What are Drain Flies?
Drain flies are the insects that look like moths, they are scientifically called Psychodidae. These flies have different names like drain flies, sink flies, filter flies, sewer flies, and also called moth flies. These are different names given for this species by different countries, but in the UK these Psychodidae are commonly called Drain flies. There are 2,600 species of these drain flies are found and these are originated from humid tropics. These pests can cause several health risks, and this article is to state what are drain flies and how to get rid of them.
Causes of Drain Flies
These drain flies are attracted by stagnant, shallow water, and organic debris and they are mostly found near the area where bacteria can build. Some of the common places for drain flies are sink, shower, drainage, and other standing wastewater areas. It is sure that improper maintenance of sewage or sink pipes will attract the drain flies.
Are Drain Flies Harmful?
Compared to other types of insects, these drain flies are not so harmful. They have a very short lifespan, so they do not travel to many places. But they will roam inside your home and can spread the bacteria around all places of your house. They are a tiny nuisance and it is important to eliminate them to prevent your home from bacterial infection and pest infestation.
Drain Flies Infestation
Drain flies can be often seen inside your bathroom, sink, and even in drain holes. You can see that tiny moth-like insects are roaming around your space, and it can be an indication that your pipe is not properly maintained. You can find thin, and tube-like drain larvae at the top of your drainage pipe, if you cannot find that, then the infestation may be deeper. You need a professional pest control service to eliminate this tiny species.
How to Get rid of Drain Flies?
There are more number of ways that you can defend the presence of drain flies. You can use both natural and chemical methods to get rid of them. But using chemicals without any prior knowledge can harm your health and it is dangerous to the pets and children in your home. Here are some of the natural methods or DIY methods to get rid of drain flies,
- If you found any block or hole in your drain pipes, try to solve the issue. Clean your pipes weekly once, you can use a long brush to maintain a gap between your hand and pipes.
- You can also make use of the boiled water to eliminate the presence of drain flies. Pouring the hot water into the drain pipes will destroy the entire microorganisms present inside the pipe.
- Mixing the ½ cup of baking soda with a cup of vinegar makes a perfect cleaning solution for your drain pipes. Pour the solution into the pipes weekly once will effectively remove the drains and destroy all the files present inside the pipe.
Conclusion
Thus, the topic of What are drain flies and how to get rid of them has been discussed. I hope that this article may give you simple guidance to eliminate the drain flies. The DIY methods listed above can defend only for a few days, you should repeat the process regularly. If the infestation is high, hire a professional pest control service, the experts will help you to get rid of pests present inside the drainage pipes.