House Flies

What do house flies look like?

House flies have an oval shaped and somewhat hairy body, and can grow to between 1/8th and ¼ of an inch in length. Female house flies are larger than male house flies. Adults have four distinctive black stripes on their thorax, with one gold stripe and one silver strip on their face. House flies have a single pair of wings and compound eyes, which provide them with a wide range of vision.

house fly up close

Do house flies bite?

House flies don’t have teeth and therefore do not bite. They have sponging mouthparts that allow them to only feed on liquids.

Are house flies dangerous?

House flies are considered dangerous because of the many different pathogens that they are capable of spreading. House flies only feed on liquids.

In order to feed on solids, they regurgitate their stomach contents onto the surface of the food to break it down so they can use their sponging mouthparts to suck up the liquid. In addition to contaminating food with their saliva, they contaminate food and surfaces of homes with disease organisms that are on their legs and body. They pick up diseases and bacteria while landing on and feeding on trash, decaying organic materials, and animal excrement.

Why do I have a house fly problem?

House flies are drawn to properties because they are looking for easy access to food and water sources. Animal feces, garbage, compost piles, leaky outdoor fixtures, and clogged gutters can all initially attract house flies to your property. Once on your property, it is only a matter of time before they find their way inside to forage for food and water. House flies typically enter homes through spaces found around windows and doors, torn screens, or any other opening into your home that they come across.

How do I get rid of house flies?

If you have found that house flies are living on your property or inside your home, contact Keller’s Pest Control for help. We have the skills, expertise, and effective pest control solutions needed to protect people and property from invasive house flies. To learn more about our house fly solutions, give us a call at Keller’s Pest Control.