You may have been plagued by flies as many householders have, this time of year we become more aware of them. A true fly has just two wings. The UK has over 7,000 different species of fly which feed on a large number of different food sources, and new flies are being discovered every year. Most are useful to us as the insects that probably do most to breakdown waste food and waste organic material around us. In general they find a food source lay eggs and their maggots eat the material, the maggots will then create a pupa or small case where it will mature in to a fly and the process will start again. Flies unlike some other insects feed in both the maggot stage and as adults. The life cycles of lies varies from species to species and depends on food source, temperature and so on. Most adult flies do not have biting mouth parts so rely on vomiting on the food source and sucking up the dissolved soup. By doing so can transfer bacteria from one food source to another (which could be a sandwich or animal waste).
The control of flies is essential for restaurants, cafes and other food preparation premises; as a company we provide fly screens, electric fly killers and cleaning services to make sure our clients keep flies to a minimum. Flies can transfer a large number of harmful bacteria which can of course result in food poisoning and other illnesses. A food premises failing to take the necessary steps can be shut down by the environmental health officers who work for the council. Being prosecuted can do immense harm to a business and affect their public reputation.
Some are more likely to cause us a nuisance such as the cluster flies which can cluster together in large number in the autumn and hibernate together in buildings. Many thousands can group on walls and around windows and will then disappear inside roof vents or around window frames to spend the winter before emerging in the spring, these are not a particularly nice fly species as they are a parasitic fly feeding on our earthworms. These flies can be destroyed professionally by using a chemical fogger device.
A sudden increase of flies in or around a building can sometimes be an indication of the death of an animal nearby, a mice or rat which has died nearby or within the building structure. There can sometimes be an unpleasant smell adding to the nuisance a rotting rat can smell for three months depending on the size and humidity.
Flies will be near a source of food whether it is a rubbish bin or some other organic material, so always make sure you keep your house and garden clear of possible food sources. A good way to keep flies away from your home is to offer them a food source at the end of your garden, a small amount of jam or marmalade in a jar filled three quarters of water with a lid with a small hole and a second jar of similar design with a small amount of beef mince again in water. You will see the jars fill up with dead flies, throw them away and replace them when full.
Always check the pest control company you use are insured trained and are a member of a recognised association such as the NTPA or BPCA. We can deal with flies and other crawling or flying insects using various methods and insecticides.
Andy - First Choice Pest Control Ltd
