits collected from the garden or purchased at the market.
in autumn
In autumn, the appearance of flies in the apartment does not stop. With the onset of cold weather, insects gather in groups and look for a warm place to winter. They climb into cracks, hide between window panes, and find other hard-to-reach places where they hibernate.
In a country house in the fall, there are sometimes even more flies than in the summer. Perhaps this impression is due to the fact that autumn flies are more lethargic, slower and catch your eye more often.
in winter
Flies can unexpectedly appear in the house in winter. Of course, they don't fly in from the street. Most often, this is a fly that accidentally woke up and was affected by too high a temperature in the room. Or perhaps the insects' hiding place was discovered and they were disturbed. Another option is that flies entered from the basement of the house through the sewage system or ventilation. You can bring larvae or eggs, for example, with purchased low-quality soil for indoor plants or with stale food.
Fly trap
Traps are considered not the most effective method, but they are very popular in the country. At the same time, you can clearly see how many flies were caught. The point of the trap is the bait, which does not let go of the fly after it has succumbed to temptation. Making them yourself is very easy and simple. Let's take a closer look.
Trap in a jar
Not only cans become a trap; ordinary plastic bottles are also used. Liquid is poured into the bottom of any container, which attracts flies. The entrance to the bait should be transparent and narrow. Once a fly has flown in, it will no longer be able to get out. Since her vision does not allow her to see and fly around transparent obstacles.
For the jar trap you will need a jar and cling film. Pour bait onto the bottom, stretch the film on top and make several holes in it. Ready.
It's about the same story with the bottle trap. Cut off the top of the bottle and turn it upside down. At the bottom, of course, there is already a liquid that is pleasant for flies. Ready.
The bait will be apple cider vinegar, water with sugar or honey, jam. A slightly rotten piece of meat or fresh, which will begin to act the next day.
Sticky traps
Everyone knows this trap. It is a tape with sticky bait applied to it. Apply a thick sweet composition, for example, sugar syrup or a mixture of liquid rosin, castor oil and a drop of jam, onto ribbons of thick paper.
Insect repellent tape
Peculiarities of insect life in an apartment
The existence of insects in an apartment is not very different from their life in nature. Moreover, many flies belong to synanthropic species, that is, in the process of evolution they have become completely dependent on humans and the most comfortable place for them is human housing.
It is not difficult to distinguish house flies. These are small (6–9 mm) insects, brownish-gray in color. But sometimes in the apartment you can notice green or blue flies, which most likely belong to meat flies. Small black flies belonging to flower or fruit species often appear in apartments.
Most often, flies choose a room where there is food to live. Therefore, they are mainly grouped in the kitchen or pantry. When indoors, the fly does not hide much, since its agility and good vision allow it to avoid the danger that a person may pose. But insects make a nest in a secluded place so as not to endanger the offspring.
Large flies most often hibernate closer to winter. But sometimes it happens that if the apartment is warm enough, insects are active throughout the year.
What to do if you appear
What to do if flies appear in the apartment? There are many answers to this question. Next, we will describe the most popular methods of destroying or expelling insects.
spring-cleaning
This method involves eliminating the source of attraction for insects. In the kitchen, you need to wash the refrigerator, cabinet and other surfaces, clear the table, and wash the dishes.
To prevent pests from entering your apartment, store stale food in a separate sealed container, cover the trash can with food waste, and constantly treat the trash can with disinfectants.
Using a fly swatter
If general cleaning in the kitchen did not give the desired result and flies reappeared in the apartment, you can try to eliminate them using a fly swatter. If you don’t have such a device, use old newspapers or magazines that are wrapped in a tube.
A huge disadvantage of this method is considered to be insect stains on the ceiling and wall, which is why many housewives have started using electric fly swatters. This device runs on batteries and does all the work without the participation of the apartment owner.
Using homemade traps
If for some reason a person cannot buy special sticky traps for flies, then you can make insect bait yourself using improvised means. First, make syrup (50-60 grams of sugar per 100 milliliters of water with the addition of lemon juice). Next, cut pieces of paper to the required length, spread with the prepared solution and leave to dry. A hole is made in the top of the trap for a loop.
After the syrup has dried, the strips are hung in places where flies are most concentrated. Another option for a homemade trap is to use a milk solution with the same sugar concentration. The liquid is simply poured into a jar, after which the containers are placed around the perimeter of the apartment.
Here's another way to make homemade fly traps.
Using a mosquito net
Anti-mosquito nets on doors and windows will prevent the appearance of flies in the apartment and will make it possible to ventilate the premises without fear of pest attacks. It should be remembered that flies can crawl into the smallest cracks, so places of damage in the mesh must be repaired immediately after they appear.
Reproduction in the home
The process of insect reproduction occurs in exactly the same way, regardless of whether it occurs indoors or outdoors. Perhaps the only difference is the number of eggs that flies lay.
According to research, there is less masonry at home. To reproduce, the females of some types of flies need protein food, so the insects flock to meat and fish left on the table.
On meat
In general, flies in the house are started in the following way: a fertilized female lays eggs on a substrate on which the hatched larvae can feed (most often in the trash, on spoiled food or leftovers). After 8 - 48 hours, larvae appear - small white worms, which begin to actively eat and also actively grow.
After 10–14 days (the period can change in one direction or the other), the larva pupates, having gone through several molts before that. After a few more days, a young fly is born.
Ways to get rid of flies
If flies appear in the house, you need to take an integrated approach that will get rid of both adult insects and larvae and eggs. First of all, measures must be taken to prevent insects from entering the premises. Seal the cracks in the window frames, install special nets on the windows and ventilation holes.
The next step will be general cleaning. Particular attention should be paid to hard-to-reach places - under and behind furniture, in the corners of cabinets, under the sink, bathroom, near the trash can. After this, you can proceed directly to the fight against flies. For this use:
- traps;
- sticky tapes;
- fumigators;
- poison;
- folk remedies;
- insecticides.
It’s better to start with safe methods, namely, traps, Velcro and folk recipes. And only if there are a lot of flies in the house, you should use chemicals. We must remember their toxicity, observe safety measures, and follow the instructions exactly.
If none of the products used helped and there is already a swarm of flies flying around the apartment, you should seek help from professionals who will carry out pest control.
Traditional methods
A favorite means of dealing with buzzing and annoying dipterans is an ordinary fly swatter or its harsh analogue - newspaper rolled up in several layers. However, other techniques are common among people to help get rid of annoying insects.
Fly tape
Velcro tape is not the most aesthetically pleasing, but very effective tool. It is sold in any hardware store and has an affordable price. All you have to do is buy it in the right quantity and hang it in crowded places.
The principle of operation is extremely simple: the aroma of the tape attracts the fly, it flies to it to feast on it or lay eggs. It lands on a surface lubricated with a special substance and sticks with its paws. Lack of food or sticking of the respiratory organs leads to the death of the insect.
Pros:
- low cost;
- efficiency;
Minuses:
- the need to watch the dangling fly corpses;
- may cause hair to be pulled out and snags on clothing; In large spaces it will not be possible to get by with Velcro alone.
Vacuum cleaner
Velcro tape comprehensively solves the problem with several dozen flies. But what to do when there are hundreds of them? This is a task for a powerful vacuum cleaner. Arm yourself with the device and treat those places where the greatest accumulation is: windows, window sills, cracks, etc.
Among the disadvantages of this method:
- inconvenience - the vacuum cleaner is heavy and not the most mobile, with it you will not be able to penetrate into secluded places where dipterans are hiding;
- high cost - not every home has a vacuum cleaner, and buying it only to fight flies is not the most sensible and rational decision.
Important! After treating the premises, the device bag must be immediately cleaned and washed so that insects do not have time to leave eggs in it.
Plants
An effective and environmentally friendly tool for combating buzzing dipterans is repellent plants or eater plants. The first include geranium, wormwood, walnut or tansy leaves, field daisies, as well as tomato tops - flies really don’t like their smell. The second one is the Venus flytrap. This is an amazing fly catching plant. Just place it in areas of greatest congestion and the problem will resolve itself.
Natural poisons
Some products that people actively use in cooking turn out to be destructive for flies. Therefore, they can be used in the fight against annoying dipterans and not worry about your own health.
What natural ingredients do insects hate?
- Ground black pepper. It is usually combined with something sweet - honey, jam or glucose syrup.
- Carnation. The spice kills flies - just spread it in crowded areas and after a couple of hours you will see that the home space is free.
- Garlic. It must be cleaned and crushed, scattered where dipterans fly.
As you can see, these are common foods that everyone has in their refrigerator.
How to avoid flies in your apartment?
Protecting your home from flies is much easier than fighting insects already flying in it. Moreover, you don’t need to do anything special for this. The main thing is to maintain cleanliness and follow a few simple rules:
- in the warm season, install mosquito nets on the windows;
- Take out the trash every day, wash the trash can, and close it with a lid;
- immediately after eating, clear the table, throw away leftovers, clean up, etc.;
- do not leave dirty dishes in the sink;
- regularly do wet cleaning in the kitchen, wash the stove, sink;
- avoid dampness, make sure there are no leaks, water houseplants moderately, wring out sponges and rags thoroughly;
- If possible, store vegetables and fruits in the refrigerator, periodically sort through them, throw away those that begin to spoil;
- carefully inspect fruits, vegetables and herbs before purchasing so that there are no eggs laid on them;
- Seal the ventilation holes in the house with fine mesh.
These recommendations will help you avoid many problems that may arise if flies appear and breed in your house.
The best chemicals
Many people trust advanced medicine more than grandma's old methods against flies. Therefore, chemical mixtures or other artificial auxiliary preparations are diluted at home. To effectively eliminate the problem, some buy expensive solutions, while others, without leaving home, use natural chemical products.
To effectively eliminate the problem, some buy expensive solutions, while others, without leaving home, use natural chemical products.
To choose the appropriate option for a particular case, you should know that there are many ways to remove flies using chemicals:
- granules;
- aerosol;
- powder;
- chalk;
- fumigator.
If you follow at least one of the options, the spread of flies will come to an end. To make the process much more effective, it is recommended to use several methods at once, but there is a chance of harming your health.
If you follow at least one of the options, the spread of flies will come to an end.
Granules
Compressed poisonous grains will help kill flies in a week. After persistent struggle for several days, the effect of the granules will remain for at least 2 months. Granules are effective in autumn, when the number of flies is very high.
Compressed poisonous grains will help kill flies in a week.
This home medicine helps because after the combined substance hits the surface of the insect, the fly immediately reclines within 3-4 hours. To remove pests, use the following most effective granules:
- “Byte Fly”;
- "Agita"
- “Fly Byte” and others.
Dosed substrates are suitable for those people who want to quickly get rid of flies. To properly distribute the product, it must be applied to the corners of the apartment. If it is not very convenient to use, the mixture can be diluted with water, then sprayed with a spray bottle.
Dosed substrates are suitable for those people who want to quickly get rid of flies.
Aerosol
The dispersed system for poisoning midges in some cases can be dangerous for humans. However, there are several good aerosols that can not harm a person and force flies to leave the room:
- "Chlorophos";
- “Dichlorvos”;
- “Mukhoyar” and the rest.
This method is especially relevant in suburban areas. Getting an aerosol is practically not difficult, because it is sold in many household knick-knack stores.
This method is especially relevant in suburban areas.
Note!
Before spraying the aerosol around the room, you should familiarize yourself with the conditions of use. Usually the insecticide is shaken for 5 seconds, then all surfaces where there are flying parasites are sprayed under pressure. Then you need to leave the house for a couple of hours. After arrival, be sure to ventilate.
This theme also works with mosquitoes, but the best option would be “Repellent”. The drug perfectly repels and kills bloodsuckers while hiking, fishing, and even in the home.
This theme also works with mosquitoes, but the best option would be “Repellent”.
Powder
Typically, flies most often nest in trash cans, then move to the kitchen and other rooms. This causes great discomfort, because they almost fly into your mouth.
Typically, flies most often nest in trash cans, then move to the kitchen and other rooms.
To take revenge on the vile inhabitants of the fauna, the most terrible death for them was invented - diluted powder. After such a mixture, the fly will not sit on a wooden table or other furniture.
To take revenge on the vile inhabitants of the fauna, the most terrible death for them was invented - diluted powder.
After the insect tries the bait, poisoning occurs. The mixture contains a dangerous concentrate of poison, which causes paralysis in the nervous system of various midges.
The mixture contains a dangerous concentrate of poison, which causes paralysis in the nervous system of various midges.
The product has no effect on the human body. In the process of creating the liquid according to the instructions, you can see that to remove dangerous dipterans, the solution can be applied to walls, trash cans, window sills and even sofas.
The product has no effect on the human body.
Chalk
Pencils resembling the shape of chalk will help fight flying parasites. The most environmentally friendly way. When the fruit fly crosses the threshold of the white stripe, it will immediately die without much pain.
Pencils resembling the shape of chalk will help fight flying parasites.
The poison in the form of chalk can maintain its effect for two months. Apply chalk in a 1 cm strip around the perimeter where flies rest. Chemical components will decompose due to light during use. Chalk is considered environmentally friendly, so it does not harm children and pets.
Chalk is considered environmentally friendly, so it does not harm children and pets.
If you are planning to destroy annoying midges, then it is recommended to use popular brands of these products:
- “Mashenka”;
- "Clean house";
- "Titanic";
- “Brownie.”
Fumigator
It is a device that operates using a bottle, a socket and liquid. An ideal remedy when it is necessary to drive away, poison or scare away dangerous insects. The device itself will not do anything as long as there is no bottle or plate with a toxic impurity.
It is a device that operates using a bottle, a socket and liquid.
However, the fumigator is most effective when used outdoors. The device will be ready for use when it is plugged into an outlet. Under the influence of electricity, the contents in the bag begin to heat up.
However, the fumigator is most effective when used outdoors.
The device is lightweight and easy to use. Due to the absence of harmful substances in the impurity, it is environmentally friendly when released. It poses no threat to people and animals.
The device is lightweight and easy to use.
The most commonly used spray liquids are:
- "Taiga";
- "Raptor";
- “Flor”;
- “Help.”
