Houseflies are scavengers and land on us because they like us: The human body, like some of their favorite food sources — feces, food and rotting flesh — radiates a sense of warmth and nourishment. And while not interested in biting, the common housefly, or musca domestica, does want to suck up the salt, dead skin, oil and whatever they find edible on the exposed epidermis with their straw-like tongues.
Thanks to hearty appetites aided by an excellent sense of smell and a pair of complex eyes that cover half of their heads, houseflies also land on us and everything else in sight because they’re constantly on the hunt for a nice warm place to poop, vomit and lay eggs. This charming land-and-defecate-everywhere routine has made flies vectors of communicable diseases, ranging from typhoid to tuberculosis. The pathogens transmitted by houseflies, picked up after feasting on things like dung heaps and dead animals, are carried on their legs and around their mouths. Think about it: Each time a fly lands on your arm or takes a stroll around the rim of your mug of morning coffee, it could be shaking a whole lot of germs off of its hairy little legs.
The easiest, most inexpensive way to make the area in and around your home a “no fly” zone as you put it is to take basic preventative measures. If you have a dog and aren’t quick to pick up and dispose of its poop you should start making this your number one priority. There’s a reason why the filthy, winged critters love dog poop: It serves as both an all-you-can-eat buffet and an ideal egg depository. Also, don’t leave food out for too long, maintain a clean and tidy house (pay special attention to kitchen surfaces), empty your garbage cans regularly and keep an eye out for organic rotting matter. It’s about keeping a spic-and-span, sanitary home.
If houseflies keep on inviting themselves into your home, you should obviously shut windows and doors but also check for cracks and holes (particularly around window screens).We your friends at Southern Pest Control hope this information was helpful. Please remember when you have unwanted pests or animal problems our expert technicians are there to help. Just call our office at 800 527-9832 to set up a free estimate inspection. We have been serving the Gulf Coast for over 39 years. Please visit our website at www.southernpestcontrol.biz to meet our team and learn more about our services.
It tends to happen every summer here on the coast. You’re enjoying your time outside when all of a sudden you’re under attack: biting flies. Biting flies can be voracious eaters and will gladly get their blood meals from humans and animals. These bites are annoying, they can be very painful, and can even spread diseases. That’s why it’s important to know about the different kinds of biting flies you’ll find at the beach in Mississippi and what makes them bite people.
Types of Flies that Will Bite in Mississippi
It’s more than just one type of fly that bites. There are five main types of biting flies here on the Mississippi coast:
Flies are opportunistic eaters. Although they will gladly dine on decaying organic matter, garbage, and other unpleasant stuff, if a biting fly has access to humans or animals, it will bite to try to obtain a blood meal. Blood is very nutritious to flies. Unlike mosquitoes, flies do not require a blood meal to reproduce.
What Attracts Flies to Bite People?
Similar to mosquitoes, flies are highly reliant on their sense of smell. Any strong human smell — food, perfume, or personal smells — has the potential to attract biting flies.
How Can You Protect Yourself from Biting Flies in Mississippi?
Biting flies can be unavoidable at the height of summer. Still, there are a couple of things you can do to minimize your risk of getting bit.
Limit your exposure: The less skin you have exposed, the harder it is for flies to bite you. Wear long sleeves if possible
Bug spray: Consider using a bug spray with either DEET or picaridin. DEET is still the gold standard, but picaridin works quite well also and isn’t as harsh as DEET.
Get out early: Flies are less active early in the morning, which is a great reason for you to be more active at that time.
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Learn More About the Biting Flies You’ll Find on the Mississippi Coast
We deal with several biting fly species here on the Gulf Coast and it’s worth knowing the differences so you know what your next steps should be.
No-See’Um
No-see’ums are members of the insect order Diptera that undergo complete metamorphosis including the egg, larva, pupa, and adult forms. The adults are less than 1/16-inch-long, dark gray to black, and have one pair of spotted wings. Although no-see’ums breed predominantly in salt marshes, some inland species breed in tree holes and other freshwater areas.
The larvae of this pest are often found in mud, sand, and other moist debris surrounding the edges of ponds, springs, lakes, creeks, tree holes, or slime-covered bark. In the water, larvae occur as free-living swimmers that are commonly found on floating twigs or leaf debris.
Black Fly
Black flies (Simuliidae) are small, dark, stout-bodied insects with a hump-backed appearance that can be biting flies. Adult females are not host-specific and feed on blood primarily during daylight hours. It hovers about the eyes, ears, and nostrils of man and animals, often alighting and puncturing the skin causing severe irritation.
The black fly life cycle begins when eggs are deposited on logs, rocks, or solid surfaces in swiftly flowing, oxygenated streams. Larvae attach themselves to underwater rocks or vegetation with a posterior sucker. The length of the larval period varies depending on the species and conditions within the larval environment. Adult black flies emerge after pupation and begin searching for new hosts. These pests are strong fliers and are known to travel seven to 10 miles from their breeding sites.
Stable Fly
The stable fly, also known as the dog fly, is a blood-sucking pest that closely resembles the house fly. It is similar to the house fly in size and color but is easily recognized by its large, piercing mouthparts, which project forward from the head. Unlike many blood-feeding insects, such as mosquitoes, both sexes of the stable fly feed on blood.
The stable fly is a common pest of man and animals throughout the world. Stable flies are strong fliers that can travel up to two miles in search of a blood meal. Because they are persistent and easily interrupted during feeding, they often attack more than one host, increasing the potential for disease transmission. Although stable flies may be mechanical vectors of several animal diseases, they are not known to play a significant role in spreading human pathogens.
Horse Fly and Deer Fly
Horse flies and deer flies are closely related insects with similar life cycles. Both pests are strong fliers and only the adult female bites. They are daytime feeders that use large piercing mouthparts to lacerate host skin for a blood meal. While feeding, an anticoagulant is injected into the wound, increasing blood flow. These wounds can often serve as sites for secondary infections and many people are allergic to the feeding activities of these pests. In addition, horseflies and deer flies are important agents of disease transmission due to their intermittent feeding activity.
Most species of horse flies and deer flies have aquatic or semi-aquatic immature stages. Some will also develop in moist soil, leaf debris, or rotting logs. The eggs are generally deposited in layers of vegetation, objects over water, or other moist areas favorable to larval development. Five to seven days after hatching, the larvae travel to the water surface or other moist areas and begin to feed on organic matter.
Fly Control Experts in Mississippi Gulf Coast
We at Southern Pest Control hope that this information was helpful. If you’re at the stage where it’s time to take action, we can help.
We’ve been providing outstanding fly control services to the good people of the Gulf Coast Region for over 38 years, and we’re ready to serve you. Call us today to schedule your appointment.
Summer brings fun, sun, and—unfortunately—lots of annoying bugs. If you’ve got the pests that come with the season, you don’t have to go through great lengths to rid your home of them. Here is a DIY method and inexpensive tools to help with that wwwcontinuous pest THE FLY.
Of all the fly catching options, I love the fly funnel trap the best. It doesn’t look gross, you can put it on any surface, and it takes only about 5-10 minutes to make. The trap consists of a paper funnel that leads flies down into a cup or mug of some kind. Inside, they’ll find honey, sugar, or even old fruit. Anything sweet will work, but honey requires the smallest amount of surface area. I’ve also found it attracts more flies than the other options. Of course, you’ll save on clean up time with sugar and fruit. Once the flies go through the funnel, they can’t figure out how to leave. They’ll soon die and then you can empty out your trap. To make one, just follow these steps:
Pick a cup. Taller cups work best.
Get a sheet of 8.5×11 paper and twist it into a funnel leaving a hole bigger than a fly at the bottom.
Holding the paper cone in place, lower it into the cup to make sure it only sits about half way in. You can go down farther, but the more room you leave under the cone the more sweets you can fit in the cup.
Remove the cone and tape the edge so it holds its shape.
Fill the bottom of the cup with honey or whatever sweet you prefer
Put the cone back in the cup and place the cup near your fly problem.
Flies won’t suddenly flock to your new trap, and if you have a lot of ground to cover you’ll probably need at least three traps. Make the number you require, then wait 24-48 hours. In due time, the flies will find their way inside the cup and die.
We your friends at Southern Pest Control hope this information was helpful. Pleases remember when you have unwanted pests or animal problems our expert technicians are there to help. Just call our office at 800 527-9832 to set up a free estimate inspection. We have been serving the Gulf Coast for over 35 years. Please visit our website at www.southernpestcontrol.biz to meet our team and learn more about our services
