  |
|
|
December
PEST OF THE MONTH Home Invaders |
|
 Photo by Drees - TAMU Entomology |
Small Flies (Diptera) Middle left: leafminer fly Middle right: shore fly Bottom: fruit fly |
During the winter months, gnats and flies in the house are always a common occurrence. Warmer temperatures indoors, food kept out on the counter, and more trips home with food from the grocery store all contribute to an increase in drain and fruit fly populations.
Most household flies breed and/or lay their eggs in decaying organic matter. Drains are a wonderful source of organic matter, no matter how often you run the disposal. Flies lay their eggs in the organic matter coating the pipes and the adults emerge from the drain. Use a brush with steel bristles or at least strong bristles and clean out the drain. Placing ice cubes in the drain and running the disposal will also break up the organic matter. Professional pest control operators also have products they can place down hard to access drains.
Some flies will also lay eggs in rotten fruit or vegetables. Potatoes allowed to rot are an excellent breeding site for annoying gnats. Throw out all fruit and vegetables that are rotten or have flies landing on them. It is also a good idea to keep fruit and veggies in ziploc bags or in the refrigerator until the fly infestation ends.
Clean up where rotten fruit and veggies were allowed to sit. Use trash can liners and clean out trash cans with bleach or cleaner. Fly eggs are tiny and you can't always see their eggs or the organic matter they are laid in.
Never use insecticides around food or food handling areas without reading the label carefully first! If you can't get a handle on the fly problem yourself, call a pest control professional.
For more information on these common household pests, visits these links:
http://insects.tamu.edu/extension/bulletins/l-2037.html
http://insects.tamu.edu/fieldguide/cimg235.html
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/extension/newsletters/hortupdate/jan04/Fungusgnat.html
For more information contact IPM Program Specialist
and Entomologist, Molly Keck at 210-467-6575 or email at mekeck@ag.tamu.edu