Fly Treatment Guide
House Flies are one of the most prevalent insects in the world, widely distributed across all inhabited continents. House Flies feed off and breed in faeces and garbage including rotten or decaying food. House Fly eggs resemble small grains of rice from these eggs larvae hatch, commonly known as maggots. A grown maggot is around 7-12mm long, is a creamy white colour and cylindrical in shape tapering at the head. A fully-grown maggot can crawl significant distances to find the appropriate place to transform into a pupa. From the Pupal case an adult Fly will emerge. The adult Fly has reddish eyes and sponging mouthparts allowing them to eat only fluids. If the fly lands on a solid food they regurgitate saliva onto it which liquefies the food for consumption.
Why are Flies a problem?
Due to their high populations and close proximity to people Flies can be quite a nuisance to us and our families. From landing on food while we’re cooking, to disrupting us and our guests at a BBQ Flies are an undesirable pest to have around the home. In addition to the nuisance they cause Flies can carry and spread diseases and bacteria that are harmful to humans including salmonella, tuberculosis, dysentery and hepatitis.
Inspecting for Flies
Most of the time you will notice a problem with Flies due to their presence around your home. You may also notice Maggots crawling across floorboards, etc. as they look for a place to pupate. If you notice an increase in Fly populations it may mean there are conditions within your home or yard that are conducive to breeding Flies, there may also be seasonal factors that could contribute to an increase in population, such as warmer weather.
- Install fly screens to windows and doors to prevent flies from entering your home
- Ensure food is covered if left on benches or where flies may be able to access it such as when eating outside
- Clean debris off kitchen benches and sinks, this could include toast crumbs, sugar granules and food scraps washed off dishes
- Keep your bin area clean, make sure that your bin has a lid to prevent flies accessing rubbish and that bin bags are tied tightly
- Regularly clean pet faeces and dispose of in sealed bag to prevent potential breeding sites
- Remove potential water sources from around your around home and garden, for example: tyres in the yard, saucers under pot plants, plant debris that can hold water such as palm fronds
How to Get Rid of Flies
Flies can be difficult to treat, especially over large areas, like patios, homes and outdoor entertaining areas where flies can be a nuisance and potentially dangerous. By picking up on flies habits and using a residual insecticide on surface areas where flies land can be a semi-permanent way to control a wide range of flying insects.
Option 1. Residual Spray Apply Killzone Termiticide & Insecticide at a rate of 5-10ml per 1 L water or 25-50mL per 5L water. Use higher rates when insect populations are high, and where longer residual and rapid control is required. Focus an areas such as:
- structures like fences close to the immediate area you want control.
Lower rates are typically used as a follow up treatment.
Option 2. Fog To treat 1000m2 of outdoor space, mix 50mL Pyrate Natural Insecticide into 450mL of carrier solution such as diesel in Fogger tank. Allow fogger to heat up, once heated pump fogger handle at regular intervals (every 3 seconds). Fog backyard/ outdoor area thoroughly.
Always read product label prior to use.