At some point during the year, small flies will appear. They usually like to turn up on hotter months but they are not dictated by the weather alone. These small flies come in many forms and we have many names for them. Some people call them gnats and others flies. In reality gnats or flies is a broad term used to refer to a number of different species. To be clear we are talking about the really small flies right now, not the large buzzing ones. Here are our tips on how to deal with them.
Know your enemy
The first step is to know your enemy. There are different flies and they are attracted to your house for different reasons. Fruit flies are attracted, clearly, by fruit. If you leave a banana or mango out too long you will notice the flies start to circulate. These flies have red eyes with bodies that are a mute brown color. Fungus flies are a little rarer, they are attracted to plants. If you have lots of plants around your house you may see flies circling. These guys have yellow bellies and long legs but appear very black from some angles. Finally, there are drain flies. These look more like tiny moths and usually are found near open drains. They are fuzzy with wider wings.
Deal with the source
In each case, there is a reason they are forming. If it is the fruit flies you need to leave your fruits in the fridge for a few weeks until they stop appearing. Wash all fruits and veg when you purchase them to ensure and eggs or larva is removed. If it is the drain fly it may be an indication that your drain needs to be cleaned. You can buy some drain cleaner from your local supermarket. If this doesn’t work it may indicate that you have a leak somewhere and need to get a plumber. If it is the fungus fly then you may need to change your plants to a new pot and soil. Changing the plant home should stop the fungus flies from coming and is good for your plant too.
Stop your enemy
The best form of defense is a strong attack. While you can use all the above-mentioned preventative measures you will still need to tackle the problem head-on. Lay some traps around the house to deal with the flies and you will catch them quickly. Our favorite solution is to put out a small bowl with apple cider vinegar inside. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place a rubber band around the outside. Now poke a few small holes in the cover. The fruit flies will be able to enter but they won’t be able to get out.
Another great trick is to leave out a bowl of vinegar with some dish soap. The dish soap will change the consistency of the vinegar and flies will be able to land on the surface but will slowly sink and drown. There are many other solutions that you can use so we are sure you have something in your home that will work. A stale bottle of beer or wine will also do the trick but we are not big fans of the smell of old beer in the house. If none of these solutions fit your needs you can buy ready-made traps from the store.
These small flies are not able to bite you and so will have little impact on your health or well being. They will impact your sanity though. There are few things as annoying as flies in your home. Put some solutions in place and you can be rid of them quickly.