House flies are more than just a buzzing annoyance in your home; they are vectors of disease. These common pests, making up about 90% of indoor flies, can transmit pathogens and food-borne illnesses simply by landing on surfaces and food. Understanding how to kill flies in house effectively and naturally is crucial for maintaining a healthy living environment.
Fortunately, eliminating house flies doesn’t always require harsh chemicals. Experts recommend several safe and natural strategies to both repel and get rid of these pesky insects. From simple DIY traps to preventative measures, this guide will walk you through the best approaches. For severe infestations, we also explore chemical solutions and when to call in professional help.
What Causes House Fly Infestations?
Before you can effectively kill flies in your house, it’s important to understand why they’re there in the first place. Entomologist Peter Irenicus of The Holy Habibee identifies three primary attractants: food, breeding sites, and access points.
Food
House flies are drawn to decaying organic matter, which serves as both a food source and a breeding ground. This includes everything from food scraps and garbage to pet waste and compost. Leaving trash uncovered, neglecting pet messes, or having an accessible compost bin can all signal an open invitation to flies. They are particularly attracted to unsanitary conditions where they can feed and lay eggs in fecal matter and decaying trash.
Breeding Sites
Flies seek out moist, decaying organic materials to lay their eggs. Common breeding sites include garbage, manure, compost, and rotting vegetation. If your home is located near potential breeding grounds, such as farms, landfills, or slaughterhouses, you might experience a higher influx of house flies.
Openings in Homes
Flies are adept at finding their way indoors through even small openings. Unscreened windows and doors, cracks in walls, or gaps around pipes and wiring provide easy access for flies seeking food, warmth, or shelter. Regularly inspecting and sealing potential entry points is a key step in preventing infestations.
How to Deter or Get Rid of House Flies Naturally
If you’re looking for natural ways on how to kill a fly in house or manage an infestation, you’re in luck. Many effective remedies use common household items and natural repellents.
Apple Cider Vinegar and Dish Soap
Create a simple yet effective fly trap using apple cider vinegar and dish soap. Mix equal parts of dish soap and apple cider vinegar in a bowl or jar. Add a sprinkle of sugar to further attract flies. The sweet scent of vinegar lures flies in, while the dish soap reduces the surface tension of the liquid, causing them to sink and drown. If apple cider vinegar isn’t available, stale wine or beer can also work due to their fermenting aromas that attract flies, according to Irenicus.
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Alt text: A close-up of a DIY fly trap using a jar filled with apple cider vinegar and dish soap, effectively trapping house flies.
Repellant Herbs
Certain herbs act as natural fly repellents. Planting herbs like basil, mint, bay leaf, tansy, and rue near doorways and windows can help deter flies from entering your home. Irenicus suggests utilizing these herbs as a natural barrier, making your home less appealing to house flies. These herbs not only repel flies but also add a pleasant fragrance to your home.
Essential Oils
Essential oils offer another natural way to repel flies. Oils derived from plants like lavender, peppermint, eucalyptus, and lemongrass are known for their insect-repelling properties. Use diffusers to disperse these scents throughout your home, or create a spray by mixing essential oils with water and applying it to areas where flies congregate.
Fly Paper and Traps
For a more direct approach to how to kill flies in house, fly paper and fly traps are readily available and effective. Fly paper is a sticky paper that attracts and traps flies when they land on it. Hang these strips in areas with high fly activity and dispose of them once they are full.
Light traps are another option. These devices attract flies with UV light and then trap them or electrocute them. To maximize their effectiveness, light traps should be positioned away from external visibility and no more than five feet from the ground. Ensure no competing light sources are nearby to draw flies away from the trap.
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Alt text: Fly paper strip hanging indoors, effectively trapping several house flies with its sticky surface.
Plants
In addition to repellant herbs, certain plants can also help control fly infestations. Basil, marigold, and lavender are known to deter flies and other insects like mosquitoes. Incorporating these plants into your garden or indoor spaces can provide a natural and aesthetically pleasing way to keep flies away.
How to Remove Houseflies With Chemical-Based Solutions
When natural methods aren’t enough to kill flies in house, chemical solutions can offer a faster way to manage severe infestations. Entomologist Michel Johnson, founder of Ciao Bedbugs, explains that chemical insecticides target flies through various compounds designed for effective pest elimination.
Common insecticides include pyrethroids, synthetic versions of natural insecticides from chrysanthemum flowers. These chemicals disrupt the flies’ nervous systems upon contact, leading to paralysis and death. Imidacloprid is another chemical often used in bait fly traps, also targeting the nervous system.
Professional Pest Control
For persistent or large-scale fly problems, seeking professional pest control services might be the most effective solution. Experts can accurately assess the extent of the infestation and identify breeding grounds that might be overlooked by homeowners. They possess specialized tools and knowledge to handle even stubborn infestations.
A professional service will typically start with a comprehensive property inspection. Based on their findings, they’ll create a tailored treatment plan that may include insecticide sprays, baiting systems, and recommendations for preventative measures. In extreme cases, fumigation might be advised.
How to Prevent House Flies
The most effective approach to how to kill flies in house is prevention. Keeping flies out in the first place minimizes the need for eradication efforts. Securing your home and maintaining cleanliness are key preventative strategies.
Clean Up Trash and Litter
Inside your home, reduce fly attractants by promptly cleaning up food waste and crumbs, both human and pet-related. Secure all garbage in trash cans with liners and tight-fitting lids, and empty trash and recycling bins frequently. For pet owners, regularly clean litter boxes or designated indoor pet toilet areas.
Clear Potential Breeding Grounds
Extend cleaning efforts to outdoor areas. Regularly pick up pet waste and food debris, and ensure outdoor garbage cans are tightly lidded. Irenicus advises periodic inspections of outdoor spaces to eliminate potential fly breeding sites. Compost piles should be turned regularly to disrupt fly egg-laying. Promptly remove grass clippings and fallen leaves, as decaying vegetation attracts flies.
Use Lights Wisely
Lights can attract flies, especially at night. Minimize unnecessary outdoor and indoor lights after dark. Be mindful of open windows or doors when interior lights are on at night, as bright indoor lights against a dark exterior can draw flies in.
Consider using yellow bug lights, which are less attractive to flies, as suggested by Irenicus. These specialized lights can help illuminate outdoor areas without attracting as many insects.
Seal Entry Points
Thoroughly seal any cracks or crevices in walls and around windows and doors to block fly entry. Use caulk or weatherstripping to seal gaps around doorframes and window frames. Ensure windows are properly closed, especially at night, and that screens are installed and in good repair, without holes or tears. These simple sealing steps can significantly reduce fly access to your home.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What do house flies look like?
House flies (Musca domestica) are insects in the family Muscidae. They are characterized by gray or black bodies, large, reddish eyes, and two translucent wings. They typically measure between 0.2 to 0.3 inches in length and have slightly hairy bodies. Female house flies are generally larger than males.
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What is a sign of a house fly infestation?
A large number of house flies is a primary indicator of an infestation. Another sign is the presence of eggs, which females lay in batches of about 100 on food waste, rotting meat, or feces. These eggs hatch rapidly, within 12 to 24 hours, into white, legless larvae known as maggots, which then develop into pupae and finally adult flies. Adult house flies typically live for two to four weeks but reproduce quickly.
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What instantly kills flies?
Chemical-based insecticides are the quickest way to kill flies in house on contact. Pesticide sprays can provide immediate results. However, it’s important to note that while these sprays kill flies present, they may not prevent future flies from entering if the source of the infestation isn’t addressed.
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