Flies & Gnats

What are flies and gnats?

Flies are insects with a single pair of wings. The most common flies found throughout New Jersey and New York are house flies, small flies and bottle or blow flies.

• House flies are small and gray and about 1/8 to 1/4 of an inch long; female house flies are larger than the males. Adult house flies have 4 longitudinal stripes on the thorax. Females can lay up to 900 eggs at one time that hatch within 8 to 20 hours. House flies complete their life cycle in as little as 6 days.

• Small flies or gnats are typically less than 1/4 of an inch long and are yellowish, tan to dark brown in color. Small flies, such as fruit flies, phorid flies and fungus gnats are often associated with food and food prep areas and other areas of high moisture. Their life cycle, from egg to adult, is often completed in 8 to 10 days.

• Bottle flies, also known as blow flies are larger flies ranging in size from 3/8 of an inch to 5/8 of an inch long. These flies appear to be metallic green, blue or copper in color and females can lay up to 600 eggs that typically hatch in just 8 hours. Their complete life cycle is just 12 to 35 days long.

Why do I have them?

House flies and blow flies are scavengers that feed primarily on decomposing, decaying animal and vegetable matter. House flies typically do not breed indoors, but will enter structures through torn screens and open doors. Small flies do tend to breed inside our homes and are associated with areas of high moisture. They feed on rotting organic material that is often found in garbage cans, drains and other unsanitary areas.

Are they dangerous?

House flies and bottle flies land on food and food prep areas to feed. Their filthy habits cause contamination to these areas and diseases can then be passed on to people. Tapeworm, roundworm, cholera, typhoid and dysentery are all associated with these flies. Small flies tend to be more of a nuisance and are less likely to transmit disease.

How do I get rid of flies?

Controlling and getting rid of flies in or around your property can be a very difficult task unless you eliminate all food sources and breeding areas. A ChemTec pest professional will design a customized fly control program that fits the specific needs of your property, with the goal of eliminating all of these nuisance and potentially dangerous pests.

Can I do it myself?

There are do-it-yourself fly control products available, but they are generally ineffective unless correct, continued use is carried out. Also, many do-it-yourself remedies to rid your property of flies do not work as the materials they use are not effective. Remember – if misused or mixed improperly, do-it-yourself pesticides can be very dangerous to people, pets or plants.

Is the treatment safe?

The pest professionals at ChemTec Pest Control will first correctly identify what species of fly is invading your home or business and then create a treatment plan that will eliminate your pest problem quickly and in an environmentally responsible manner. Before any treatments begin, our inspectors will consult with you regarding your children, pets and gardens and then based on your current situation, they will customize a treatment plan specifically for you.

How soon can you get here?

ChemTec Pest Control is committed to helping you as soon as possible. In most cases, we can respond the same or very next day.

What is the guarantee?

Our guarantee is simple: if you are not completely satisfied, we will give you your money back. If you have a problem with the pest after our services, just call us and we will come back to re-treat for the pest at no additional charge within the warranty period. We want all of our customers to be completely satisfied with our services and we will always work towards that goal.

How can I prevent this in the future?

Often fly problems can be difficult to prevent so many of our customers choose a continuous Protection Program to help guard against future problems with flies.

Where does ChemTec Pest Control service?

ChemTec provides service throughout Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Morris, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex and Union Counties in New Jersey. We also provide service to Rockland and Orange Counties in New York.