Ways to get rid of house flies in your home

Well, you can't say there isn't variety on this blog. Whether it be articles and studies about diabetes and living the low carb lifestyle, to a wide variety of recipe suggestions, and even wildlife photography - there is variety - and they do say 'variety is the spice of life'.

But how about this one?

Are you wondering how to get rid of house flies in your home?

The common pests — with a single pair of wings and compound red eyes — are known for breeding in kitchen bins, faeces, or on piles of spoiled food. To help you prevent house flies, this article has rounded up the best advice and natural methods to try.

While house flies might be frustratingly difficult to get rid of, there are some natural ways to keep them out of your home. 

image from here

How to get rid of a house fly infestation
"Prevention is better than cure. The best way to keep flies away is to limit a fly's access to food and water – particularly in your kitchen," Natalie Bungay, Technical Officer, at the British Pest Control Association says.

House flies have a short lifespan, but they can reproduce quickly and in large numbers. If you are worried about an infestation of flies in your home, it is advised you call the professionals. Professionals will be able to safely and effectively deal with the pests, so it's always worth asking for help if you are unsure.

"The best way to deal with a fly problem is to prevent an infestation from forming in the first place. There are some easy and practical steps you can take to help deter flies from your home.

Ways to keep flies away include
Make sure all food waste is correctly disposed of in a bin with a lid.
Keep outside bins secure with sealed lids and away from windows and doors.
Clean up food and water spills as soon as they occur.
Keep your food covered to stop flies landing and subsequently feeding off your plate.
Keep windows and doors closed or install fly screens to keep out home-invaders.
Deny flies access by keeping doors closed after dark, or block out the light with curtains.
Clean up after your pets, as faeces is the perfect breeding place for flies.
Remove any dead flies, as these can be a food source for other pests such as carpet beetles.

Homemade remedies to help get rid of house flies
Homemade remedies can also be a great way to naturally keep house flies out of the home — and brilliantly, too, they are incredibly easy to make yourself.

You can try to
Put a few drops of eucalyptus oil onto a cloth and hang them near doors or windows.
Place mint on kitchen window sills — this will also keep them away.
Cut up fresh orange peel and place onto a plate.
Citronella candles can help to keep flies away, especially in the garden.

Are house flies dangerous?
"Keeping flies away from your food is vital for protecting your health. The adage 'if you followed a fly for a day, you wouldn’t eat for a week' is entirely accurate," 
"Flies feed by vomiting saliva onto your food, stamping their dirty legs up and down in the sick, and then sucking up the resulting liquid. The bacteria from its gut can transmit everything from food poisoning to cholera."

What do house flies look like?
House flies have
Six legs
A small, oval body
Antennas
They are usually grey in appearance and display four black stripes on their chest
Adult house flies are about 4 to 7.5mm long
Female house flies are usually larger than males

What do I do if I have a lot of flies in my house?
Most often, if you find you have a lot of flies in your house, they are entering through small cracks in walls or doors. House flies can often be more of a problem during the summer months, especially as the weather gets warmer. As well as this, they also breed in filth (such as bins, rotting food and dirt), so one of the ways to keep them at bay is to ensure your house is clean. Seal any bins, keep surfaces sanitised and don't leave food out on the counter.

Don't forget to
Check for any food waste which could be attracting flies
Empty your bins regularly
Clean under and around your appliances

What attracts flies in your house?
"Spotting a few flies buzzing around does not necessarily mean you have a serious fly problem, although you should probably start keeping an eye out for other tell-tale signs, such as small dark clusters of spots in light areas and the presence of maggots." Common house flies are attracted to rotten items such as faeces, pet waste and rotting meat, whereas fruit flies are more likely to seek sugary substances such as overripe fruit, spilled fizzy drinks, and alcohol.

House flies are drawn to
Dirty conditions
Spilt food
Sticky surfaces from drink spillages
Scum at the bottom of drains
Faeces and pet waste
Alcohol

Where do flies lay their eggs in a house?
House flies will commonly lay their eggs in any warm, moist material. When the weather is warm, eggs will hatch in around 12 to 24 hours.

Some places flies might lay their eggs include
Piles of rubbish and waste
Decaying material such as grass clippings
Faeces

Are houseflies harmful?
Houseflies aren't harmful, but are just a nuisance. One thing to note is that they do carry bacteria and germs, so be careful if they land on your food before eating. 

Some of the diseases they carry include
Food poisoning
Cholera
Eye infections
E. coli
Typhoid fever
Dysentery
Tuberculosis

How to keep flies away outside
It's not only in the home that the flying creatures buzz around in, they regularly fly around our garden spaces (particularly if there's food involved). If you're looking for clever ways to keep flies at bay, one of the key ways of outdoor fly prevention is knowing what they don't like.

image from here

Natural ways to keep them away outside includes
Placing whole cloves into a ripe apple or a piece of citrus and placing it onto a plate.
Growing lavender is also a natural way to keep flies away as they don't like the smell.
Place citrus fruits and skins in a muslin cloth bag outside.
Flies also don't like basil, so these are brilliant to have growing outside.
Nasturtiums planted in the garden will also keep the flies away.
Above words, and more, can be seen at article here

Did you know, that as well as having Nasturtiums planted in the garden to help keep the flies away, nasturtiums, also called Indian Cress, are a wonderful addition to livening up your herb garden, because this bushy plant's edible flowers and leaves are high in vitamin C and add a spicy, peppery flavour to salads and stir-fries. Pickled nasturtium seed pods even make a wonderful culinary substitute for capers. Nasturtiums are easy to grow in a wide range of soil conditions. Read more here

You will find a variety of articles and recipe ideas within this blog, and not all may be suitable for you. If you may have any food allergies, or underlying health issues these must always be taken into account. If you are a diabetic and not sure how certain foods may affect your blood sugars, test is best, i.e. use your meter.

All the best Jan