Why Do Dead Flies Attract More Flies?

Do dead flies attract more flies? Well, it’s true that if a fly has died, you are highly likely to find more flies lingering around its dead body. This isn’t something unusual and it’s sometimes referred to as the fly factor.

Why Does Killing a Fly Attract Other Flies?

This is a question that a lot of people ask a lot because they find it strange. Instead of the living flies avoiding the body of their dead counterparts, you will find them in most cases surrounding the body. This happens because of pheromones.

Pheromone is what is known as the fly factor. Even though not all types of flies are necromaniacs, this issue normally affects female flies. This is because they are the ones that normally release pheromones that attract more mates.

When you decide to kill a fly, it will release a lot of pheromones that will in turn attract more flies. Farmers who understand the fly factor actually use it as a bait to attract other flies so that they can trap them.

That’s why most fly baits are made by this pheromone i.e. musculure in addition to a poison that kills them.

What Should I do if I find a Bunch of Dead Flies Around?

Well, the best way to deal with such an issue is to first remove the dead flies. From there, you have to look at the cause of their death and if there is a fly infestation.

It’s also important to establish the type of flies you are dealing with. This is because cluster flies are not like blowflies. You will not find them reproducing indoors hence you are less likely to find the originating source.

The only thing you are likely to come across is dead bodies if not live flies moving around.

Why Are There So Many Dead Flies?

The presence of so many dead flies in your home could mean that there is an underlying problem. By the time the flies infiltrate a room and end up dying, there could be several reasons and the most common ones include:

Presence of Trash

There are many ways that flies can use to access your home including door and window openings. They can also use cracks in the foundation to get their way into the basement. However, there is usually a driving factor such as the presence of trash.

If a homeowner has the habit of collecting and storing trash for a long period, then small flies will definitely find their way into the trash bags and even lay eggs.

It takes a few days for the larvae to hatch and reach maturity. On the other hand, it also takes a few days for the big flies to die since they have a shorter lifespan.

Presence of a carcass

Flies such as bluebottles, blowflies, and green bottles, are usually attracted to dead and decaying animals. In fact, they use rotting meat for breeding purposes.

In case there is a rat, bird, or any small animal that crawled into your house and died without your knowledge, you are bound to find dead flies within a few days.

Sump/ Stagnant Pools of Water

A pool of stagnant water is the perfect ground for breeding flies. The moist organic matter usually found in such pools of water may be the perfect nurseries.

Make it a habit to dry and clean areas such as bathrooms and kitchen to prevent flies from accumulating.

Infestation

Finally, the presence of dead flies could be a sign of infestation. Common flies can lay thousands of eggs within two weeks and then end up dying shortly after.

What are the Other Signs of Fly Infestation?

Like we have stated above, dead flies could be a sign of infestation. Understand that a female fly can lay up to 100 eggs and that can hatch within a 24-hour period.

That’s why if you find dead flies there is a possibility of other flies that have probably not even hatched yet. Other signs of infestation include:

Presence of Live Flies

Apart from the dead flies, you can also come across flies around your home. This is another definitive sign of an infestation. Make sure that you identify the species in order to effectively eliminate the insects.

Generally, houseflies have a black or greyish appearance. Besides that, they have bulging eyes and white colorings below them. You are most likely to find them near windows and bulbs since they are usually attracted to light.

On the other hand, you are likely to find fruit flies near trash bins and sinks. These ones usually have red eyes and they have a smaller body size.

Maggots in Trash

If you happen to check your trash bag or can and you find maggots, that could be a sign of possible infestation. Generally, female flies tend to search for dark and moist places to lay eggs and the trash bag is the most ideal place

You will find the maggots on rotting food in addition to manure. That’s why it’s important to always cover left-over food since these insects may infect them with bacteria or maggots that will soon emerge from the eggs.

Dark Clusters of Feces

A third sign that you should look out for is feces that’s usually in the form of dark clusters. Flies usually leave feces wherever they are and with time, the fecal matter will end up pilling.

The dark clusters usually appear like black dots and you can find them near sinks, on tables, windowsills, dirty utensils, and around trash bins.

Besides those areas, you can check the food rack where you commonly store edibles or the top of your fridge where there are food droplets.

How Can I Prevent Fly Infestation?

In order to reduce the number of dead flies in your homes and a big number of insects flying around, you should work on preventing infestation. Simple techniques that you can apply include:

Cover food

keep food products covered at all types including leftovers. It’s worth noting that even simple bread crumbs can easily attract flies and encourage them to breed. Note that when flies come in contact with your food, chances are they will contaminate it and you may end up with a bacterial infection.

Clear little pools of stagnant water

make sure that places such as the kitchen sink, counters, shelves, and utensils are always dry. Wipe them using a clean piece of kitchen clothing and fix taps that are leaking.

If you have a blocked drainage system, make sure that you fix it as soon as you can. Generally, flies need a moist environment to thrive and breed.

Practice good hygiene

flies and dirty hygiene go hand in hand. That’s why you will find that although you can come across dead flies in a clean environment, chances are that there is no infestation since such an environment isn’t perfect for breeding.

Keep your garbage containers clean and closed, protect food areas, and ensure that the sinks and drains are clean and all working.

Eliminate clutter

Cluttered spaces are usually disorganized and the mess may create the best breeding grounds for flies.

Cover the entry points: you can limit how these insects access your homes by using fly screens to cover windows. Alternatively, you can keep doors and windows closed.

Use organic repellants

There are certain garden plants that can effectively repel flies. For instance, strong herbs such as bay leaf and mint can help to eliminate them.

Just make sure that you plant them in pots and put them on entryways such as windows.

Spray water treatment

A combination of cayenne pepper solution can be an effective spray treatment. Make sure that you spritz the solution around the entryways and common surfaces where flies are likely to land.

This is a non-toxic technique with a strong odor that will easily keep these flies out of sight.

When Are You Likely To See Dead Flies?

Well, you are likely to come across these insects in early spring, and by the time its summer, you might come across many of them due to the excessive heat.

The most interesting thing is that once you start seeing dead flies in early spring, there is a possibility that these annoying pests were living and breeding in your house the while of winter.

So, the warm environment is probably the reason they are trying to get out.

If you’re enjoying this article and want to learn more about how to control pest infestiations in your home and garden, then we have an entire section of school of bugs dedicated to this.

Pest Category

Do Dead Flies Carry Diseases?

Research studies indicate that flies have the potential of spreading illnesses, more than what we had expected previously.

These insects usually carry several types of bacteria on their bodies that are highly harmful to humans. This has to do with what they eat, where they stay, and where they die.

How Can I Prevent Re-Infestation?

No one wants to deal with dead flies from time to time. These insects are dirty and they don’t have any advantage to human beings.

To prevent such a mess in the future, make sure that you treat your home during fall. Exterminators normally use sprays that kill the insects on contact.

If you want to learn more about various insects, then checkout our site categories, we have a bunch of articles there that are totally worth reading: