It’s almost Christmas – a time when we all eat, drink and be merry to our heart’s content.

With an abundance of food on offer, from nuts, crisps, nibbles, chocolates and cakes, through to your roast turkey dinner and all the trimmings in lashings of gravy; there is by far more than enough to go around, and more often than not, there is a lot wasted, too.

As Christmas is about spending time with family, friends and loved ones, often, the leftover dinners and food waste can be left sitting for a few hours before it is dealt with. This is a habit we all need to avoid if we want to prevent fly infestations! You need to be proactive in preventing flies from settling in, or you’ll end up needing a visit from Pest Control in London!

Whether you leave food out for a few hours or a few days while putting off doing the washing up, this is all the time it takes for a fly to come along and lay its eggs, and, before you know it, you have an infestation!

When it comes to flies,  we must be vigilant. There are more than 100,000 species of fly in the world, and many of them carry bacteria and pathogens because of how they source food and reproduce. Some even carry harmful diseases that can, in some cases, prove to be potentially fatal.

Flies pick up bacteria and pathogens and even parasites on their travels. They land on all manner of unpleasant objects, including rotting food and excrement; from which they feed and lay eggs. If a fly picks up bad bacteria and then lands on your skin, the bacteria is then passed along to you.

Flies are attracted to dried foods, cereals, fruit and meat. They can also infest grains, crops and meat if not stored correctly, as well as infiltrating sealed paper packages, too. Flies have been known to transmit over 200 different pathogens to humans, which can lead to salmonella, dysentery, sleeping sickness, typhoid and cholera, amongst many more.

With that in mind, we think it’s about time you covered up those mince pies and half-eaten sausage rolls, don’t you?

We have compiled a few ways to combat the flies in your home, so read on to find out what measures you can take:

• Keep foodstuffs covered at all times
• Use an oscillating fan to fend off the flies
• Remove any rubbish around your house that might attract flies
• Empty food wastes immediately and keep kitchens and bathrooms free from rubbish
• Empty and clean bins regularly
• Clean drains and sinks with bleach to kill bacteria and put a stop to fly infestations

Should you have a problem with pest control in London, please do not hesitate to get in touch and we will assess the situation and advise you on the best course of action.