Pest Control Q&A

The house fly, see this picture, is a famous pest of both farm and home. They love to hang out with humans or do what humans do. They are commonly found on hog and poultry farms, horse stables and ranches. Not only are house flies a nuisance, but they can also transport disease-causing organisms. Excessive fly populations mix with human habitations and public health problems could occur.

 The adult house fly is 6 to 7 mm long, with the female usually larger than the male. The abdomen is gray or yellowish with dark midline and irregular dark markings on the sides. The underside of the male is yellowish.

Maggots are the early instar larvae. They are typically creamy whitish in color, cylindrical but tapering toward the head. The head contains one pair of dark hooks. The legless maggot emerges from the egg in warm weather within eight to 20 hours, and immediately feeds on and develops in the material in which the egg was laid.

Killing adult flies may reduce the infestation, but elimination of breeding areas is necessary for good management. Garbage cans and dumpsters should have tight-fitting lids and be cleaned regularly. Dry garbage and trash should be placed in plastic garbage bags and sealed up. All garbage receptacles should be located as far from building entrances as possible.

Please visit our Do-It-Yourself-Store for all the products you will need for these and other insect problems. A good residual to use is Talstar or Max Force bait.

Thank you for reading and I hope it helps.

Jeff (The Ant-Ser Man)