You must have left that potato salad out last night. Now, there is a gaggle of houseflies feeding on your leftovers. Houseflies may be one of the most common pests in the world, but they are certainly not harmless. They can spread several dangerous human diseases, such as diarrhea, dysentery, typhoid, cholera, intestinal worms, and salmonella bacteria. Here are some simple things you can do to control them.
The life cycle of adult houseflies ranges from 14 to 25 days, though they live longer in cooler periods. They dine on and lay their eggs in decaying organic matter. Within 12 hours to several days, the creamy white maggots are hatched and begin to feed on their surroundings. After a couple days of feeding, they emerge as adult houseflies.
The best way to control a housefly infestation is prevention. To keep the home and garden sanitary, store mulch piles away from living areas, tightly cover and dispose of your garbage regularly. Also, keep your door and window screens in good condition. Also, be sure to put food items away.
The housefly is possibly the world's most common pest. It's related to other sorts of insects such as the face fly and the little housefly, which also can infest your home. Houseflies thrive in heat, so you may see a housefly uprising in the warm days of spring or summer.
