Which Species Of Fly Are Considered Pests?

Did you know there are over 100,000 species of fly in the world? Most of these flies live in nature and are not a problem for humans. That being said, several of these flies are considered pests and do cause issues. Read here about some species of fly that you do not want in your home.

Problem flies include fruit flies, blue bottles, drain flies, cluster flies, horse flies and the common housefly. Out of all of these species, bluebottles and houseflies are by far the worst. Yes, these other flies can be a nuisance, but are not considered dangerous.  This is because other flies do not spread disease. You won’t get sick if there are fruit flies or cluster flies in your home. On the other hand, houseflies and bluebottles are known disease carriers.

What species of flies should you watch out for?

Bluebottles

Bluebottles are loud buzzing flies, with a patch of brilliant blue on them. Like houseflies, they can carry diseases to humans and can lay eggs in rotting meat. These are insects you won’t want in your kitchen so use tips to prevent unwanted flies.

Houseflies

The common housefly is the species of fly that is always considered a pest. It lands on food and often contaminates it. This can lead to food poisoning. Restaurants need to be ultra careful about protecting food from flies.

Cluster Flies

Cluster flies cluster together when hibernating, which is how they got their name. They may hibernate in lofts and attics. Fortunately, they are not known to spread diseases and they do not lay eggs in food.

Drain Flies

Drain flies (a type of gnat) often live in kitchen drains, where they feed on scraps of food. They may then enter your kitchen from the drain or fly in by the back door, if they are hanging around the outside drain. They are harmless but can be irritating.

Horse flies

Horse flies are a more unusual pest. The main concern is that they bite. However, the bite is not dangerous. Horse flies pose a danger to horses, so horse owners need to be aware that a horse that is bitten by one, could get a disease. Hence, they are considered pests.

Fruit flies

Fruit flies are small and eat fruit and vegetables. Although they are not usually a major concern, they can be involved in the spread of diseases. Try to use fruit fly traps and other prevention methods for this species.

Remember, flies are mostly after decomposing food. This is why food should only be thrown in bins that have a lid. Other things you may want to choose include netting on windows, screen doors, sticky fly paper and fly zappers.