ID tips on four common pest flies in homes or kitchens

MGK

Fly management is key, not only because they are annoying but also because they spread disease. One of the most critical steps next to customer communication is identification. Different fly species have unique harboring and breeding habits. Misidentification of these species can lead to ineffective treatment strategies.

Four common pest flies you’ll run into in homes or kitchens include:

• Red-eyed fruit flies go for rotting fruits and vegetables.
• Drain flies love sewage accumulation and drain muck in sinks and floor drains.
• Fungus gnats often are found in houseplant soil.
• House flies hang around trash, rotting food and even manure.

Misidentifying these flies can result in targeting the wrong breeding sites, wasting time and resources. For instance, it won’t do you much good if you treat drains for red-eyed fruit flies. Likewise, if you try to treat fungus gnats by removing all the old fruits and vegetables, you will have the same problem.

Finding the source of the fly infestation will become much easier after identifying the species. Knowing the species’ likely breeding areas will help you target your inspection to find the source faster. However, use caution. Just because you found one breeding source doesn’t mean you found them all. A thorough inspection is still necessary.