Those damn pesky flies! Gauteng, here's how you can get rid of them

Flies are some of the most common pests in the world. They are very annoying and can be a nightmare to deal with. 

Another major problem with them is that because they feed and breed in rotting material, they can spread harmful bacteria to people. 

A lot of South Africans have taken to social media to complain about the increased number of flies this summer. Some believe this is due to global warming, a warm, dry winter or late rains that the country experienced in 2020.

Louis Lindenberg, the CEO at pest control company, The Specialist, says the reason is that “flies are notoriously fast-breeding insects especially when the temperature is high and humid like it is at the moment.”

He adds that they can multiply within a short space of time. An egg that has hatched today can become a full-grown adult in three days and produce more flies.  

“The biggest problem is that during this time of the year, the breeding cycle is incredibly fast and every house has got an incubator for flights - and that is called the big black dustbin,” says the expert. 

Common things in the house that attract flies

“The dustbin is number one,” says Lindenberg. 

Following the dustbin, he says a dirty house and faeces from pets attract flies. 

“When people have pets, they must make sure that they pick up the poop every day or even twice a day because the flies are attracted to the smell and once they are there they are going to invade your house and breed,” says Lindenberg.  

“If your hygiene standards are poor, you are going to have problems. So, if you have open food standing around, or if your dishes remain unwashed and they just lie there, you are really a fly magnet,” he adds. 

Natural ways to get rid of flies

“There are many remedies for flies. The best way to control flies if you do not want to use chemicals is housekeeping standards,” says Lindenberg, who has been in the pest control business for over 20 years. 

“You need to make sure that your hygiene standards are very high." 

He adds that you should “clean your dustbin on a regular basis and spray it with a household disinfectant. Not only will it clean the dustbin, but it will also smell much better."

It is also important to clean greasy oven tops, sugary substances, dirty dishes, spilt drinks, and to get rid of rotten food and overripe fruits that are sitting in cupboards and shelves because they can attract flies. 

Another natural method is to use traps. 

“Reduce the adult population so that they can’t breed and the best way to do that is to trap them. Use some form of a trap where they will go in and they can’t get out. There are many on the market and some of them are natural in that they are a protein mixture,” says Lindenberg. 

“If you still have a problem, consult a professional to see what else can be done to control the flies. There is also non-natural ways such as electronic fly catchers and automatic dispensers,” says Lindenberg. 

Watch the video below on how you can create your own fly trap: 

Image courtesy of iStock/@photointrigue