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In those times when you visit a stall in the wet market or coffee shop, you can find stall holders put up and hang these shiny water bags and reflective discs over the food areas. What are those actually for?
Now we will let you know the answer: this is in hope that stall owners could keep flies away by deterring them from hanging around their stalls.
Yet why water bags and discs? Water bags and discs reflect light and this important property itself is the key to keep flies away.
How does this work and is this an effective remedy for flies?
Flies are very sensitive to lights
What attracts flies is actually the light reflection and refraction - the reflecting light rays from these water bags and discs confuse the flies and make them fly away instead of landing.
Quick facts: Flies have compound eyes that are sensitive to changing light patterns.
For flies which happen to fly toward that water bag or hanging disc may get confused by the light refractions and reflection, the key thing to note is that they are only temporarily disoriented. After a while, they may take another flight path to get past these confusing lights and then ultimately, landing on your food.
Although water bags and reflective discs may temporarily discourage some flies from hanging around the stall, some other flies would still get past this weak line of defense. For pest control for flies to be effective, this method does not even work to catch and kill any of the flies.
Understanding professional pest control for flies
Good-to-know! An introduction to 2 very important must-have features in professional fly control.
- A maintained catch rate
- Effective catch range
A maintained catch rate from a good fly control specialist allows you to track and count visible flies which are caught. From this catch rate, you are able to gauge how heavily infested your fly situation could be. This can also help you to determine the best way to keep flies away.
The area of the premise must also be considered for an effective catch range. It determines the range a fly unit has control over the area concerned.
Flies control options for your premise
There are three types of flies control solutions for your premise. Firstly, there are regular residual spraying or misting of active ingredients are strategic corners of the environment to control flies infestation. Secondly, there are flytraps that are installed on the wall to lure and trap flies with LED light technology and glueboard placement in the unit. It is mandatory deployment particularly for food establishment where regulatory compliance is in place. These units are serviced monthly (or weekly and fortnightly depending on flies infestation severity) and pest trending analysis is generated especially for food safety or high dependency driven businesses. Finally, for cases with severe flies problem, where there are breeding sites detected, a foaming flush-out programme is recommended to eliminate larvae especially breeding in areas including grease trap, gully, drains, corners and gaps along tables, trolleys and cabinets.
How does professional fly control works?
It’s all about the eyes - While the water bags and reflective discs serve to deter flies, they do not serve as a remedy to get rid of the flies. Pest control innovations have made it the other way round by serving up attractive UV lights in fly control units. These units emit attractive UV led lights for flies, trapping and killing them in a discreet and safe manner.
LED technology in modern times has enabled optimal frequency to attract these flying pests effectively. Engage a professional fly control specialist today to manage your fly infestation, especially in F&B industries.
FAQ about flies that you should know
What are the common types of flies species in Singapore?
Common types of flies species that you will find in Singapore are:
- House flies
- Bluebottle flies
- Sand flies
- Fruit flies
- Drain flies
- Horse flies
What do flies eat?
Flies feed and harvest on organic decaying material including fruits, vegetables, meat, animal, plant extracts or secretions and human faeces. Flies also feed from nectar from flowers as well. In addition, for fruit flies, they prefer liquids such as beer, cider and vinegar and feed on wide range of fruits including bananas, grapes, onions and peaches.
How do I check for flies infestation?
Signs of flies’ infestation include:
- Small dark clusters on windowsills, near sink drains, and rubbish bins. These are the feces of flies left to accumulate over time.
- Large numbers of flies buzzing around waste containers and drainage systems.
- Maggots in waste areas, rotting food and grease traps.
As flies can cause food contamination symptoms and damage a food business reputation, it is critical to seek professional fly control to get rid of them effectively. Contact a pest control company in Singapore to design a comprehensive flies control solution comprising fly traps and small flies foaming flush out solution.
How to prevent flies from growing in a premise?
As flies are always drawn to rotting food and dirty conditions, daily cleaning of your premises and maintaining good hygiene are one of the best ways to avoid them. This includes repairing leaking pipes, properly storing food, and keeping any cracks in your property sealed. To discourage flies from coming inside, installing insect screens and setting proofing measures to control them are also effective options. Nevertheless, remember that the above measures may not be adequate if the premise is at risk of a fly infestation or is food safety sensitive. Contact a pest control specialist in Singapore whom are professional experts to deal with the flies infestation adequately.
What is the average price of flies control in Singapore?
The average price of flies control in Singapore is determined by:
- Severity of the flies infestation
- Combination of treatments (spray, foaming and fly traps)
- Size of the treatment coverage
- Number and type of fly control unit
- Intensity and frequency of foaming required
- Coverage size and scope of the fly traps
- Pest trend analysis and reporting
What are the possible causes of flies infestation?
Bad sanitation is the main cause of a fly infestation, as flies thrive in filthy environments. Flies are extremely likely to attract anywhere that has the presence of rotting matter, loads of water, and rubbish and waste and any leftover food scrapes and remains. Poor waste management is another cause of triggering flies such as keeping it open, not disposing regularly and waste spills that are not cleaned right away.
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