Spotting the Most Common Household Flies

Author: Emma Grace Crumbley, Entomologist 

Small flies are common pests of homes – but no two fly species are exactly alike! If you've seen small flies around your home, check if you're dealing with drain flies, fungus gnats, or fruit flies.

Drain Flies

Drain flies are found almost exclusively around drains with build-up. These flies prefer to live and breed in wet, submerged organic material, like the sludge and sewage accumulating in sinks and garbage disposals. Kitchens, bathrooms, basements, and areas with plumbing are all potential habitats for drain flies to infest.

You can identify a drain fly by its: 

• Small size, 1/16 – 3/16 inches long
• Dark, fuzzy bodies with large, flat wings
• Wings help flat at rest, resembling mini moths

Fungus Gnats

If you notice flies around your house plants, you are probably dealing with fungus gnats. Fungus gnats get their name from their larvae feeding on fungi, and they are almost always associated with overwatered plants. These flies are often mistaken for mosquitoes, given their slender appendages, but luckily, they do not bite.

You can identify a fungus gnat by its: 

• Small size, 1/32 – 7/16 inches long
• Dark bodies, either black or brown
• Long, thin legs with slender wings

Fruit Flies

Fruit flies are the poster child for small flies found in kitchens and dining rooms. Small and energetic, these flies are attracted to fermenting fruits, vegetables, and liquids. Areas where food rots or decomposes, such as dumpsters, drains, and under appliances, create feeding and breeding sites for fruit flies.

 You can identify a fruit fly by its:

• Small size, 1/8 inches long
• Light brow bodies with bright red eyes
• Tend to hover in small circles with other

Got Flies?

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