You know, when I was a younger man fall and winter existed in Florida. But these days, the state is just one long, perpetual summertime. And some people really enjoy this fact. But they’re not alone. The bugs do, too! And if you live in Central Florida near farm country, you know how bad the flies are getting these days. So today, we’ll touch on some Organic Florida fly control. We’ll also discuss the species you can expect to run into in the Sunshine State, and what to look out for when it comes to infestation signs.
If you’re currently dealing with an infestation, feel free to head over to insectfree.com immediately or call us at 1-800-634-1313 for a free consultation today.
Organic Florida Fly Control: Overview
When it comes to Fly control in central Florida, the first distinction you need to make is the type of fly you’re dealing with. In our state, there are two major groups of flies. The first is the filth feeding flies. They’re the ones you’ll see more frequently, and they tend to be more of an issue with things like garbage, cattle, or composting.
Then you have the parasitic flies. These are things like deer flies, horse flies, and other biting fly species. These are species that need human blood meal to reproduce, like mosquitos, and are usually found in rural areas, around waterways and lakes, and in areas where deer, cattle, or horses are frequent.
Today we’ll discuss both, because both groups can be an issue for homeowners. But that goes double for farmers and other husbandry operations, as the filth flies AND parasitic flies can be a problem for your livestock.
Filth Flies
House flies:
Alright, let’s start off with the most common filth flies you’ll run into as a home or business owner. And that’s, as you could probably guess, house flies. They’re the small, black colored flies with red eyes that you probably think of first when you think of flies. They’re the most common fly pest anywhere and can be found in any environment human settlement can exist in.
And while one or two is to be expected, large numbers of house flies can transmit disease. Disease-causing organisms accumulate on the bodies of house flies as they go from filth to filth and can be transmitted to food and other surfaces that they land on.
And when it comes to making sure you have some Organic Florida fly control on hand, finding the source is important with this pest. Identifying places where the flies are depositing their eggs is a good first step. For example, checking things like pet food bowls or uncovered trash cans.
Blow and Bottle flies
Blow and bottle flies are the other category of filth fly we’ll touch on today. They’re common non biting species in Florida and can be found throughout the state. They resemble house flies in body shape and eye color. However, you can tell them from regular house flies by the metallic green, blue, or black coloration on their bodies. They’re quite a bit shinier than house flies, anyway.
Like house flies, these filth breeding flies are most commonly found breeding in dead organic matter. Compost bins, trash cans, animal manure, and food scraps are all common targets for blow and bottle fly breeding grounds.
Biting Flies
In Florida, these are the real problems. We have many species of biting fly in the Sunshine State to deal with. However, we’ll touch on some of the worst offenders in the state today. Starting with the invisible and annoying no-see-ums.
No-see-ums
If you live anywhere with a decent amount of fresh water, and you’re in Florida, you probably have to deal with no-see-ums. No-see-ums are small, gnat like biting flies. In fact, they’re almost impossible to see with the naked eye. Most adults of this species clock in at about 0.03 inches long, which is smaller than a flea. Because of this, they can easily fit through storm doors and window screens.
And on top of that, these flying pests have a nasty bite. Imagine you come inside and, without seeing a single bug, you’re absolutely covered from ankles to knees in bug bites. That may be a reason you need some Organic Florida fly control!
Biting Yellow Flies
And next is probably my least favorite pest in Florida. Yellow flies are small, just under half an inch long. You can identify them by their yellow bodies with large, blue-green eyes. Their wings are clear but have thin black and yellow veins running through them, as well as a brown patch on the back.
This is one of the few species of parasitic fly that you can describe as genuinely aggressive. They’ll bite anywhere that they can find exposed skin, especially around the neck, ankles, and wrists. Yellow flies are also one of very few species that will aggressively pursue their targets indoors.
Organic Florida Fly Control: The Methods
Alright, now let’s touch on some things you can do in your home to keep the number of flies down. For one, cleanliness needs to be high on your list for getting rid of filth flies. Look out for where they congregate and clean the source of the infestation. Cover your trash at all time, preferably with a locking lid, and store food in appropriate containers.
Compost piles are sources of flies as well. However, their maggots can actually aid in the composting process. So if you’re dealing with flies in the compost and can stand to have them there, simply move your compost further from the home as to keep them from being attracted inside.
Oil of lemon eucalyptus, known as OLE, is also an effective fly killer. Keeping some on hand in a spray bottle is a decent way to kill the flies without having to swat them; simply spritz as they pass.
Catnip has also been shown to help against flies but is more geared toward prevention. As per the University of Nebraska-Lincoln study, Catnip essential oil is proven out to be the most effective natural fly repellent. It is reported with an average repellency rate of 95% against common flies and 76% against other insects. If you are growing catnip in your garden, it can easily repel the flies.
Several plants and herbs have also been shown to repel flies, though to a lesser extent. You can add a few in your garden or keep them in pots. Move the pots to the areas you need to repel the flies. Some of these include mint, Mexican marigolds, basil, lavender, rosemary, pitcher plant, and yarrow.
