Most of us find flies irritating nuisances, we consider them harmless in comparison to other biting insects, such as mosquitoes. Although the house fly doesn’t bite, they are more nauseating than we think and they are known to spread disease.

Flies can only consume liquids; they vomit on their (or your) food in order to liquefy it. In addition to this they have sticky foot pads, which are used to anchor them to surfaces. These foot pads can become the carriers of leftover particles of excrement or garbage, which in turn can be transferred onto your food.

GRUESOME FLY FACTS:
•Flies defecate every 4-5 minutes;

•Within a 7 day period a single garbage can, if not emptied, can breed 30 000 flies! Remember those little white maggots... baby flies.

•Over the years, flies have been spreading diseases like malaria, typhiodfever,cholera, tuberculosis and diarrhoea. They also cause parasitic tape-worms on poultry and horses.

TOP TIPS AGAINST FLIES:
•Limit their ability to breed and feed, by removing their food sources, such as leftover food and soft fruits as well as sources of stagnant water which is prone to be their breeding ground.

•Empty your garbage cans at least twice a week, keep them as far away from doors as possible.

•Seal any entry points around windows and doors using sealant or caulking to plug the holes.

Remember the facts before you allow flies to become a permanent feature in your home. Visit www.rentokil.co.za for more interesting facts on flies and useful ways to get rid of them.