One of the most common household insects may also be one of the most dangerous. Most homeowners have had experiences with house flies at some point, and not realized just how germy the pests can be. During the summer months, when windows and doors are opened frequently, it is easy for these insects to zoom inside and make a home for themselves.
Even though they seem to be a mere annoyance, flies can be a dangerous pest to have indoors. These insects have been known to spread filth and disease, and there is a chance there are some crawling about your home this very minute. Taking the appropriate insect control measures to deal with a fly problem can prevent serious illnesses from occurring.
The filth on a fly
When a fly gets into your home, it doesn’t enter alone. It brings with it disease and bacteria which can be harmful to both humans and pets. The germs on a fly can include pathogens that cause dangerous conditions such as typhoid, tuberculosis and cholera. Aside from these critical illnesses, flies can also spread common bacterial infections because they carry so many microorganisms on their bodies. Because flies walk on rotting garbage, fecal material and other germy surfaces, they pick up more dangerous bacteria each time they land.
Spreading disease quickly
Flies spread illnesses quickly because they land with astonishing frequency. Every time a fly touches down on a surface in your home, it spreads bacteria and pathogens to the area. This makes sanitizing the areas that flies have touched very important to prevent the spreading of disease. Since flies tend to land on human meals and utensils, putting these items away quickly can prevent the further contamination of food.
Keeping an infestation under control
Flies breed extremely rapidly, and a few pesky flies can quickly become a full-blown infestation. Besides having an excessive number of flies in the home, signs of an infestation can include maggots in food and garbage. To prevent breeding in the areas, food should be properly sealed in tight containers, and trash cans should be emptied regularly. If the flies in your home are just too numerous to kill with an ordinary flyswatter, it may be time to call in professional exterminators. A pest control expert can determine how to best rid the home of the flies and prevent an infestation from occurring in the future.