Flies

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What do flies look like?

There are many species of nuisance and dangerous flies that live throughout New Jersey; one of the most common is the house fly. The worm-like larvae of the house fly has a pointed head (two hooks), is off-white in color, and they taper from rear to front.

Adults grow to between 1/8th and ¼ of an inch in length; their body is gray in color, they have one gold stripe and one silver stripe on their face, they also have distinctive black vertical lines on the top of their body.

Are flies dangerous?

Yes, most species of flies are considered to be dangerous; before living in your home they were living in or feeding on things like garbage, animal feces, compost piles, and sewers. Flies carry a lot bacteria and pathogens on their bodies and legs that can contaminate food and food prep areas inside of a home.

Flies only ingest liquids, so they regurgitate their saliva onto the food they are going to consume in order to break it down; they then suck the now liquefied food up with their specialized spongy mouthparts.

Why do I have a fly problem?

Flies are attracted to properties that offer them easy access to food, water and breeding sites. What each fly is attracted to is species specific but can include things like: garbage, decaying vegetation, animal carcasses, excrement, and fruits and vegetables. Once on your property they may enter inside of your home through gaps found around windows and doors or through screens that are damaged.

Can I control flies?

Flies can enter inside in large numbers, be difficult to get rid of, and transmit serious diseases to people; the best defense against these pests is a professional pest control expert that has experience dealing with these nuisance pests. The pest control professionals at Arrow Pest Control have the training, knowledge and products needed to quickly find and eliminate all the flies located in your home through our residential service options. If flies have decided to invade your New Jersey home, contact the dedicated pest professionals at Arrow Pest Control today!

How do I make my property less attractive to flies?

There are several steps that you can take to help make your property less attractive to flies and to prevent them from making their way into your New Jersey home.

• Clean-up pest waste daily.
• Make sure that all garbage on your property is placed into trash cans that have tight fitting or locking lids.  
• Place garden areas and compost piles away from the outside of your home.
• Quickly pick up fruit or vegetables that have fallen to the ground from gardens and trees.
• Make sure that screens in windows and doors are completely intact.
• Seal gaps that are found in your home’s foundation, caulk gaps found around windows and doors.
• Keep food in sealed containers or in the refrigerator, not out on counters or tables.