Which Type of Fly Is Infesting My Saint Ives Home or Business?

If your Saint Ives house or flat has small flies, you have at least four possible culprits, and they are easy to confuse. Getting it right matters because the cure for one does nothing for another. Being near the river does not in itself cause an indoor fly problem, though a damp property can help some species.

Fruit Flies

About 3mm long, often with reddish eyes, and found hovering around ripe fruit, bins, recycling and drinks. They breed in fermenting material, and one forgotten spill is enough.

Drain Flies

Small, dark, with furry, moth-like wings held roof-fashion over the body. They flutter short distances and then sit still on walls near sinks, baths and showers. They breed in the film inside waste pipes.

Phorid Flies

Often called scuttle flies, they are small and humpbacked and run across surfaces in quick, jerky bursts rather than flying. They can breed in damp rotting organic matter and sometimes in damaged drains, which makes them harder to trace.

Fungus Gnats

Slim, dark and weak flyers found around houseplants. They breed in damp compost, so the answer is in the pot rather than the drain.

Working Out Which You Have

1. Catch one in a clear glass and look at its shape on white paper.
2. Note where it is: by fruit, by a plant, by a drain or on the floor.
3. Tape clear sticky tape over a suspect plughole overnight.
4. Check the soil of any houseplants for damp and small larvae.

Fruit flies and fungus gnats often respond to your own action, such as clearing spills and letting compost dry out. Drain flies need the pipe film removed with a brush and a biological product. Phorids often need the source found by someone who knows where to look, and that is where DIY tends to fall short.

Older Properties Near the Water

Saint Ives has an old core with narrow, older buildings, some with cellars and low-ventilated rooms. Damp, poorly ventilated spaces suit the smaller species, including fungus gnats and phorids, because organic matter stays wet for longer. Improving airflow, fixing leaks and clearing standing moisture all help.

If you live in one of the older Saint Ives houses and the small flies keep returning, check the rooms that stay cool and damp before you assume it is the kitchen.

Getting It Sorted

Our fly control in Saint Ives is £180 fixed, with no call-out fee, and the price is agreed before we begin. We guarantee it: if the problem returns within 14 days we re-treat free. Read the cost guide, or book a pest inspection and survey for £120.

Call 01223 902388 or WhatsApp us a description of the flies you are seeing.