Here in Central Florida, we have an issue. And that issue has a name: flies. Farming is a big part of the economy of Central Florida. But unfortunately, where you have farmland, you’re almost certainly going to have flies. That’s why today, we’re going to touch on Tampa fly control for both homes and businesses.
If you’re currently dealing with flies in your home and business, visit our website at insectfree.com and enter your information in the popup, or give us a call at 1-800-634-1313 to deal with the infestation today.
Tampa Fly Control: Overview
When it comes to Fly control in Tampa, or Florida in general, really, there’s the “type” of fly to consider. In Florida, there are two main types: biting flies and filth flies. To start with, let’s break down some of the most common flies you’ll be dealing with in central Florida from these two families, and then we’ll get into some home control methods. First on the list has got to be the most common fly you’ll run into, the humble house fly.
House flies
One of the biggest nuisance pests in Florida is the humble house fly. They not only fly aggressively and erratically, but they can transmit disease as well. The adults are small and usually gray to black in coloration. They have stripes on their thorax and are covered with small hairs that serve as taste organs. Their eyes are bright red and highly complex, with thousands of individual lenses.
You’ll usually find house flies resting on floors, walls, and ceilings during the day. Outdoors they’re more commonly found on the ground, fences, garbage cans, etc. They seem to prefer ledges that grant them decent fields of vision. And when it comes to their diet, there really isn’t much a housefly won’t eat. They consume human food, animal food, and carcasses, and will eat plenty of trash and excrement.
Bottle flies
Next we have bottle flies, flies that are similarly common to house flies in central Florida and will have you needing Tampa fly control in no time. They look similar to house flies but have larger bodies that come in more metallic blue, green, and black colors.
Bottle flies are typically found outdoors and are a big problem around farms and animal husbandry businesses. If you see them make their way indoors and swarm around things like lights or your wall in large numbers, there’s a good chance something dead is in there, and the flies are breeding on it.
When it comes to bottle flies, cleanliness is the closest you can get to godliness. Garbage containers and compost tumblers should be secured tightly not to encourage this fly’s propagation. Like house flies, these pests eat anything that was once living. Decaying organic matter of any kind can sustain them.
Biting Yellow flies
Alright, now let’s get into the group that I PERSONALLY think is the worse of the two. And that’s the biting flies. We’ll start with yellow flies, the most aggressive species within the family. You can identify these guys by their bright yellow coloration. Their bodies are yellow, their legs are black, and they have large eyes that are red in the center and blue-green around the rim. Their wings have prominent dark brown patches with yellow and black veins running through them. They usually reach about half an inch in length.
Yellow flies are brutal pests to animals, livestock, and humans. They have bites that are painful, with scything mouthparts that tear as opposed to pinch. Some people describe the bites as electric, and the site tends to swell greatly. These flies will aggressively pursue humans and bite any exposed skin, including on the neck and head. This is also one of the very few species that will actually chase you indoors.
If you live around the woods or near bodies of water in general, you’ll likely have to deal with these pests. They’re a real rural issue, and are common throughout the entirety of central Florida and will have you needing Tampa fly control.
no-see-ums
Finally, we have another biting fly species as we round off our list of biting pests. No-see-ums are just as aggressive and irritating as all of the species above. They’re also extremely common, and are found in every corner of the Sunshine State.
The No-see-ums get their name from their size. They’re small, and I mean really small- only about .03 inches in length. That makes them smaller than other nearly impossible pests to see, like fleas. They’re slow moving but persistent and travel in swarms while flying low to the ground. So you may not even see them coming but just go inside and be covered in bites all over your legs.
There was a time when I was younger that in the winter, No-see-ums would slow down and not be as much of a problem. But these days, winter is just as hot as any other time of year. So these warm weather loving pests can be found year round in parts of Florida that are further south the panhandle.
Tampa Fly Control: At home control tips for your home and business.
Now, when it comes to fly control, there are a few things you can do. Repellent plants may help in pots and placed around the home. But for filth flies, you really need to make sure to deal with the sources of the infestation. House flies, and bottle flies need food to breed in and eat. So make sure to cover your trash cans with locking lids and to store your food in appropriate containers.
Draining standing water will help on the other end with the biting flies. Biting flies are very similar to mosquitoes when it comes to prevention methods and preferred habitats. So make sure to keep your grass well-trimmed, and get rid of any trash or containers that can collect rainwater for no-see-ums and biting flies to breed in. And when outside, try wearing long pants and sleeves, as ankles and wrists are big-time targets to these pests.
If you’re dealing with an infestation, please return to the start of the article and contact us immediately. The longer you wait, the worse the problem will get.
