If you’re looking into how to get rid of flying bugs in your house, chances are you’re dealing with a pest problem that you’re hoping to clear up quickly. But if you can’t identify the flying insects buzzing around your home, you may not be able to get rid of them efficiently. Plus, for many people, finding products that work and are also safe around the family when they’re used as directed can feel impossible.
Fortunately, there are plenty of resources out there for figuring out what kind of flying insects you’re dealing with, and Wondercide’s proven-to-work solutions are here to help you take care of your problem in a snap.
Flying bugs in your house can be annoying and unsanitary From tiny fruit flies hovering around your kitchen to larger pests like wasps building nests on your property, indoor and outdoor flying insects need to be dealt with promptly and properly for comfort and health reasons.
The most important first step when trying to kill flying bugs is identifying what type of insect you’re dealing with. There are many small flying bugs that look similar to one another so being able to positively identify the pest will allow you to use control methods designed specifically for that bug.
Some of the most common flying pests in homes include:
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Fruit Flies – Tiny flies around 1⁄8 inch long that are attracted to ripe and rotting fruits and vegetables. They have red eyes and yellow-brown bodies.
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Drain Flies – Also called moth flies, these are 1-5mm long with fuzzy wings and fly erratically. They breed in moist, organic matter.
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Gnats – Tiny flies ranging from 1/16 to 1⁄8 inch long, with long legs and antennae. Some bite humans.
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Houseflies – The most common fly species indoors at 5-8mm long. They have gray bodies and four dark stripes on their thorax.
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Phorid Flies – Also called humpbacked flies, these are small flies around 1/16 to 1⁄8 inch long distinguished by a humped back.
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Mosquitoes – Well-known biting flies with long mouthparts. Range from 3-6mm and vary in colors.
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Wasps – Distinctive slender bodies with narrow waists, around 1⁄2 inch long. Some species are very aggressive.
Non-Chemical Ways to Kill and Repel Flying Bugs
For low-infestation situations, there are several effective non-chemical methods you can try to eliminate or reduce small flying insects in your home:
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Fly paper – These sticky ribbons trap flies and other small flying bugs lured in by the smell. Hang strips around your home in problem areas.
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Fly zappers – Electric devices that attract and electrocute flies and other flying insects with ultraviolet light. They should be cleaned often.
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Fans – A simple fan pointed at problem areas can keep flying pests at bay and blow them outside if windows or doors are opened.
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Screens – Ensure windows and doors have tight screens without any holes or gaps to keep flies and mosquitoes from entering your home.
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Traps – For drain flies, fruit flies, and fungus gnats, setting out traps with apple cider vinegar or wine will attract and drown them.
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Vacuuming – Use a hose attachment to suck up visible flies. This helps reduce breeding populations. Empty the vacuum outdoors after.
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Sticky traps – Yellow sticky paper traps lure in flying insects, capturing them on the adhesive surface. They can help monitor populations.
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Herbs – Strong smelling herbs like mint, lemongrass, lavender, etc. repel some flying insects. Grow them in pots near problem areas.
Chemical Treatments for Heavy Flying Insect Infestations
For heavy infestations of flying pests, or if you are seeing signs of major breeding areas, chemical treatments are often required to eliminate the population:
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Insecticide sprays – General flying bug sprays are available, as well as ones tailored for specific pests like wasps, hornets, flies, and mosquitoes if properly identified. Follow all label directions.
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Automatic sprayers – Programmable sprayers can intermittently spray insecticides in problem zones to kill flies and mosquitoes. Refills are required.
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Foggers or misters – Chemical foggers and misting systems disperse insecticides through the air to kill flying insects. Use as a last resort due to toxicity.
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Drain treatments – For drain fly and moth fly issues, gels, foams, and other products are applied into drains to kill larvae and adults.
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Exterminator – For widespread infestations, bringing in a professional exterminator to treat your home may be warranted. They have specialized equipment and stronger chemicals.
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Outdoor spraying – If pests are entering from outside, targeted perimeter sprays around door and window frames may be needed to kill flying bugs outdoors.
When using any insecticide or chemical control, carefully read and follow all label directions for both safety and effectiveness. Only use outdoor chemicals indoors if the label specifies such use.
Improperly applied insecticides can disperse through the air and settle on countertops and surfaces, so keep chemicals away from food, pets, and children. Wear protective equipment like gloves and masks if recommended.
Preventing Future Flying Insect Issues in Your Home
While killing current populations of flying pests is important for immediate relief, there are several prevention methods you should follow to help keep flying insects from becoming a problem again in the future:
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Install weatherstripping around doors and windows to seal gaps and prevent entry.
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Make sure window and door screens are in good repair without any holes or tears.
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Fix any leaks promptly since moisture attracts many flying bugs.
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Keep kitchen surfaces clean and quickly wipe any spills since sugary, sticky messes attract flies.
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Take out garbage frequently and keep trash cans and bins tightly sealed.
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Clean out drains and pipes regularly to avoid moth fly and drain fly issues.
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Ensure food is properly stored and sealed, not left sitting out.
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Check for standing water in pots, trays, etc. which can breed mosquitoes.
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Reduce exterior lighting at night that attracts flying insects to your home.
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Inspect plants and new items thoroughly before bringing indoors in case of hitchhiking pests.
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Prune trees/shrubs to avoid leaves/debris accumulating against your home’s exterior.
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Install outdoor yellow bug lights to lure flying insects away from your main living areas.
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Apply pesticide barriers around the perimeter of your home for added prevention.
Dealing with indoor flying pests takes some work initially to kill off current populations, but taking preventative measures will keep new insects from continually invading your home. Sealing entry points and removing breeding conditions goes a long way toward allowing you to enjoy your living space pest-free.
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If you’re looking into how to get rid of flying bugs in your house, chances are you’re dealing with a pest problem that you’re hoping to clear up quickly. But if you can’t identify the flying insects buzzing around your home, you may not be able to get rid of them efficiently. Plus, for many people, finding products that work and are also safe around the family when they’re used as directed can feel impossible.
Fortunately, there are plenty of resources out there for figuring out what kind of flying insects you’re dealing with, and Wondercide’s proven-to-work solutions are here to help you take care of your problem in a snap.
Identifying common types of small flying bugs in your house
Before you can start getting rid of flying bugs in your home, it’s helpful to identify the type you’re dealing with. There are many types of flying insects, including roaches (yes!) and mosquitos, that would like to make your home their home, but there are a few in particular that can be difficult to identify.
Gnats, fruit flies, drain flies, and clothes moths are some of the most common types of flying home pests that can be difficult to differentiate. So if you’ve noticed small flying bugs in your house but aren’t sure what they are, start whittling down the potential culprits by checking if any of the following seem familiar.
What do gnats look like?
Most gnats are black and slender with long legs and long antennae. They come in various sizes, but not usually longer than 3.3mm.How do gnats get into your house?
Gnats can make their way into your home through cracks in walls and foundations, via doors and windows, and even squeeze through the smallest of spaces.
Where do gnats live in your home?
Gnats love anywhere damp and dark with decomposing matter, including trash cans, near sinks, drains, and toilets, and on rotten fruit.
When are gnats most active?
Gnats are most active at dusk and dawn. They thrive during wet seasons, such as spring and winter.
Other characteristics of gnats:
Some gnats, like the fungus gnat, bite. Other types of gnats can and do bite and may carry infectious diseases.
What do fruit flies look like?
Fruit flies are closely related to gnats but belong to a different insect order. They range from tan to black in color, have an oval shape, and they’re roughly 3-4mm long. Many (but not all) fruit flies have red eyes.
How do fruit flies get into your home?
Along with gnats, fruit flies are the most common small flying bugs that people encounter in their homes, and are most frequently carried into the house on top of fruits.
Where do fruit flies live in your home?
Fruit flies are — as the name implies — most commonly found flying around the fruit that’s been sitting out on your counter, particularly rotten fruit or overripe fruit. They eat the yeast and sugars produced by these fruits and lay their eggs in fruit skins. They are also fond of drains clogged by food materials and the fermenting sugars found in spilled alcohol.
When are fruit flies most active?
Fruit flies are most active on warm, sunny days. They are most common during late summer and fall.
Other characteristics of fruit flies:
Fruit flies may love fruits like apples, bananas, melons, squash, and tomatoes, but they also love vegetables like potatoes and onions, and fungi like mushrooms.
Check out Wondercide’s guide to How to Get Rid of Fruit Flies for detailed guidance on freeing your home of these pesky pests.
What do drain flies look like?
Drain flies — also known as sewage flies, filter flies, and moth flies — are light gray or tan, vary between 1.5mm to 5mm in length, and have long antennae. Their bodies and wings are covered in little hairs, which can make them easy to confuse with moths.
How do drain flies get into your home?
Unlike gnats and fruit flies, drain flies find their own way into your home instead of being brought in. They sniff out drains with an excess of organic material and then come in through windows, doors, or other, tinier holes in your home. They do not typically come into your living space through the drains themselves.
Where do drain flies live in your home?
You might have guessed this already, but drain flies congregate in drains, especially the garbage disposal. They lay their eggs in the gunk that lines clogged or greasy pipes and then feed on any collected sewage or decomposing organic matter.
When are drain flies most active?
Drain flies are most active at night. They are most active during the summer but can survive during the winter in a warm home.
Other characteristics of drain flies:
Drain flies can and do fly, but not very well. So, if you spot them flying, chances are you’re close to where they’re living and breeding. When moving longer distances, drain flies are more likely to hop or even walk.
What do clothes moths look like?
There are two main types of clothes-eating moths, the casemaking clothes moth, and the webbing clothes moth. The casemaking clothes moth makes a silken case in which it lives during its larval stage; the webbing moth does not wear a “case” but leaves behind significant amounts of webbing where it has eaten.
In their adult forms, casemaking moths are gray-brown with dark spots. Webbing moths are golden-yellow and have a slight sheen. They are both roughly 15mm (about half an inch) long.
How do clothes moths get into your home?
Clothes most frequently hitch a ride into your closet via items purchased at thrift stores, secondhand shops, consignment stores, or garage sales. They particularly like to hide under shirt collars, cuffed sleeves, seams, and buttons.
Where do clothes moths live in your home?
Clothes moths are most commonly found in dark closets, but they will also happily congregate around and eat other fabric items, including carpets, upholstery, tapestries, stuffed animals, taxidermied animals, and even craft materials like yarn.
When are clothes moths most active?
Clothes moths are most active at night. Outdoors, they thrive in the springtime but can live year-round in a warm home.
Other characteristics of clothes moths:
It’s not actually the adult moths that eat clothing and carpets, etc., but their larvae. Their favorite food is animal fibers, such as cashmere, feathers, fur, felt, leather, silk, and (most notoriously) wool.
How To Deal With Fruit Flies And Drain Flies
FAQ
Why do I have flying bugs in my house?
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Breeding Grounds:Flies and gnats can breed in various places in your home, including poorly cleaned drains, overwatered plants, food spills, unsealed produce, and even garbage cans.
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Entry Points:They can enter your home through open windows, doors, or even on new houseplants.
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Attraction to Food and Moisture:Many types of flying bugs are attracted to food, especially decaying matter, and damp, moist environments.
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Specific Types:
- Fruit flies: These are often found in areas with overripe or spoiled fruits and vegetables.
- Gnats: These tiny flies are attracted to moisture and can be found in sinks, drains, and overwatered plants.
- Drain flies: These are commonly found in kitchen and bathroom drains, attracted to bacteria and sewage.
- Mosquitoes: Although less common indoors, mosquitoes can still be found in homes, especially during warm weather, and are attracted to standing water.
- Fruit flies: These are often found in areas with overripe or spoiled fruits and vegetables.
What’s the fastest way to kill flies in the house?
Get a spray bottle with squeeze trigger. Fill with water then few drops of dish soap or household detergent. Use a fairly tight stream and shoot the buggers where they land. The water doesn’t have surface tension so it gets into their bodies and suffocates them.
How do you kill flying bugs?
If you don’t have Raid or don’t want to spray poison around the house, a mixture of dish soap and water will kill them just as quickly by plugging up the holes in their bodies they use to get oxygen. It works on any insect and pretty quickly–usually under 30 seconds.
How to get rid of gnats in the house quickly?
- Trap Fruit Flies with Vinegar and Sugar. …
- Use Produce That’s Gone Bad. …
- Battle Drain Flies with Bleach. …
- Get Rid of Gnats with a Candle. …
- Stock up on Sticky Traps.
How do I get rid of bugs in my Kitchen?
Maintaining a clean kitchen will also get rid of insects.” Flying insects are among the hardest bugs to get rid of in your home, because they can easily gain access through open windows and doors, and even the smallest cracks, but are less easily caught than the ground-loving varieties.
How do I get rid of flying insects in my home?
Here’s how to get rid of flying insects in your home including flies, mosquitoes, gnats, moths and wasps – using an homemade trap, handy tips, natural repellents and more. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.
What are the most common flying house pests?
Fruit flies and fungus gnats are the most common flying house pests that most people can identify. However, annoying flying pests in houses also include houseflies, drain flies, cluster flies, whiteflies, and pantry moths. Identifying types of small flying bugs in the house is the first step to getting rid of them.
How to get rid of house flies?
The best way to get rid of house flies is by plugging up any holes that could be allowing them access to your home, then using a fly repellent explicitly made for killing them. Houseflies are incredibly harmful to our health as they are known to transmit 65 different diseases like cholera, dysentery, anthrax, and tuberculosis.
Are flies a problem in a house?
Small flying bugs can be an extreme nuisance in homes. Fruit flies and fungus gnats are the most common flying house pests that most people can identify. However, annoying flying pests in houses also include houseflies, drain flies, cluster flies, whiteflies, and pantry moths.
Are there flying bugs in Your House?
Small flying bugs in house. Flies are a common sight, especially in the warmer months, where they come out in abundance. They can enter homes through any incursion or ventilation, and some might even crawl through cracks in walls or windows.