One of the nuisance pests in Malaysia nowadays are flies. Flies are categorized into Order Diptera and belongs to Family Muscidae. Flies infestation is quite annoying and irritating. Apart from that, flies serve as a vector that carries diseases such as food poisoning, cholera, dysentery and myiasis. It can be found at both rural and urban areas. The presence of flies in a premise could give a negative impression because their presence is usually associated and indicating environment with unhygienic conditions. It needs to feed 2 to 3 times per day. Therefore, we can usually found flies hovering around the food source.
Flies
Why flies are considered as an important pest?
- Nuisance; especially when present in a high number in an area.
- Annoying & irritation; this can be due to the presence of buzzing flies which making noises & hovering around the food source.
- Contamination of food & drinks; filth flies can spread the bacteria and pathogens widely since its bodies carried those organisms while landing on dirty or infected surface such as livestock manure, rubbish dumping area and sewage areas.
- Serve as mechanical vector for diseases; flies can transmit pathogens as they might carry these pathogens while feeding or landing on the trash, decaying substances or manure.
Signs of flies’ infestation:
- Buzzing sound of flies.
- Presence of maggots which can be seen crawling out of their breeding material as they pupate.
- Presence of adult flies.
How to control flies?
Chemical Control
1. Residual Spraying
Residual spraying will be performed to create a chemical barrier for flies control on the perimeter surrounding the building. Flies which landed on the treated surface will get knockdown.
2. ULV Misting
Ultra-Low Volume misting will be carried out inside the building for the flies control since the fine particles can penetrate deep through the surface which is being misted at potential resting place of flies.
3. Baiting
Granules of fly’s bait will be broadcasted at potential flies landed place and at place where flies can be found abundantly. This flies control method can be applied to areas where flies outbreak happens on add hoc basis.
4. Proofing
Seal up any opening through which the flies can enter. The used of air curtain/curtain strips on the door also can be implemented to reduce entry point of flies.
5. Mechanical Control
- Cover and close the dustbin lid all the time. Using mechanical door pump to reduce the entry point of flies as it can automatically close the door when not in use.
- Use of Insect Light Trap (ILT) which emits UV light to attract the flies, flies will get stick on glue card inside the station as they fly into the station. This method chemical free flies control method, suitable for food preparation areas.
6. Sanitation & hygiene:
- Get rid of flies breeding site (e.g. garbage areas, drainage).
- Make sure to clean up the garbage areas and dustbin regularly.
- Clean up animals’ feces (e.g. pets, livestock) every day.
- Remove any dead animals, rotten meat or animal excrement to reduce flies breeding place.
House fly
Musca domestica
- Have 4 longitudinal black stripes on its thorax.
- Has compound red eyes.
- Abdomen is gray to yellowish in color.
- Non-biting flies.
- Resting underside of leaves, shrubs and branches.
- Inactive during night time.
- Good fliers (can fly up to 8 km).
Blow fly
Lucillia spp./Chromys spp.
- Metallic blue/green in color.
- Produces loud buzzing flight.
- Larger than house fly.
- Non-biting flies.
- Behavior:
- Attracted to sunlight.
- Strong fliers but unable to fly better in a wind weather.
- Maggot will burrow and feed onto flesh bodies since it need a lot of protein for developmental.
- Resting on and underside of leaves, shrubs and branches.
Flesh fly
Sarcophaga spp.
- Resemble large house fly.
- Have 3 longitudinal black stripes on its thorax.
- Abdomen has a checkerboard-like pattern.
- Has compound red eyes.
- Presence of red colored external genitalia at the end of abdomen.
- Non-biting flies.
- It is the first arthropod to arrive at corpse.
- Strong fliers and able to fly in inclement weather.
- Females deposit eggs or larvae depending on the species.
- Maggot will burrow and feed onto flesh bodies since it need a lot of protein for developmental.
Fruit fly
Drosophila melanogaster
- Brownish yellow in color.
- Abdomen has transverse black stripes.
- Has compound red eyes.
- Also known as vinegar flies.
- Non-biting flies.
- Attracted to overripe fruits, vegetables, vinegar, wine or beer.
- Maggot will burrow onto the pulp of vegetables/fruits.
Drain fly
Psychoda spp.
- It is flies that resembles moth as it has fur-like body covered with fine hairs.
- This fly will leave a powdery smudge if it was crushed.
- Drain fly is a fly that usually associated with drainage, sewer, septic tanks and even through sink as its habitat.
- Non-biting flies.
- It causes no damage to plants & structures. However, they have the potential to carry pathogens to areas where sterility is important (e.g. hospital, clinic, food preparation area).
- This fly also could affect human health when present in high numbers. Its dead bodies may disintegrate to form potential allergens which causing allergic reaction to people in the surrounding.
- Furthermore, when present in large numbers they may land on people or fall into food which causing contamination.
- Drain fly often attracted by the presence of light during the evening hours making them migrating into human habitation.
Phorid fly
Megaselia scalaris
- Brown yellowish in color.
- Has black compound eyes.
- The pronotum (back of a phorid fly) has a humped shape.
- The larva can only survive in decaying organic matter that is moist.
- Phorid flies tend to fly and walk in an erratic pattern, rather than in a predictable straight line.
- Phorid flies prefer dead animals to other forms of organic material.
- Identification of phorid flies can be done by observing their movement when being swat or disturbed. Unlike other flies which will fly away, this phorid fly will run along surfaces away from you.
- This fly usually will make nest in drains, around leaky pipes and in the moisture, which is formed around condensers of refrigeration units.