Flying Insects

Flying pests are some of the most annoying and difficult pests to control for a homeowner or business owner.  Their ability to fly freely from spot to spot makes contacting them with a control agent much less likely.  Their many landing sites also allow them to spread harmful bacteria and disease organisms picked up on their feet, legs, and bodies rapidly to many areas where they can affect humans.  In addition to spreading germs effectively and rapidly, many also bite which can transmit parasites and disease directly into the victim’s body tissue or bloodstream.  Others have painful stings which can affect our enjoyment of our living spaces both indoors and outdoors and threaten us with allergic reactions, anaphylactic shock, and even death.  PPS has many treatment options to deal with all kinds of flying insects.

There are more than 16,000 species of flies in North America.  Depending upon which species, flies can live anywhere from 8 days up to a couple of months and in some species up to a year.  Just one male and female, in 1-2 weeks, can be responsible for over a million new offspring as their offspring mature and mate, and then their offspring’s offspring mature and mate; so despite their often short lifespans, flies can become a major problem in a very short period of time. Due to most flies habits of feeding and breeding in filth laden areas such as garbage cans and sewers, and feces; they pick up many pathogens all over their bodies which they can deposit anywhere they land (i.e. food, food prep areas and utensils, skin and open wounds) The common housefly can spread more than 100 pathogens such as Salmonella, E. Coli, Staphylococcus, and Shigella.  The pathogens they transmit can cause many diseases in humans and animals such as dysentery, cholera, typhoid fever, and hepatitis just to name a few.  Some flies also deliver painful bites in order to feed on blood and can transmit disease and parasites in this manner.  Pest professionals are trained to locate factors contributing to fly infestation, to advise you of environmental changes that can help solve the problem and to apply appropriate treatments to protect your health.

Many small flies are commonly referred to as gnats in the U.S. There are many different species with different feeding, breeding, and harborage habits which make identification by a pest professional key in finding and eradicating the problem.  Depending on the particular species, gnats can be biting or non-biting and will feed on organic matter, plants, produce, other insects, or blood.  Biting, blood feeding species; such as the black gnat or black fly; are known to transmit parasites and diseases to humans and livestock through the females’ bite.  Some species will thrive inside and others outside.  In some species the males will swarm in large groups when mating, filling the area with a cloud of insects.
 
A common small fly in the home is the Fruit Fly.  Fruit Flies feed on ripe or rotting fruits and vegetables, fermenting materials, sugary or syrupy foods and drinks, and they are attracted to sweet smells such as apple cider vinegar.  You often bring them into your home in fruit or vegetables and they hatch and breed and can quickly be scattered throughout your home.  Once established they can be hard to get rid of as they breed rapidly in sites such as: fruits and vegetables, garbage bins, drains, soda spills.  They spread filth and germs as they light in different areas.

Another common small fly is the Drain Fly.  Drain Flies feed on organic matter and sewage.  They are found commonly in kitchens and bathrooms.  The adult fly is usually the only stage a homeowner ever sees.  Eggs are deposited in moist areas coated with decaying organic matter such as drains, storm drains, decaying logs, and compost piles. The larvae then feed in these areas prior to emerging as flies to seek other food sources, breed, and continue the life cycle.  During this flying stage, they can deposit filth and germs on human food sources and surfaces we touch.
 
The species mentioned above and many other species of Small Flies and Gnats can become a big problem in and around your home or business in a very short amount of time. The earlier you call for help with an infestation, the quicker the problem can be solved.

There are approximately 175 mosquito species in the United States and possibly as many as 3,000 worldwide.  Female Mosquitoes feed off of the blood of Humans and other mammals, birds, bats, and some reptiles; while males prefer to feed on flower nectar and can aid in pollination as they go from plant to plant, although they are not as efficient at pollination as bees.  The female can detect the Carbon Dioxide that Humans and animals exhale…..that is how they find their prey. Mosquitoes are most active during early morning and late evening hours and retire to cool moist areas during the hottest parts of the day unless the humidity is high and the sky is overcast.   The female prefers to lay eggs in standing water and requires only a very small amount of water to deposit eggs in.  Eggs can also be laid and survive in moist soil or high vegetation that stays moist and receives water enough to float the eggs. 

Mosquito season is quite long in the Southeastern United States and can begin as early as March or April if the weather is warm and extends through October.  Temperatures need to be consistently below freezing before mosquitoes start to die off for winter.  Mosquitoes have quite a few natural predators who use them as a food source, but they are such prolific breeders that natural predators may fail to make a dent in their numbers.  We all need to be concerned about mosquitoes because they are a vector for many serious and sometimes fatal human and animal diseases. They may be small, but more deaths have been reported due to the Mosquito’s bite than any other creature, making them the world’s deadliest animal predator. 

Just a few of the viral diseases Mosquitoes transmit to humans and animals are: Zika virus, West Nile Virus, Malaria, Chikungunya, Dengue Fever, Yellow Fever, many strains of Encephalitis in Humans and animals, and Dog Heartworm. PPS has very effective measures to reduce mosquito infestations around your home, and our trained professionals can advise you of environmental changes that will help protect your family and pets.

Bees, Hornets, and Wasps are flying insects that are very beneficial to Humans and our environment in many ways.  Many species are pollinators who play vital roles in food crop pollination, and as such are invaluable to our survival.  Other species are predators that help to naturally manage other pest populations.  If at all possible flying insects in this category should be allowed to flourish and we should try to coexist with them.  However, there are circumstances where Bees, Hornets, and Wasps can become a serious danger to Humans or other animals and they must then be managed in the most environmentally friendly way possible.
 
For example, Honeybees are tremendous pollinators and as such are vigorously protected unless their presence poses a serious threat to a person due to where they have established their colony.  Some people are highly allergic to stings, and sometimes swarming honeybees can choose unfortunate locations (such as the walls of a home, an attic, or a fireplace) to establish a new colony and thus pose a threat to a homeowner’s wellbeing and/or their home’s structure.  In such cases, every effort should be made to relocate the bees to a safer colony site and failing that, the human’s safety must then take precedence over the single colony of bees.
 
Carpenter Bees can cause thousands of dollars of damage to a home’s structure if left unchecked and will return year after year. Hornets, Wasps, Yellow Jackets, etc. can pose a serious risk of stings and allergic reaction, anaphylactic shock, and even death to humans, so nests located too close to areas frequently occupied by humans must be dealt with by environmental measures that discourage nest building in human occupied areas, by encouraging them to move if at all possible, and sometimes by chemical means.   

The professionals at PPS are trained to take great caution to protect the long term well-being of our environment and to protect beneficial insects in all ways possible.  When dealing with Bees, Hornets, and Wasps; it is best to let a trained professional help you manage the problem, so that you are not endangering yourself or the environment.