Integrated Pest Management

Flies are one thing you can count on as the warm weather arrives and like most insects, flies will flourish given the right conditions.

There are many types of flies that we deal with in and around our home and it is possible to reduce or eliminate the populations of some of these flies with an integrated pest management approach.

• Most flies develop in decaying organic matter. For example, if we over water our indoor plants, fungus will grow in the flower pot or the tray beneath it. This can result in fungus gnats. The solution is simple … give the plants only as much water as they need.
• If you store fruit on your table or vegetables in a cabinet and one piece of fruit or one vegetable is over ripe or begins to decay you will have fruit flies. The solution is to keep the fruit and vegetables refrigerated.
• If there is a sewer line break in a crawl space or under a slab there is an opportunity for phorid flies (also known as coffin flies because they can access areas that are said to be sealed) to develop. The solution is to inspect and maintain sewer and septic lines and repair any leaks or breaks quickly.
• House flies are also very common. We must all, especially in the warm weather, keep our trash in tightly sealed containers and wash these trash containers once in a while and clean up after our pets or wildlife that leave droppings in the yard.

If we eliminate one of the three items necessary for all living things, food, water, or shelter (a place to develop), we reduce or eliminate the pest. This is integrated pest management.