Finding little flies in your bathroom isn’t just annoying. It’s potentially dangerous. That’s because small flies may transmit disease.
They breed in the decaying muck found in drains and other unsanitary places. Then they may transfer those pathogens to where they land next. Hello, toothbrush? Ewww.
To get rid of small flies, the experts at Pest HQ suggest the following:
- Identify the fly. Four species of small flies cause the most problems.
- Drain flies, also called moth flies because of their fuzzy appearance, breed in the gunk of drains. This fly is most often found in bathrooms.
- Fungus gnats are attracted to decaying material in the soil of overwatered house plants. If you have plants in the bathroom, these flies may be the culprit.
- Fruit flies breed in decaying and fermenting fruit and vegetables, as well as drains.
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Phorid flies prefer sewage and decaying animal carcasses. If you have phorid flies, you may have a cracked sewer pipe or dead animal problem.
- Eliminate the source. Small flies are present because they have somewhere to lay their eggs. If you get rid of the decaying material, the fly life cycle stops, and the pests disappear in about 7 days.
The type of fly directs your cleanup effort. If you have drain flies, for instance, clean the drains with a stiff brush. Then apply a proven enzyme - or bacteria-based drain cleaner, which eats away the muck where fly larvae live. - Eradicate adult flies. Trap adult flies to stop them from laying more eggs. Do this using glue boards, fruit fly traps, flying insect traps or fly lights.
Have small fly questions? Contact Pest HQ.
Read more:
Tiny flies are invading my kitchen. How do I get rid of them?
