Four summer insects to look out for in the home.

You run to get a revision snack, only to enter a horror film when a thousand little specks fly at your face.

We’ve all been there - we share our planet with over 110,000 types of flies, with 7,000 at home in the UK, so you’ll likely encounter them at some point - particularly in the warmer seasons. But where did this swarm come from? Why won’t they leave?

BBC Bitesize explores the different houseguests you might fly into, and how to keep them from returning. But if you suspect you have an , it’s very important to leave it to a professional pest control service who can properly get rid of them, as the infestation and what's causing it can be a health hazard.

Three summer-lovin’ flies to look out for

A macro shot of a fruit fly - a small light-brown insect with large red compound eyes - stood on a rotting fruit. — Image caption,
Fruit flies find rotting produce very a-peel-ing

1. Ferment frenzy: Fruit flies

Fruit flies are small yellow-to-light-brown flies that can appear all year round. However, you might notice an up-tick in the late summer and autumn - the reason for this is ripening fruit, many of which ripen quicker in heat. Like the name suggests, fruit flies love rotting or fermenting fruit.

The reason they seem so hard to get rid of is because they can lay up to 500 eggs in the surface of a fruit, and their life cycle lasts 40-50 days, reaching adulthood in just two weeks!

Fear not - they might be annoying, but they won’t cause you any serious harm. Usually, removing the source of what’s attracting them is enough to drive them away. Keeping an eye on the shelf life of your fruits and veg and disposing of food waste properly will help prevent fruit fly infestations, as well as disinfecting surfaces, as these flies enjoy the juices of overripe produce. Check your cupboards too - fruit flies love when some types of go slimy and sticky.

If they keep coming back or you keep finding stragglers, it probably means there's a larger egg problem that needs professional intervention.

A macro shot of a bluebottle fly on a green leaf. The bluebottle has large red compound eyes, two clear wings and a round, blue-black body. — Image caption,
What do you call a fly without wings? A walk!

2. Something's rotten: Bluebottles

Bluebottles are what we typically think of when we think of flies: big, black and buzzing. Bluebottles are actually green-blue, as the name suggests, and are most active in spring and summer. It's common to see one or two around the house in colder weather as they like to come in to keep warm.

Bluebottles like decaying meat, but they can be attracted to fresh pet poo and household waste, too. So if you notice a lot of them indoors, there’s likely something stinky around that needs to be investigated. Being prompt with emptying the bins will keep bluebottles and the similar (but smaller) common housefly away from your home.

A close up shot of a drain fly - a small moth-like fly with round brown wings, fur and stripy antennae - stood on a layer of orange soap scum. — Image caption,
It came from the bathroom sink! Don't worry - drain flies are only interested in organic matter from pipes and not humans

3. The drain game: Drain flies

These flies have a distinctive moth-like appearance, but are a type of non-biting gnat. Drain flies (AKA filter flies, moth flies or sink flies) like water and can live anywhere where water accumulates. Warm conditions mean water stagnates faster.

So, if you have a blocked drain or drainage problem, drain flies can be tough to detect and get rid of. Usually they’ll move along once the water source is also moving, but if you encounter these in the bathroom or kitchen long-term then it’s a sign there’s a breeding site hiding somewhere, and a professional is needed.

Prevention is always better: keeping toilets, sinks and drains clean can be helpful as drain flies lay young in the slime layers of pipes. It’s also important not to leave trays of water around, for example under leaky fridges and freezers. You must never pour pesticides down drains if you think you have an infestation, as this is illegal and unsafe as it can pollute waterways.

A macro shot of a tick - a small, brown spider-like insect with long front legs - on the edge of a green leaf. — Image caption,
Ticks use their long front legs to hitch a ride

Bonus bug: Ticks

Not a winged bug, but definitely a summer contender. Ticks are very small, blood-sucking parasites that enjoy warm, moist conditions. They climb on high grass to hook onto their hosts, such as sheep and deer.

You can better avoid ticks by covering your skin when you go on hikes, wearing light-coloured clothing so they’re easier to see and brush off, and sticking to clear paths where possible. Before coming indoors, check yourself and pets for ticks.

Ticks sometimes carry Borrelia bacteria, which cause Lyme disease. Your chance of getting ill from a tick bite is low, but it’s important to remove them properly to reduce the risk of Lyme disease and be aware of the signs. Symptoms of Lyme disease include a circular rash (like a bullseye target) around the bite, and may include flu-like symptoms such as fever and fatigue (extreme tiredness). If you develop these after having a tick bite, it’s important to see your GP as soon as possible to be treated with medicine.

How to remove a tick if you spot one biting you:

With a tick-removal tool or fine-tipped tweezers, gently grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible
Take care not to squeeze or crush the tick so it doesn’t eject any bacteria it’s carrying into the bloodstream
Without jerking or twisting, pull it directly upwards away from the skin
Dispose of the tick and clean the area with antiseptic or soap and water
Monitor your wellbeing and seek medical help if you feel unwell within 3-30 days of the bite.

This article was published in June 2024.