Flies Pest Control

Flies can be a huge nuisance, especially during the warmer Australian summer months. They can spoil food, spread diseases, cause allergic reactions and be a general pest. Give them the Flick for good with the help of our Flying Insect Control (FIC) solutions. Controlling flies is more difficult than it appears and involves more than the use of a fly swatter! Proper flies pest control requires several steps to be carried out and identifying the breeding sites; something Flick can help with.

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From Preparation to Treatment

If you are experiencing an infestation of flies, a Flick pest control technician can attend the property and inspect for harbourages and/or breeding sites.

Have You Got Questions? Call us on 1300 270 019

The tendency for flies to rest during the night means that surface sprays are very effective in treating them. Bait traps can also be used.
Biological liquid/foam treatments can be used for nuisance flies such as Fruit Flies and Moth Flies. However, these are only effective for a day or two and will need to be reapplied.

Commercial Pest Solutions

Integrated Pest Management Solutions

Our Integrated Pest Management program uses the latest technology focusing on prevention and addressing the root of the causes of pest problems to ensure a pest free environment for commercial workplaces and facilities. Our solutions are tailored to proactively prevent and help mitigate the impact and risk of a pest infestation. We combine tailored multi-faceted solutions with our latest digital pest technology supported by our highly regulated experienced team of technicians to bring you the best in pest control. Let us create a customised plan for your workplace today.
Learn more here or call 1300 270 019.

SMART Digital Pest Control

Our SMART Pest Control is an intuitive digital pest control system that keeps an eagle eye on your business with automated detection of rodents, cockroaches and moths. SMART technology will monitor rodent activity around the clock. On detection, the technology instantly reacts, records and reports activity, using non-toxic methods trapping rodents in an environmentally friendly way. Combine SMART automation with our regular pest control services for integrated, blanket protection against all major pests.
Learn more by visiting our SMART page or call 1300 270 019.

Common Fly Questions

  1. Why are flies pests?

    Flies are notorious pests that can detect food sources up to 800 metres away! They traffic germs and bacteria by their indiscriminate feeding. The same fly that feeds on rubbish and animal faeces may then land on your food. Flies are most active in sunny conditions and this is when they lay their eggs. Female house flies tend to lay their eggs in damp areas close to food supplies. In a single lifetime, female houseflies can produce up to 2,000 eggs and each batch of eggs contains 75 – 100 eggs. These become larvae in 24 hours.

  2. Do flies spread disease?

    Yes! Flies defecate every four to five minutes on average and are known to carry more than 100 pathogens. They can transmit serious diseases like typhoid, tuberculosis, cholera, dysentery, hepatitis, salmonella and parasitic worms. They can also be problematic for livestock or pets, sometimes laying eggs in the crotches of livestock. Larvae can infest on livestock, while adults are both a nuisance and spread germs.

  3. Why are flies so prevalent in summer?

    Although they have a short life cycle, flies have an extremely high reproductive capacity and feed on diverse food sources. They are also strong fliers, as anyone who has tried to catch them in full flight can attest! Reduction of breeding sites will dramatically reduce the population in a given location. Surface sprays should be applied to where flies are likely to rest during the night or periods of inactivity. They are also attracted to baits because of their scavenging nature.

  4. Why should I use professional treatment over DIY for flies?

    DIY methods do not ensure that the breeding site is eradicated for flies. They tend to only keep flying insects away temporarily and can be a waste of time and money. Professional flying insect control methods are perfect for customers who are looking for a long-term solution. As a premium solution, we also offer Flying Insect Control units for homes and businesses. Ideal for food processing, preparation and storage businesses.

  5. How do Flick technicians treat a fly infestation?

    Flick’s pest control experts will first identify the flies plaguing your property. We’ll carry out an inspection that enables breeding sites to be identified, removed and cleaned up. Your technician will also identify any structural issues your home is suffering from, such as damaged weather stripping or torn screens that flies may be exploiting to enter your home. The next step involves the elimination of all adult flies. Depending on the specifics, fly traps, baits, or insecticide might be used.

Common Flies

House Fly

Appearance

Grey in colour, approximately 4 -8mm long. The upper body is covered with four dark grey strips. The whole body has hair-like projections.

Lifestyle

When indoors, houseflies mostly rest near a human food source, such as on walls, ceiling or floors. Outside they can be found on the ground, on plants or on trash cans. Strong fliers, they can fly up to 8km in a single flight without resting. In warmer climates, they breed throughout the year. In colder climates, breeding usually stops before the winter. A fly only has sucking mouth parts, which means it can only ingest liquid and semi-liquids. When it lands on solid food, it vomits on it to create a solution, which it then sucks and contaminates the food.

Habits

The housefly is the most widespread and annoying flying indoors pest as they circle around food, attempting to contaminate it with the diseases they carry (e.g. salmonella, hepatitis, cholera, dysentery and poliomyelitis). They are carriers of human diseases at their larvae stage. They feed on manure, food waste, lawn clippings, and decaying vegetable and animal matter.

Blowfly

Appearance

Blowflies are metallic blue, green or black and are noisy in flight. They are larger than houseflies at 8-10mm but resemble them in habits.

Lifestyle

Blowflies thrive in weather that is warm and humid. They don’t do well in extreme conditions with wind, extreme dry heat or very cold weather. The female blow fly has to consume some protein before she can mate, whereas the male blow fly is sexually mature when it’s born. The eggs are usually laid in openings of a cadaver or wounds. The larvae then feed on the decaying material. It then takes 24-48 hours for the eggs to hatch. With up to 300 eggs deposited each breeding cycle, it’s important to get a blowfly infestation under control quickly.

Habits

The Blowfly can be found near any type of fresh meat or roadkill. The meat of dead animals is essential for their growth from larvae (maggots) to adult, and the female adults lay their eggs on the carcasses of dead animals. Blowflies are also attracted to plants that give off smells resembling rotting meat and are therefore good pollinators. They can also infest the wounds of living animals; this can have a sterilising effect but can also destroy healthy tissue.

Fruit Fly

Appearance

Very small, oval. 2 – 4mm in length. Tan in appearance with red or dark eyes. Grey underbelly.

Lifestyle

Fruit flies lay their eggs near the surface of fermenting foods or other moist, organic materials. The tiny larvae which emerge continue to feed near the surface. They have enormous reproductive potential. Given the opportunity, they will lay around 500 eggs. The entire lifecycle from egg to adult can be completed in about a week. While they are especially attracted to fruits and vegetables, they will also breed in drains, garbage disposals, empty bottles and cleaning rags. They just need a moist film of fermenting material.

Habits

In Australia, we have two types of fruit flies: the Mediterranean Fruit Fly (found in WA) and the Queensland Fruit Fly (found in NT, QLD, some parts of NSW, and the eastern corner of VIC). Fruit flies are found around canneries, breweries, wineries, and fruit and vegetable markets/stores. They’re attracted to fruits and vegetables, particularly fermenting materials and fruits/vegetables containing yeast.

Moth Fly

Appearance

Moth flies (or Drain flies) are small, about 3mm. They are usually black or brown and have a unique pattern of veins on their wings, as well as numerous hairs.

Lifestyle

Moth flies can be found in moist, highly organic debris areas and also breed in moist, shady areas outdoors such as under potted plants. Good hygiene and drying out areas can help prevent them – clean dirty garbage containers, wet lint under the washing machine and any areas of standing water. The breeding sites will need to be found and destroyed.

Habits

Moth flies are commonly found in grease traps and sewage treatment works, where they breed their larvae. When they’ve found the right conditions, they are prolific breeders! In the home, they can be found in bathrooms, damp subfloors, greenhouses and other locations where moisture and decay are present. Easy to identify, as they resemble mini bats. Thanks to the tiny hairs all over their bodies, Moth flies leave a powdery smudge when crushed.