Pest Guide: House Flies

House flies get their name from being the most common fly found around homes. Adult house flies can grow to one-quarter of an inch long and usually live between 15 and 25 days.

Habitat

House flies tend to stay within 1-2 miles of where they were born; however, they have been known to migrate up to 20 miles to find food.

Habits:

They are only able to feed on liquids but have the ability to turn many solid foods into a liquid for them to eat. House flies taste with their feet, which are 10 million times more sensitive to sugar than the human tongue.

Region:

Control / Prevention

House flies can be controlled through vigilant sanitation. Remove trash regularly and use well-sealing garbage receptacles. Clean up pet waste immediately. Use fine mesh screens on doors and windows to prevent fly entry.

Threats:

These insects have been known to carry over 100 different kinds of disease-causing germs, which makes them very bad house guests.

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