Employees Only – Keep These Flies Out of the Workplace

One rotten banana in an employee locker is all it takes for your facility to develop a fly infestation. Flies are stubborn pests that can undermine your business’s image and cost you money if you end up losing customers because of their activity.

Even if you don’t prepare, sell or package food, your building still attracts flies. They seek you out for food, water and shelter and can get easy access through your building’s many entrances. To stop flies, you need to know the different fly species that can affect your building and make sure your staff and tenants are educated, too. (Download our free Comprehensive Guide to Flies & Fly Control Strategy to learn more about treating this filthy pest.)  

Knowing what to look for is the first step to managing a fly problem. Here are the flies you are most likely to spot and where to find them in a non-food handling environment:

• House flies are often found in retail and office environments, but they are more of an occasional invader than a long-term resident. If you see a house fly, remember that the surrounding area may be a breeding site, and open doors or negative air pressure may be drawing them in.

• Fruit flies love when your employees leave out fruit, vegetables, dirty dishes and trash in the break rooms. They also might find their way into your building on shipments of fruits or vegetables.

• Drain flies lay eggs in waste drain lines or toilets that are not flushed regularly. They can bring in pathogens from the sewer lines, so keep an eye out for them in the bathrooms.

• Fungus gnats can come into your building with live potted plants. These little guys like damp soil, and overwatering plants can cause their eggs to hatch due to the excessive moisture.

• Phorid flies in non-food handling areas often indicate a sewer line break below the building. They thrive off moisture and breed in decaying organic matter.

Remember, fly activity is not only a problem in itself – it’s also a symptom of a larger problem that needs to be addressed. If you see flies in your building, it’s best to work with your pest management provider to identify the source and develop a plan to solve the issue.

To find out more about how to manage these flies (and a couple others), download our free Comprehensive Guide to Flies & Fly Control Strategy.

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