Moth flies are small black flies which thrive in drain pipes and sewer lines. They need a lot of moisture to complete their life cycle.

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MOTH FLY BIOLOGY

Moth flies do not fly well. They tend to drift and seem to float along more than fly. Their wings are shaped like a leaf of a plant and one can see hair like fibers on all parts of their body which is why they are also called moth flies, drain moths, drain flies, drain gnats, moth fly, sink moths, sink flies and incinerator gnats.



Moth fly infestations in many homes commonly start in the sink or bathroom shower. The drain lines which have the most activity seem to be the ones most likely to have an infestation. Homes with septic tanks seem most likely to get them. There appears to be a build up of organic matter on drain pipes which occurs more with this type of drainage setup.

 

MOTH FLY LIFE CYCLE

Although these homes seem more likely to get moth flies, once the cycle begins it many times will find it’s way into the home. A sure sign is when you see larva crawling out of shower or bath tub drains. These larvae are many times mistaken for some kind of leach. In fact, the larva of moth flies thrive in a slime buildup which is on virtually any drain pipe which is used a lot. This slime enables the eggs which are laid to be protected and sheltered. The eggs and hatching larva embed themselves in this slime so they don’t wash away. The cycle of these flies takes around a month to complete.

 

MOTH FLY TREATMENTS

Don’t waste your time with bleach or other cleaning solvents hoping this alone will resolve the problem. It won’t. Showers and tubs which have ceramic tiles can harbor tiny amounts of the organic matter moth flies need to reproduce so even when something appears to be “clean”, it can still easily be supporting this fly. Sump pumps and wet crawl spaces are other environments they love. Moth flies can be harder to control than other small flies because they need such a small area to live and reproduce. Although there are several products to kill adults, the key is maintaining and minimizing their breeding areas. This could prove to be difficult and ongoing but most definitely manageable with the right products.

 

MOTH FLY SPACE SPRAY FOR ADULT FLIES

Like most flies, there are several products available that can be used to kill the adult stage. And this is most definitely important. By killing the adults, you’ll effectively break their life cycle because without adults, there will be no way for eggs to be laid. But this also means you must be persistent because space sprays don’t last long. You can actually use them more than once  a day. They’re very safe, cover a large area quickly but they don’t pose a hazard to people or pets because they don’t linger. Basically they’re active for an hour or two and then they dissipate.

A good option for this type of treating is PT-565. It will quickly control the adults, can be used as needed and is easy to apply. Basically a 1-2 second blast in the average sized bathroom once in the morning, around lunch time and then again sometime in the evening should keep the adults controlled. Larger rooms like kitchens would require more per treatment but because PT-565 covers such a large area per treatment, it’s easy to use over and over.

PT-565: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/aerosol/pt-565-xlo

 

Another good option is to install some automatic misting machines. These area small devices like our AEROSOL 2000 model. Inside them you insert a can of metered spray like PURGE III or CLEAR ZONE. Both of these use the same pyrethrin the 565 uses and will work even better because the machine will follow a treatment pattern you program. Basically you can have it releasing a small blast of pyrethrin every hour so all you have to do is set it and forget it. Refills will usually last a month and can be replaced as is needed. These are very handy for ongoing problem areas that need constant attention and can be deployed anywhere in the home without any problem for the residents.

Aerosol 2000: http://www.bugspraycart.com/equipment/foggers/aerosol-dispenser-2000

Purge and Clear Zone: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/aerosol/purge-iii-6-25-oz

 

MOTH FLY SINK TREATMENT

Ultimately, taking away the reproduction site of the moth fly is the best solution. By removing where they can lay eggs you can in theory eliminate them altogether. And the best product for this is SURVIVORS. Simply pour it down the drain pipes and Survivors will remove the nest sights these flies need for their eggs. Apply about 4 oz per drain per once a week. Do the application late at night, before you retire, when you know the drain will sit for several hours with no one running water. This way the active in the Survivors can have it’s best impact.

Survivors: http://www.bugspraycart.com/sanitizer/liquid/survivors

 

On the evening following the application of Survivors, you should treat with GENTROL AEROSOL. This is a growth regulator which affects fly larvae by preventing them to fully mature. Gentrol can be applied any to any location you suspect might be breeding moth flies but remember, it’s not an adulticide and therefore won’t have any impact on the flying stage you might be seeing around the home. But when combined with Survivors, the two will knock out any breeding ground moth flies find attractive.

Gentrol Aerosol:  http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/aerosol/gentrol-aerosol-16-oz

 

MOTH FLY CONTROL TRAPS

Lastly, the FLY WEB FLY TRAP can be deployed in any room where adults are seen. It’s small but works well at catching small flies and will no doubt help break the cycle and end the infestation. They will also catch mosquitoes, gnats, fruit flies, fungus flies and just about anything that flies. Se them out anywhere you find active flying pests inside the home and they will definitely help solve the problem by removing some of the adults.

Fly Light Trap: http://www.bugspraycart.com/traps/fly/fly_web

 

CONTACT US

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