When summer arrives, filth fly activity erupts in the Florida area. The warmer temperatures create perfect conditions for fly reproduction, leading to an overwhelming amount of filth flies or house flies in some places. When food sources and temperatures are ideal, the filth fly can hatch from egg to adulthood in as little as seven days. The female fly can produce hundreds of offspring in her short lifetime, bringing about frustrating fly infestations by the end of summer.

How to Prevent Filth Fly Issues

Filth flies don’t usually come indoors until they have reached adulthood, so many of the exclusive efforts you can take center around keeping adult flies out. One of the best ways to keep your property free of flies is to limit development areas for flies to grow outside and to practice fly exclusion. Here are some of the main tips to limit flies and keep them outside:

Exclusion Methods to Reduce Filth Flies

Put in screens or vents wherever there is an exterior opening.
All receiving doors should remain closed when not in use. Also, check for gaps or missing seals when doors are closed.
Doors to garbage chutes should be closed when not in use. Make the route from indoors to the exterior dumpster as sealed off as possible.
Monitor the timing of self-closing doors so they do not stay open for long periods. A common pest-proofing issue with public entryway doors is the astragal seal at the door base of where the double doors meet. Seals are available for pest-proofing the astragal seal.
Install trash receptacles with self-closing lids around the building exterior and empty them as frequently as possible.

Sanitation Methods to Reduce Filth Flies

Reducing sanitation issues around your property is another way to limit flies. Here are a few ideas we recommend:

Keep the area around and under the dumpster as clean as possible.
Clean the garbage chute and ensure it is free of debris.
When the dumpster box is removed from the refuse company, request that it be cleaned before it is returned.

Should You Be Concerned About House Flies or Filth Flies?

Filth flies often come with poor sanitation since they spend most of their life in or around decaying material. When moving from decaying matter to human-populated areas, they can bring germs and bacteria to the food or food prep areas. Filth flies are known to carry over 100 different diseases, including the food-borne illness, Salmonella.

Fly Control Services You Can Trust

Filth flies are common in businesses in Florida during summer. Despite efforts to make sure your property is sanitary or equipped with exclusion tactics, fly infestations are still possible. When this happens, give Florida Pest Control a call to help get flies under control!