There are more than 110,000 different fly species found in the world and females are known for laying hundreds of eggs in a short time. Since flies spread bacteria and disease-causing pathogens, an infestation can be more than just a nuisance for a restaurant. While it's difficult to eradicate flies entirely, there is plenty you can do to help ensure they don't affect your business in negative ways.
Why do you have flies?
Flies can easily enter businesses through doors, windows, cracks, and openings, thriving in trash receptacles, drains, recycling bins, kitchens, dining areas, break rooms, rest rooms and other areas. Restaurants and bars can be particularly prone to fly infestations because of the presence of food and food waste, so it's important to be vigilant about sanitation, food storage and prep, and waste disposal.
Flies are attracted to many different things. You can help prevent them from taking over your restaurant by handling the things they are attracted to properly.
- Garbage: House flies, flesh flies, phorid flies, and blow flies are attracted to moist organic matter and blow flies will lay eggs in meat and vegetable scraps. Use sealable trash receptacles and dispose of waste on a regular basis.
- Rotting produce: Overripe and rotting fruits and vegetables can become a breeding ground for fruit flies. Sliced citrus like lemons and limes at bars can also be a magnet for fruit flies. Promptly dispose of rotten produce, and keep fruit covered and/or refrigerated. Sweet or fermented liquids: Simple syrups, liquor, soda, and vinegar can attract fruit flies. Clean up spills right away and keep containers clean and sealed.
- Dirty or leaky drains: Drain flies and fruit flies are attracted to the refuse in drains. Drain fly maggots eat the bacteria and organic matter in drains. Repair leaks immediately and flush out drains with a mixture of baking soda and vinegar followed by boiling water every so often.
- Raw meat: House flies and phorid flies are attracted to raw or rotting meat and will lay eggs in it, which eventually hatch into maggots. Keep raw and defrosting meat covered and refrigerated. Dispose of spoiled meat immediately.
Need help with flies? Learn more about our fly control services.
Fly control methods
The presence of flies can pose potential health hazards and can result in health and safety violations in the food service industry. If you need a reliable solution that works long-term, a professional commercial fly control services are the way to go. Terminix Commercial has experience in fly control for restaurants which includes identifying the fly species, locating breeding sites, and determining an effective treatment method.
Expert pest technicians can recommend and implement the following:
- Drain treatment, including foaming with a microbial agent
- Ultraviolet Insect Light Traps (ILTs), to attract and capture flies
- Monitoring for adult flies
- Optimized trapping tools at key entry points
- Sanitation methods to deter flies
- Addressing exterior and interior conditions that may attract flies
- Sealing entry points, including weather stripping and caulking
What about DIY fly control methods?
Think fly control for restaurants is something you can handle in-house? Fly prevention is all about your sanitation, waste disposal, and food prep and storage protocols. If the fly infestation is new, altering the conditions that are attracting flies can make a huge difference.
When it comes to aerosol sprays and DIY traps and solutions, you should be aware of their downfalls. Sprays can contain chemicals you don't want in your kitchen around food. Other DIY options like homemade sprays or traps can work short term, but there's no substitute for fly prevention and proper sanitation.
If you have a major fly infestation, the fastest way to get it under control is to call in the experts.
Ready for us to step in? Call us at 877.837.6464 to schedule a free, no-obligation assessment.
