Blue Bottle
Bluebottle flies, and Blowflies are all common large flies, noted for their metallic blue or green coloration. These flies are often flying up and down in a window, making their characteristic buzzing sound. Blowflies are scavengers who deposit their eggs on decaying meat, fish, garbage, fecal matter and dead animals. These materials on which Bottle Flies deposit their eggs are the key in their elimination: find and eliminate these sources! Complete development (from egg to adult) can require as little as 10 days or as much as 3 weeks.
Bottle flies breed in damp organic material such as garbage and dead animals, therefore most of these pests found indoors actually originate from an outdoor source. Small numbers of Bottle flies in a structure usually point to an outdoor source. If large numbers of these flies are found indoors, it may be a sign of an indoor infestation. Indoors, look for signs of dead rodents or birds that may have been living in walls or crawl spaces, or even living in lower cabinets and under major appliances. Outdoors, inspect the area for dead animals; any nearby dumpsters or other garbage containers should be inspected.
Blue Bottle flies can enter your home through the tiniest cracks around door and window frames, but also through any other small unsealed opening. To prevent infestation:
- Make sure that all screens fit properly and that there are no cracks or holes that would allow flies to enter your house.
- Weather strip windows and doors.
- Fill any cracks or crevices with caulking around doors, window frames, and other openings in the building structure.
- Install insect screening over air vents in soffits.
