It’s September and your property is still experiencing issues with flies. What’s going on?
Flies like warm weather and the warm and humid summer the Midwest experienced has contributed to increased breeding levels and an explosion of fly populations. With a new generation of flies being produced every few weeks it’s no wonder business owners and property managers are feeling the ‘buzz’ of unwanted flies.
Warm weather isn’t the single root cause of more flies around commercial facilities, but higher temperatures do contribute to conducive conditions of decomposing food and garbage associated with flies.
Aside from being a nuisance, flies are a significant public health threat because of the possible transmission of harmful bacteria such as E. coli and salmonella to food, food preparation areas, storage, and cooking surfaces.
Gaining Control of Flies
To gain control of flies in and around commercial properties, especially those involved with food processing or restaurants, owners, property, and QA managers must make trash management a priority. Recycling bins and grease traps also attract flies and should be managed relentlessly.
Garbage cans and dumpsters should be located at least 100 feet from the doors and entranceways and placed on a thick concrete pad. If possible, it should slope to a sanitary sewer drain to handle runoff from cleaning. Lids must be kept closed and there should be no rust, leaking holes, or seams. Best practices for trash sanitation include regular trash pickup, and regular washing and degreasing.
Look Out for the Cluster Fly
As the days grow shorter and nighttime temperatures get cooler, the cluster fly becomes a threat to commercial properties. They look for protected places to spend the winter and often end up inside structures.
Cluster flies congregate on the sunny side of a building and usually enter through openings around the roofline, windows, vents or under siding. They will quietly spend the winter in clusters in attics, wall voids or crevices. When they “wake up, they head for light and often end up clustered around windows or in ceiling light fixtures. Cluster flies should be controlled by creating barriers in late summer to prevent their entry.
If your business is looking for a pest management partner that goes the extra mile to design and deliver comprehensive integrated pest management programs, call Rottler Pest Solutions at 877-ROTTLER for a free quote and consultation.
