House Fly

Category:

Actual Size: ¼”

Characteristics: Four dark stripes on the thorax. Grayish-black in color.

Legs: 6

Wings: Yes

Antennae: Yes

Habitat: Attracted to decomposing organic material like lawn clippings, compost, manure, and trash.

Habits:

  • Lays eggs in decaying matter and animal waste. 
  • Rarely found in the wilderness and are more common near human activity. 
  • Excretes waste every time they land, which spreads bacteria quickly.

House Flies in Anaheim

House flies are one of the most recognizable insects in the world, and they’re found all across the globe except in Antarctica. These pests are most active in the hot summer months, usually infesting areas that are close to both humans and animals. House flies need animal waste or other decaying organic matter to reproduce, which can include animal corpses or food waste. These pests also defecate nearly every time they land on a surface, which makes them vectors for disease if they land on surfaces we regularly touch. 

House Fly Habitat

In rural communities or farmlands, manure piles are usually what attracts house flies. They are particularly drawn to horse or cow manure, though they’ll also breed in human excrement or dumpsters. In more urban settings, these pests are drawn to things like poorly discarded trash or fermenting lawn clippings. Some species of house flies can even survive and reproduce inside of recycling containers, which makes them a common problem for recycling facilities. 

House Fly Behaviors, Threats, or Dangers

House flies aren’t known to bite, but their unsanitary habits make them capable of spreading over 100 different pathogens to humans. They can transmit salmonellosis, tuberculosis, and typhoid among many other diseases. House flies usually pick up bacteria and pathogenic organisms while crawling through trash, manure, or sewage, and they spread it by walking on high-touch surfaces or areas we use for cooking. 

A house fly infestation is never pleasant, and it could put your health at risk. If you keep finding these pests on your property, reach out to your local fly exterminators for help getting rid of them for good.