Flies can be serious nuisances during the summer months. They buzz around homes, crawl across food, and worse, they can even bite. Many types of biting flies can be found in Iowa. Pro-Staff, the West Des Moines pest control company, has the details.

Horse Flies

Female horse flies, like mosquitoes, must feed on blood to be able to reproduce. You can identify these black flies by the yellow or orange stripes on their abdomens and their bright green eyes. Large groups of these flies may be seen buzzing around people or other large mammals.

Bites from horse flies are painful. Since horse flies are often brushed off before they can finish feeding, they need to feed on multiple mammals to get enough blood. This helps them spread a variety of diseases, including anthrax. Some people can have allergic reactions to horse fly bites, and some bites can become infected.

Deer Flies

Deer flies can be found around bodies of water, like lakes. They’re about 1/4-inch-long, which is about the same size as a house fly. Their eyes are bright green, and their bodies range from yellowish-brown to black.

These flies can be very annoying due to their habit of buzzing around people’s heads. When they bite, they break the skin with their scissor-like mouthparts and then drink from the wound. Bites can be painful, and worse, can spread diseases. Tularemia, a bacterial disease that’s also known as “rabbit fever,” can be spread by deer fly bites.

Black Flies

Black flies aren’t very common in Iowa, but they can be found near water sources like rivers and streams. They’re less than 1/4-inch-long and can be identified by their hump-backed bodies.

Thanks to their venom, bites from black flies are very painful, and can also be intensely itchy and swollen. Some people are allergic to the bites and have severe complications like swelling. Anaphylactic shock has been reported. Pets can also be severely affected by black fly bites.

Avoiding Fly Bites

Controlling biting flies can be difficult. Since some types of biting flies develop in vegetation, cleaning up yard debris can help control their populations. To keep flies away from smaller areas, you can use fans, since some smaller flies can’t fly well in air currents. If flies are seen resting on surfaces, like exterior walls, those surfaces can be treated with residual pesticides.

Since flies can’t be completely eliminated outdoors, it’s a good idea to use insect repellent to avoid bites. Look for repellents that contain DEET or picaridin, and carefully follow the label directions.

Biting flies can interfere with your summer fun. For help keeping fly populations under control, turn to Pro-Staff, the West Des Moines pest control professionals.