Flies in the house in winter: why do they appear and how to get rid of them?

22.04.2020

In the summer, flies are pretty annoying for everyone. We are desperately looking for any way to get rid of them. But in the fall the situation changes dramatically - this is due to the fact that they enter diapause or hibernation. The appearance of an insect in a house in the middle of winter is an unexpected and unpleasant occurrence. For this reason, various signs and superstitions are associated with it.

• Where do flies go in winter?
• Why do flies appear in the house in winter?
• Signs associated with flies
• How to prevent flies from entering your home

Where and how do mosquitoes winter?

It is known that female mosquitoes can live on average from 114 to 119 days, taking into account the fact that the conditions for their existence will be favorable, namely: the air temperature should be kept within 10-15 ° C. The higher the air temperature, the shorter the life of the mosquito. Male mosquitoes, regardless of external factors, live only about 19 days. It should be noted that female mosquitoes can live exactly as long as the warm season lasts.

But there are also types of mosquitoes that hibernate. Mosquitoes live in water in winter, which is where their life begins. In winter, mosquitoes live in other forms, in eggs, larvae and pupae. The female lays her eggs in reservoirs with stagnant water, where they develop further. From the moment of birth until the mosquito becomes an adult capable of flying, only nine to fourteen days pass. Adults spend their entire lives, namely summer and autumn, on land. Then all the male mosquitoes die, and the female mosquitoes (and not all of them) go to reservoirs to wait out the winter, and in the spring to lay eggs to give birth to a new life.

Reproduction in winter

Due to living next to heat-producing animals, the house fly can afford not to sleep in winter, but to continue its life activities. The life expectancy of adults in winter increases, and the rate of development of larvae slows down.

On a note!

The number of eggs laid by the female in winter and summer is the same.

A house fly produces up to 1000 eggs in its life. But in winter it will take her longer. The female lays about a hundred pieces at a time.

Where and how do flies hibernate?

It is clear where mosquitoes spend the winter, but where do flies wait out the cold weather? Flies, unlike mosquitoes, which have outlived their days in the summer, actually hibernate, and to be more precise, this process is called suspended animation. It is known that the lifespan of an adult fly is about a month, but many insects of this subspecies are capable of living much longer. For example, a fly that hibernates can survive for six months or more. With the onset of the first cold weather, flies hide in various cracks, window frames and other secret places where an even cool temperature is maintained throughout the winter period. In such rooms they spend the winter in a state of hibernation.

Not only adult flies are able to overwinter, but also the larvae that they lay the day before. When the first rays of the sun penetrate into the rooms where the flies sleep, the insects come to life, and the larvae and pupae continue their development. Everyone knows the expression: sleepy, like a fly. Indeed, when a fly awakens after a long winter hibernation, it initially walks as if sleepy, staggering from one side to the other. After some time, the insects settle in and begin to live a new spring-summer life.

Where do flies spend the winter? There is probably no person who has not seen a fly in his life - this is a small, annoying insect that carries many infections.

During the warm season they are very active. They can be seen almost everywhere. They fly into apartments or houses and cause people a lot of inconvenience. With the onset of cold weather, insects disappear.

Many will be interested to know where flies spend the winter. Our article is devoted to this issue. In addition, we will look at effective folk methods of dealing with these uninvited guests.

Let's get to know each other better

Flies belong to the order Diptera, the short-whiskered family. Scientists count about five thousand species of flies, which are divided into more than one hundred genera. In this publication, we will not dwell on a detailed classification of insects; we will only note that they are all divided into two large groups: those living in the wild and those ecologically associated with human settlement.

People in their homes can observe several types of flies: house flies, autumn flies and others.

All of them have the following characteristics:

1. The body of the insect is dark in color, and some species have a metallic sheen.
2. The body is covered with bristles and hairs.
3. All types of flies have large heads.
4. The oral apparatus has the shape of a proboscis, which is adapted for licking or sucking food.
5. The fly's organ of vision, a very complex structure of the eye, helps it survive. They consist of literally thousands of individual lenses, and are also very sensitive to movement.
6. Some insect species have very precise three-dimensional vision.
7. The front pair of wings is used for flight, and the back pair, called halteres, is used to maintain balance in the air.

Flies are diurnal. They pose a threat to humans because they are carriers of pathogens of various diseases, both human and animal. Diptera reproduce quickly. If a female appears in the apartment, then after a short time she can give birth to offspring. Therefore, you must try to get rid of these “uninvited guests” immediately.

Flight Features

Flies fly in zigzags at a decent speed; they do not have a specific trajectory, but it depends on a number of factors. The direction and speed of flight is largely determined by the needs of the insect: hunger, reproductive instinct. They maneuver if they see obstacles in their path. They don't need acceleration to take off, and they don't have to slow down to land on the surface.

The main types of flight include:

• hovering in the air and moving in different directions;
• covering long distances at high speed;
• performing various maneuvers in the air, high flight speed.

Winter flies

It seems to us that the apartment is a well-protected fortress, but flies appear from somewhere when it warms up. In winter, a fly in the house is rare and therefore there are even a lot of signs associated with the appearance of this buzzing creature.

In fact, everything is much simpler - this insect, like many of its other relatives, goes into hibernation.

Now you know where these dipterans go in winter. They do not disappear anywhere, but find a secluded place to quietly spend the winter. The apartment has quite a few crevices, which are ideal for insects to do this. Young individuals look for a wintering place at the beginning of autumn. As a rule, from mid-October it is very difficult to find at least one fly.

But sometimes on winter days you can hear a familiar and so unpleasant buzzing in your apartment. Logical questions arise: why did this happen and how to get rid of the annoying individual. In winter, a fly appears in an apartment only when the air temperature is very high. The insect's body awakens from the heat, and the fly is ready to welcome spring.

Thus, if you turn the heating on high, you may see buzzing insects appear. In addition, you can accidentally discover and touch a sleeping “guest”. For example, cleaning the apartment. Then the dipteran will prematurely emerge from hibernation.

In winter there is no problem how to get rid of flies. Simply “liquidate” a single individual that woke up ahead of schedule. A massive invasion of these parasites does not threaten you. Their time will come with the onset of spring. Emerging insects will require you to quickly, reliably and safely solve this problem.

How to get into housing

A fly can appear in an apartment in only two ways:

• got pregnant;
• multiplied indoors.

More often than not, the buzzing insect still flies in from the street.

The fly is very agile. It only takes a few seconds for her to “slip” through an open window or door. In addition, the dipteran is distinguished by great flexibility of the body. It will not be difficult for an insect to get inside even through a small damage to the mosquito net.

There are other places where parasites appear - ventilation, cracks and balconies. There is a direct relationship: the more insects there are on the street, the more of them there are in a person’s home. If there is a garbage dump or market near the house, then flies will appear in the apartment often. Moreover, the premises will be attacked en masse.

Also, the general condition of the house plays an important role. When the basement is damp and dirty, insects will actively develop and fly around the apartments. If the garbage chute is faulty, the residents of the house will undoubtedly have a problem with how to get rid of flies, and other parasites as well.

What to do so as not to hear the lady buzzing flies

To prevent flies from appearing in your apartment, you need to take comprehensive preventive measures:

• install good double-glazed windows;
• use mosquito nets;
• eliminate cracks in the floor;
• Do wet and dry cleaning frequently.

Such simple preventive measures will help you resist the fly army. If the mosquito net you installed is damaged, then insects appeared through them. You need to buy a new product and then you can sleep peacefully. This way you will cut off the paths for winged parasites to enter the room.

The appearance of flies may be a signal that not enough attention is paid to the cleanliness of the apartment. Try to store food in closed areas. Clean the table thoroughly after the meal, do not leave crumbs on it. Also, get rid of the habit of accumulating dirty dishes. By keeping a clean apartment, you will deprive insects of a favorable habitat.

How to get rid of flies using folk remedies? Grandma's most proven method is geranium. This beautiful plant has a specific smell that parasites “don’t like.” This is why our grandmothers so actively grew geraniums and decorated their balconies with them in the summer.

You can prepare an effective mixture: 40 g. ground black pepper and sugar and 100 ml of milk. Soak a cloth in this mixture and place it where there are insects. Folk remedies are safe, but they must be used very carefully. If family members are allergic to some component, then it is better to abandon this method and choose another.

Flies are dipterous insects that hibernate during the winter.

Chemical substances

Insecticides are most often used when you need to get rid of a large number of insects. Despite this, they can also be used to kill several individuals. The best means include:

• "Fly Byte";
• "Get";
• "Cucaracha";
• "Agita";
• "Alfacin."

If desired, you can purchase other professional products. The choice of drug depends only on the person and his preferences.

Important: in winter, it is better to purchase odorless chemicals so as not to “drive” family members and animals outside.

Fumigators can also be considered effective means. These devices kill flies and prevent their appearance. Fumigators work on plates or bottles of liquid.

Physical means

Small numbers of insects can be controlled using traps. They are:

• sticky;
• with bait;
• poisonous.

The first type of trap includes sticky tapes. They are sold at any household chemical store. The trap is attached to the ceiling or any other vertical surface. After this, insects flock to it.

The second type of traps is made independently. Take a plastic bottle and cut off the neck. After this, a sweet bait is placed inside:

• honey;
• jam;
• piece of apple.

When the filling is placed, all that remains is to turn the neck over and then insert it into the cut bottle. The fly, attracted by the smell, will enter the trap, but cannot get out.

Poisonous baits are purchased in the store. They are available in the form of a suspension. It is enough to drop a little substance onto the lid or other surface. After that all you have to do is wait.

Important: poisonous baits are not dangerous for people and animals.

Traditional methods

If you don’t want to run anywhere, it is recommended to use folk methods that have proven themselves over centuries:

1. Milk solution. This product is used to treat walls, jambs and window sills. To prepare the solution you will need 0.5 liters of sweet water (sugar is added to taste), 100 ml of formaldehyde and 300 ml of milk. Everything is thoroughly mixed. After this you can hunt flies.
2. Black pepper. The spice is mixed with granulated sugar. After this, the mixture is ready for use.
3. Saccharin solution. For 200 ml of warm water, take 20 grams of honey and 2 grams of saccharin. Newspaper or thick toilet paper is soaked in the finished mixture. The trap is placed on the windowsill.

Important: all solutions and baits must be kept away from children and animals.