Removing Flies in NY and NJ

Adult house flies are 6–7 mm (about 5/16 inch) long. Their thorax is gray, with four longitudinal dark lines on the back. House fly larvae (maggots) are up to 12 mm (½ inch) long, creamy white and legless, with a worm-like, tapering body. House flies have complete metamorphosis. The pupae are reddish brown, about 8 mm (about 3/8 inch) long and similar to puffed rice in shape and size. Larvae and pupae are found close to their larval breeding sites.

How to identify flies:

In North America, over 16,000 different species of flies are living among us, so it can be tough to identify exactly which species of fly is in your home. Flies only have two wings, so they often rest, taking short flights and landing on different places throughout your home. They often have short life spans, commonly ranging from 8 days to 2 months, but some species can live up to a year.

How you get flies:

Flies often enter our homes during the summer following the smell of food looking for a place to lay their eggs. Once flies enter your home, they will often to go your garbage, or animal feces if available, to lay these eggs. In just a week or two, these flies can go through the life cycle, become adult flies, and lay more eggs.

How to prevent flies:

Keeping windows closed during the summer months and putting up screen windows can help keep bugs out, as well as keeping your trash cans clean and closed, and wiping down counters. There are also some home remedies that can be used to repel and trap flies.

Are flies dangerous?

Flies can carry a wealth of disease with them, so it is important to get rid of them as quickly as possible. Every time a fly lands, they let off microbes, bacteria, and germs. These can be very dangerous because flies often travel through garbage and fecal matter. There are more than 100 diseases associated with flies, including Salmonella and E. Coli. Flies can be very dangerous to your home, and it is important to get rid of them as quickly as possible to protect you and your family.

How we get rid of flies:

Many home remedies for flies can help get rid of visible flies, but to end an infestation you must get rid of all nests as well. Having a professional help find and block entry points, remove nests, and disinfect areas to prevent disease is the best way to make sure your house is safe from these pests! For drain flies, which congregate around slow or clogged drains, we use a special microbial foam treatment, specially designed to eliminate drain flies that inhabit those environments.