How To Keep Flies Out Of Your Katy Home
Although we often point our attention to large, intimidating, and sizable pests, the fact is that large insects are often less destructive than smaller ones. Tiny, insidious pests have the potential to invade our homes in droves, taking over our properties without us even noticing. This applies to the humble house fly, one of the most dangerous, invasive, and insipid pests to ever live in Katy, TX.
Flies are a small species of insect hailing from the order Diptera. Their loud buzzing sounds are a clear giveaway of their presence, as well as their circular flight patterns over your plate of food. Once a fly has locked onto your next meal, beware! They won’t be going away anytime soon.
But flies aren’t just aggravating, noisy insects around the home and garden. In fact, these creatures can be extremely dangerous as well.
Flies spread many diseases to humans and pets, many of which require medical treatment to cure. A few of these illnesses include:
Dysentery
Diarrhea
Typhoid
Cholera
Helminth infections
It’s clear that fly infestations are more than just frustrating; they’re downright dangerous as well. Prevention, then, is a critical element of protecting your home and business.
In this blog post, we will explore the true nature of the Katy housefly, discussing its many attributes, infiltration methods, and prevention steps. We will make a case for protecting your home with combination treatments and prove why professional fly control is necessary after a significant infestation.
Understanding Common Katy Species Of Flies
Here in Katy, you are more likely to see a fly than any other species of pest. For this reason, it is paramount to understand how, when, and where a fly may be present in the home.
Flies are relatively simple to identify, thanks to their frequent visits to human habitations. Below is a list of some of their most common characteristics.
Large, red, compound eyes
A pair of wings that does not extend past their bodies
Six legs that bow out while landing
A loud buzzing sound while in the air
Black, grey, or iridescent exoskeletons
There are three primary types of flies to be on the lookout for; house flies, black flies, and cluster flies. Although each of these creatures appears extremely similar in basic physiology, there are some differences to keep in mind:
House flies are sometimes called ‘filth’ flies for their ability to spread disease. They can lay up to 500 eggs during their lifetimes and usually make their home inside residential and commercial buildings.
Black flies, often referred to as ‘buffalo flies,’ are biting flies that drink the blood of people, pets, and wild animals. This allows them to spread disease across a wide area and incite havoc inside homes and businesses.
Cluster flies are large insects measuring up to ½ an inch long. Slow and bumbling, these insects develop large colonies that overwinter inside heated homes. Although they cannot cause significant physical or property damage, they are aesthetically displeasing and disease carriers.
Texas flies can infiltrate homes and businesses around Katy with relative ease. Understand how these insects access your property in the first place with the helpful guide below.
How Flies Get Into Katy Homes
Because flies are some of the most common pests in Texas, there's no natural way to avoid them entirely. You will likely see large surges of these insects during the spring and fall seasons, as warm weather and consistent rainfall prompt expedient egg-laying. However, these pests can find a way to get inside the home at any time of year and may be able to establish large, revolving colonies right under your nose.
The vast majority of fly species in the Katy area are smaller than a dime. This allows them to slip through almost any crack or gap, especially those around your home. Fly entry points around your house may be difficult to spot at first, but if you start thinking like a fly, you might be able to see exactly where they are coming through.
Flies can get into Katy homes using the following access points:
Holes or tears around screens, particularly doors and windows.
Brittle weatherproofing strips or significant gaps underneath doors.
Flying through open doors or windows while airing out the house.
The lack of a chimney cap allows flies to swoop straight down the chimney.
Sneaking indoors by traveling on plants, garden tools, and other green things.
Hatching from produce purchased at the grocery store, particularly fruits and vegetables.
Crawling up sewers or drains that may be backed up, particularly near kitchens and bathrooms.
If you're worried about flies coming home to your property via produce, house plants, or secondhand items, there are a few ways to identify their presence:
Ripe or overripe fruits at the store will undoubtedly contain fly larvae or tiny eggs.
White, oval, oblong eggs planted on leaves, stems, or other parts of your houseplant.
Small black dots in clusters along the walls, counters, and ceiling of the home.
Plants with obvious ootheca (egg cases) deposits.
As you can see, flies can get into your Katy home in many possible ways. Fortunately, you are more likely to see fly activity stemming from entry points and accidental transfer than from sewers or plant matter. If you spot these creatures sneaking into the home, there are some ways to eliminate them hassle-free, especially the fly control services of Modern Pest Control. If flies have not yet overtaken your home or business, there may still be time to apply some prevention steps to the lawn and garden. Check out a complete list of fly prevention techniques below.
All The Ways To Prevent Flies From Infesting The Home
Although it's perfectly possible to treat fly infestations after being established, most professionals agree that prevention is always the best (and most efficient) first step. As a wise man once said, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
Let's look at all the ways to prevent flies from infesting your Katy home, as well as how to reduce any factors that could attract them to your property.
Begin your fly prevention process by protecting the interior of your home. Any cracks and gaps in walls, doors, or windows should be promptly sealed with waterproof caulking. Expanding foam can be used in larger spaces for a more airtight finish. If you can, purchase screen meshing to place over doors and windows, which will keep any searching bugs out of the house.
Be sure to clean up after your pets, both inside and outside the home. Regularly scooping waste piles out of the lawn will keep flies from swooping in for a feast. Professionals recommend performing a full scoop of the yard at least once a week or more frequently if the lawn is particularly small. Washing your pets can also help to reduce unwanted fly activity.
It is essential to store food in airtight, fly-proof containers here in Katy. Do not allow cooked food to sit on the counter for long periods. Raw ingredients should be kept in the refrigerator, freezer, or glass containers. Although fruits and vegetables may sit on your counter for some time, they should be used within one week or discarded.
If there's one thing flies can't get enough of, it's constant interior moisture. Control indoor moisture by running a dehumidifier in chronic spaces. Hanging small desiccant bags may also assist in small or difficult to access areas, especially pantries or laundry rooms. In addition, it may be wise to consider fixing clogged drains, leaky pipes, or other dripping equipment.
Flies are highly attracted to the trash and garbage left in our homes. Throw away waste as soon as it is made, and store all garbage in dedicated trash bins lined with a plastic bag. Remove filled bags from the home regularly, usually no less than once a week. Outdoor trash cans should have airtight lids with heavy, durable plastic exteriors.
Excessive yard detritus is instrumental in attracting flies to your property. Rake, bag, or burn leaves as they fall to prevent your lawn from becoming a fly hotspot. Properly stack all firewood at least 25 feet away from the home. Finally, trim back large bushes, long tree limbs, and any bushy vegetation pressing against the sides of the house.
Fly infestations can appear at any time and in any location. For this reason, it will make more sense to rely on long-term, ongoing prevention services from a professional team in your local area. Modern Pest Control is standing by to provide year-round fly prevention services for home and business owners in Katy, TX.
Don't leave your home at risk for fly infestations during the active season. Protect all those you love with fly treatments from Modern Pest Control.
Choose Modern Pest Control For Your Fly Control Needs
Flies are dirty, sneaky, and fast-breeding creatures that cause many problems for home and business owners. If you suspect that a widespread infestation could be present near your property, it's best not to wait until the situation gets worse. Instead, it would be wise to reach out to the professional fly experts at Modern Pest Control.
At Modern Pest Control, we believe that every property owner deserves to live their lives in a safe, hygienic, and fly-free way. For this reason, we utilize decades of industry experience and high-quality secondary education to formulate a prevention and protection plan just for you.
Below is a step-by-step view of how Modern Pest Control can keep your home protected against fly activity all year round:
The best way to stop potential house fly activity is to locate their infestation hotspots immediately. At Modern Pest Control, we perform thorough home investigations that uncover fly breeding grounds, attractant factors, and clustering sites. Using a combination of experience and professional tools, we can help you locate and identify the fly species in question.
Next, our team begins the process of treating your property against the black fly activity. We use a combination of baits, traps, and spray services to eliminate breeding activity quickly, safely, and effectively. We never apply our services to your home without your approval first, allowing you complete control over your treatments, products, and applications.
Once Modern Pest Control has effectively treated your property, our technicians will stamp a seal of approval with a 30-day guarantee. If flies start to reappear around the property, or if you are concerned that there may be a colony left behind, our company will return absolutely free! Enjoy a full warranty on all fly control services, and watch our pros re-treat your home.
When the time comes to protect your home against black flies, house flies, cluster flies, and more, choose to trust local professionals with an excellent track record. Get in touch with Modern Pest Control as soon as possible to lock in your first free home pest control inspection. Still, need some questions answered? Feel free to submit an online contact form to our Katy, TX office or chat with us online using the text app. Your fly problem is as good as gone with our team on your side!