Types Of Flies - Fly Control Identification
Learn about the different types of flies, different species of flies and fly identification.
- Identifying Characteristics: About twice as large as house fly; metallic blue or green color
- Adult Occurrence: Spring and Summer
- Life Cycle: 2-4 weeks
- Management Products/Methods: Residual and contact sprays; traps
Sanitation, exclusion, habitat destruction
- Identifying Characteristics: Black, shiny, with bronze tints
- Host Material: Moist sources: overripe and moldy cheese, ham.
- Adult Occurrence: Most abundant in warm and moist conditions
- Life Cycle: 2-3 weeks
- Management Products/Methods: Pyrethrum contact and fogging sprays
Sanitation and habitat destruction
- Identifying Characteristics: Superficially resemble house fly but is slightly larger and more sluggish in its movements
- Host Material: They are parasites of earthworms and breed outdoors in lawns and fields
- Adult Occurance: Abundant in spring and fall
- Life Cycle: 4-6 weeks
- Management Products/Methods: Residual and contact sprays
Screen and caulk around eaves, windows, etc.
- Identifying Characteristics: 2 to 3 times larger than a housefly: gray and black checkboard pattern on the abdomen.
- Host Material: Garbage, manure, and animal carcasses
- Adult Occurrence: Common in warm months
- Life Cycle: 2-4 weeks
- Management Products/Methods: Residual and contact sprays; baits, traps
Sanitation, exclusion, habitat destruction
- Identifying Characteristics: 1/8th inch long; yellowish-brown; hover around ripe or decaying fruits and vegetables
- Host Material: Decaying fruits and vegetables; garbage
- Adult Occurrence: Most abundant in late summer and early fall
- Life Cycle: 1 to 2 weeks
- Management Products/Methods: Chemical and Traps Methods: Residual and contact sprays; baits, traps
Sanitation, exclusion, habitat destruction.
- Identifying Characteristics: Fungus gnats are tiny; most are less than 1/16 of an inch, although some may be larger.
- Host Material: The larvae feed on fungus growing in the soil and moist organic matter.
- Adult Occurrence: Most abundant in warm and moist conditions
- Life Cycle: 2-3 weeks
- Management Products/Methods: Chemical and Traps Methods: Residual and contact sprays; baits, traps
Remove contaminated soil, breeding sites.
- Identifying Characteristics: 1/4 inch long: dull gray with four stripes on the thorax; 4th wing vein sharply angled
- Host Material: Animal waste, garbage, and other decaying organic matter
- Adult Occurrence: Most abundant later summer and early fall
- Life Cycle: 7-45 Days
- Management Products/Methods: Residual and contact sprays; baits, traps; larvicides
Sanitation, exclusion, habitat destruction
- Identifying Characteristics: 1/8 inch long; body and wings densely covered with long hairs Adult Occurance: More common in warm months
- Life Cycle: 2-3 weeks
- Management Products/Methods: Residual and contact sprays, drain treatment with microbes
Sanitation, habitat destruction, and moisture control
- Identifying Characteristics: Superficially resemble fruit flies, but are more humpbacked.
- Host Material: Decaying vegetation and animal matter
- Adult Occurrence: Most abundant in warmer months
- Life Cycle: 1-2 weeks
- Management Products/Methods: Residual and contact sprays, drain treatment with microbes
Sanitation, habitat destruction, and moisture control
Sphaerocerid Flies (Dung Flies)
- Identifying Characteristics: 1/8-inch; black
- Host Material: Decaying organic matter, especially moist animal manure
- Adult Occurrence: Most abundant in warmer months
- Life Cycle: 2-3 weeks
- Management Products/Methods: Residual and contact sprays, drain treatment with microbes
Sanitation, habitat destruction, and moisture control
- Identifying Characteristics: 1/4-inch; long, pointed proboscis
- Host Material: decaying hay, straw, fermenting weeds, grass, and seaweeds
- Adult Occurrence: More common in warm months, after a rain
- Life Cycle: 3-4 weeks
- Management Products/Methods: Residual and contact sprays, traps
Sanitation, habitat destruction, and moisture control
Written by our resident pest control expert Ken Martin.