Pests Archive - Page 4 of 12 - Ja-Roy Pest Control - Pest Control & Extermination Services

Black Fly

Black Flies in Louisiana

Black flies are small, blood-sucking insects, found in many parts of the United States and Canada. Common names for this pest include buffalo gnats and turkey gnats, and they are known to fly around people’s heads, occasionally getting into eyes and ears, as well as crawling into the hair. Only the females are blood feeders and will readily bite humans and animals. Black flies may sometimes occur in enormous numbers in the late spring and early summer, particularly in the more northern latitudes.

Black Fly Habitat

Black flies breed exclusively in running water, and larvae and pupae develop in flowing, typically non-polluted water, with a high level of dissolved oxygen. The immature stages of black flies develop in oxygenated water sources, therefore adults are usually associated with slow-moving streams, creeks, or rivers where the immature stages develop. Flowing water does not necessarily imply white water rapids, but water must be moving. Water in lakes and ponds that are not flowing is unsuitable for black fly development.

Black Fly Behaviors, Threats, or Dangers

Black flies can be annoying biting pests, but none are known to transmit diseases to humans in the U. S. The bites of black flies cause different reactions in humans, ranging from a small puncture wound where the original blood meal was taken to a swelling that can be the size of a golf ball. Reactions to black fly bites are collectively known as “black fly fever” and include headache, nausea, fever, and swollen lymph nodes in the neck. Besides being a nuisance to humans, black flies can pose a threat to livestock. They are capable of transmitting a number of different disease agents to livestock, including protozoa and nematode worms, none of which cause disease in humans. If you are dealing with a black fly problem on your property, contact your local fly exterminators.

Need help with Black Fly control?

Click the Get a FREE quote button below to leave your information.

Blow Fly

Blow Flies in Louisiana

Blow flies are one of the most common flies found around dead animals. They prefer highly unsanitary habitats, and because of this, they may be vectors of disease pathogens, such as dysentery. These flies are distinguished by their bright metallic appearance and are abundant around commercial, institutional, industrial, and residential buildings when they are located near recycling centers, garbage dumps, slaughter-houses, and meat processing plants. Blow flies can pick up faint traces of odor of decay and can fly up to 12 miles in search of a suitable carcass to lay their eggs.

Blow Fly Habitat

Blow flies thrive best in weather that is warm and humid. They normally lay their eggs on meat, fish, or dead animals, but will also lay eggs in decomposing organic matter, like garbage, animal manure, decaying vegetables, grass clippings, and poorly managed compost piles. Under ideal temperatures, blow flies can develop from egg to adult in as little as 7 days. Many homeowners have witnessed this behavior as a mass emergence of maggots crawling from their backyard trash cans when kitchen waste placed in these trash cans was not sealed in a plastic trash bag.

Blow Fly Behaviors, Threats, or Dangers

Blow flies do not bite or sting. They are, however, strongly attracted to human foods and garbage, making cooking outdoors difficult when they are present. As with house flies, they may be involved in the transmission of disease agents acquired from garbage or animal feces and subsequently deposited onto human foods. The primary threat from blow flies is the distribution of disease-carrying organisms that affect humans such as salmonella food poisoning, Dysentery, Cholera, various parasitic worms, and many others.

If you are dealing with a blow fly problem on your property, contact your local fly exterminators.

Cluster Fly

Cluster Flies in Louisiana

Cluster flies are a member of the blowfly family and are widely distributed throughout the United States, except for the states bordering Mexico. These insects enter houses in the fall to hibernate and often gather in secluded and sometimes inaccessible places, such as wall cavities, attics, and false ceilings. In the spring, cluster flies become active and in attempting to leave their hibernation site, they commonly end up inside the living space of homes and buildings where they become a nuisance. In early spring, they are sluggish but do not fly about noisily in buildings like other flies.

Cluster Fly Habitat

Cluster flies normally live outdoors where they frequent flowers and ripe fruits. With the approach of cool weather, they enter homes and buildings to overwinter. Here they hide, often in clusters, in nooks and dark corners, underneath clothing in closets, beneath curtains, in wall voids, and behind pictures and furniture. The increasing warmth of spring days induces activity, and flies may emerge from hibernation, inside, rather than outside the home. Once inside, the flies crawl sluggishly over the walls and often fall into food on the table.

Cluster Fly Behaviors, Threats, or Dangers

Unlike typical blowflies, cluster flies are not believed to be a health hazard because they are not attracted to human foods. However, their presence can be annoying, as they tend to travel in huge swarms of thousands of flies. In the fall, as adult flies seek shelter to spend the winter months, they gather near windows in buildings and homes, spinning around and buzzing noisily. When swatted, they tend to leave a greasy spot. While they hibernate over the winter, their accumulated excrement can give off a noticeable stench and they may also stain fabrics and walls.

If you are dealing with a cluster fly problem on your property, contact your local fly exterminators.

Crane Fly

Crane Flies in Louisiana

Crane flies are found all around the world in temperate or tropical climates and are often confused with mosquitoes, as they look like super-sized versions of those blood-sucking insects. Although their long bodies and thin legs resemble giant mosquitoes, crane flies do not bite people. In fact, they are sometimes called mosquito hawks or mosquito wasps, even though they don’t prey on mosquitoes. The larvae of this species can be damaging to turf and lawns as they feed on the roots, crowns, and above-ground portions of grass plants.

Crane Fly Habitat

Crane flies can be found in lawns, turf, compost piles, and in moist soil around ponds and streams. Adult crane flies emerge from the soil beneath turfgrass and other grassy areas in late summer and fall. Females lay eggs that hatch into small, brown, wormlike larvae commonly referred to as “leatherjackets”. The leatherjackets feed on the roots and crowns of clover and grass plants during the fall and then spend the winter as larvae in the soil. Around mid-May, they enter a nonfeeding pupal stage and remain just below the soil surface. In late summer, pupae wriggle to the surface and emerge as adults.

Crane Fly Behaviors, Threats, or Dangers

Adult crane flies do not bite or spread diseases, although crane flies in lawn grass can be problematic. Crane fly larvae feed on crowns and grass blades on warm nights, damaging lawns and turf. Damage often becomes noticeable in March and April and appears as dying patches of turfgrass. Populations of crane fly larvae have been reduced by as much as 50% during the winter months and between March and May as a result of predators such as birds and ground beetles and other natural causes. If you are dealing with a crane fly problem on your property, contact your local exterminators.

Deer Fly

Deer Flies in Louisiana

Deer flies and horse flies are large, heavy-bodied insects that are persistent pests of wildlife, livestock, and humans. Their blood-sucking habits also raise concerns about the possible transmission of disease agents. They are notorious pests of horses, mules, cattle, hogs, dogs, and other mammals, including humans. Deer flies, which commonly bite humans, are smaller with dark bands across the wings and colored eyes similar to those of horse flies. An attack by a few of these persistent flies can make outdoor work and recreation miserable.

Deer Fly Habitat

Deer flies and horse flies can be found near aquatic habitats that support larval development. Most deer flies and horse flies are found in brushy or low-lying pasture areas near creeks, streams, or tanks that provide damp soils in which the immature stages develop. While they don’t typically enter buildings, deer flies can accidentally wander indoors from time to time. Houses or hotels with swimming pools could have more issues with the pest because shiny surfaces and quick movements attract deer flies to people.

Deer Fly Behaviors, Threats, or Dangers

Female deer flies and horse flies can and will bite people, and the painful bites may occur on any part of the body. The bite often results in visible bleeding wounds and general first aid-type skin creams may help to relieve the pain from bites. In rare instances, there may be allergic reactions involving hives and wheezing. There is evidence that a deer fly in the western U.S. is involved in the transmission of a bacterium that causes the disease tularemia, which is known as deer fly fever and rabbit fever. These flies are significant livestock pests with their painful and persistent biting behavior. Always contact your local fly exterminator for help with deer flies.

Drain Fly

Drain Flies in Louisiana

Drain flies, also called moth flies, belong to the family Psychodidae and get their name because they often breed in drains. They are found throughout the United States and can become an annoyance in homes, sometimes appearing suddenly from sinks and bathtub drains. They can breed in tremendous numbers in sewage treatment plants and then be carried away by the wind to nearby buildings, where they can crawl through fly screens.

Drain Fly Habitat

Drain flies develop in muck or gelatinous material that accumulates in sewage disposal beds, septic tanks, moist compost, or dirty garbage containers. They may also emerge from drains of sinks or bathtubs, from tree holes, rain barrels, moist organic solids, or bird nests that have accumulations of fecal material. Drain flies gather, mate, and lay eggs in moisture or standing water. The slimy film that forms in sewers and drains is a favorite breeding spot. Inside structures, they are strongly attracted to light and will be found on glass windows, doors, lamps, and indoor lighting.

Drain Fly Behaviors, Threats, or Dangers

Drain flies do not bite people or animals or do damage to structures or plants. However, because these flies originate from filthy sources, they have the potential of being mechanical vectors of diseases. Populations of these insects can become a nuisance in homes, and their presence is almost always linked to a clogged drain. In residential homes, the most common breeding sites are bathroom drains. Drain flies are weak fliers and when encountered, they are often found crawling on walls and other surfaces.

If you are dealing with a drain fly problem in your property, contact your local fly exterminators.

Fruit Fly

Fruit Flies in Louisiana

Over 177 species of fruit flies occur in North America, north of Mexico, and eight species are believed to be common in the United States. The scientific name, Drosophila, means “lover of dew” probably suggesting these flies require moist environments to reproduce. They are known as fruit, vinegar, or pomace flies and are often confused with other small flies found in structures. Fruit flies are vectors of disease, consuming bacteria and sugar from decaying foods and can often be seen near bowls of fruit, glasses of wine, garbage, and trash cans.

Fruit Fly Habitat

Fruit flies are small flies that can pass through ordinary insect screens and are often found in homes, restaurants, fruit markets, bars, salad bars, and any other place where fruits and vegetables are found. They will often enter structures from nearby dumpsters, trash receptacles, and damp compost piles where fruits and vegetables have been disposed of. Fruit flies lay large numbers of eggs on fruit, and the hatched larvae feed on the fruit. Fruit flies are active during periods of warm weather; single generations may develop in less than a week when temperatures are between 80° and 89°F.

Fruit Fly Behaviors, Threats, or Dangers

Unlike some insects, fruit flies do not sting or bite. They are primarily nuisance pests, however, results of a recent study showed that fruit flies are capable of transferring E.coli, Salmonella, and Listeria to surfaces and relocating E.coli from a contaminated source to fresh, ready-to-eat food. Although fruit flies spend the majority of their time fermenting foods, they also travel to dishes, flatware, drinking glasses, and even toothbrushes. While you may not consume the contaminated produce itself, when you eat or drink from these objects, you’re exposed to the same bacteria the fruit fly has transported from site to site.

If you are dealing with a fruit fly problem on your property, contact your local fly exterminators.

Fungus Gnat

Fungus Gnats in Louisiana

Fungus gnats are small, delicate-looking insects with long wings and spindly legs. Occasionally they can become a nuisance in residential and commercial buildings where ferns and other house plants containing soil rich in organic matter serve as a breeding source. Their larvae primarily feed on fungi and organic matter in the soil, but they also chew roots and can be a problem in greenhouses, nurseries, and interior plantscapes. Adults are attracted to lights and are often first noticed at windows or light fixtures.

Fungus Gnat Habitat

Outdoors, fungus gnats are attracted to moisture and problems may occur in areas where the landscape has been overwatered or in low-lying areas that remain extremely wet following heavy rainfall. Fungus gnats are attracted to light, and indoors, they can be seen hovering near windows. However, compared to house flies, fungus gnats are weak flyers and generally remain near potted plants. They can also be found in high moisture areas in the home including, kitchens, bathrooms, laundry rooms, and crawl spaces.

Fungus Gnat Behaviors, Threats, or Dangers

Adult fungus gnats do not bite or damage plants, their presence is primarily considered a nuisance. Fungus gnat larvae do all the damage, and when present in large numbers, they can damage roots and stunt plant growth, particularly in seedlings and young plants. Significant root damage and even plant death has been observed in interior plantscapes and in houseplants when high populations were associated with moist, organically rich soil. Therefore, a houseplant that is wilting may not indicate a lack of water, but rather root damage by fungus gnat larvae. If you’re experiencing a fungus gnat issue, contact your local fly control professional.

Garbage Fly

Garbage Flies in Louisiana

Also known as house flies, garbage flies can be easily identified by the four long stripes on top of their middle body region. They do not have the ability to bite and instead have a mouth more suited for sponging up liquid food. Female flies are typically larger than the male and have a visibly wider distance between their red-colored eyes. Garbage flies have gray and slightly yellow bodies as well as an upward bend in one of the wing veins.

Garbage Fly Habitat

Garbage flies are generally found in the greatest numbers during the hotter summer months. Eggs are laid in warm, moist, organic materials such as manure, garbage, lawn clippings, decaying vegetables, and fruits, or soils contaminated with any of these materials. Under optimal summertime conditions, house flies can complete their development from egg to adult in as little as 7 days.

Garbage Fly Behaviors, Threats, or Dangers

Garbage flies are considered a nuisance due to their close proximity to humans. In some cases, these flies can carry a variety of harmful diseases to humans and animals alike. Because they breed and feed in waste, they have the ability to pick up bacteria, viruses, and fungi and transfer or spread them by contaminating the food and water they come into contact with. In serious cases, people have experienced food poisoning and even tuberculosis linked to garbage fly infestations. Always contact a professional fly control expert for help with garbage flies.

Gnat

Gnats in Louisiana

Gnats and midges are common names for a large number of small, non-biting flies found throughout the United States. These flies typically breed in aquatic environments and can emerge from these sources in high numbers. Most species that affect homes and buildings are nighttime fliers that are attracted to the light on buildings. People are often troubled by the presence of these insects as they confuse them with mosquitoes. However, unlike mosquitoes, midges and gnats lack a biting needle, and because of this, they cannot spread disease.

Gnat Habitat

Gnats and midges are most common in spring and summer and are important pests around lakes, rivers, and aquatic areas where they lay their eggs. Although they are weak fliers, they can be carried long distances by downwind, migrating from nearby ponds, lakes, or rivers to swimming pools, homes, and buildings. Many gnats and midges are attracted to light and can be a nuisance, landing on people or entering homes or businesses. These tiny flies do not feed and only live long enough to mate, lay eggs, and die.

Gnat Behaviors, Threats, or Dangers

Although they do not bite, during peak emergence, immense numbers of gnats and midges move into adjacent residential or industrial areas causing annoyance and damage. Lake-front homes, sporting facilities, recreational areas, and businesses are often blanketed by these insects. Midges and gnats fly in swarms that look like clouds and can completely cover houses, vehicles, patio furniture, and plants in the landscape. Where midges are plentiful, spiders and spider webs abound, and this adds to people’s concern. At night, midges are attracted to outdoor lights in large numbers.

If you are dealing with a gnat/midge fly problem on your property, contact your local fly exterminators.