Holiday Hosting Without the Flies: Preparing Your Mauldin Home for Thanksgiving

The holiday season is fast approaching, and Mauldin homeowners will be hosting family and friends more frequently as the season pushes on. Colder temperatures do not necessarily mean pests have stopped their exploring. While flies are typically seen as a warm-weather pest, they can remain active during mild weather. Mosquito Squad Plus of Greenville can help you determine what may be attracting them and put together the best Mauldin, SC fly control for your home and life.

Which Flies Might Visit Your Thanksgiving Gathering?

Houseflies are the classic grey-black fly most people think of when worried about flies getting into their food. This species of fly is attracted to food, pet waste, and garbage, essentially any organic material that has begun the process of breaking down. Housewives can pick up and transmit microorganisms across surfaces, so it's important to limit their presence in the house.

A very small and frustrating fly species is the fruit fly. The fruit fly is most likely found around rotting fruit, decaying food in the trash can, or empty containers with food residue left in them. When prepping for Thanksgiving, keep food covered and in the fridge whenever possible to limit organic breakdown.

Drain flies develop inside damp drains that have accumulated a biofilm. They can sometimes be confused for fruit flies because of the small size, but they are different, and addressing organic material inside drains can help limit their presence.

Cluster flies are fairly unique in their behavior. They seek sheltered places such as wall voids and attics as temperatures fall, then may appear near sunny windows. Unlike houseflies, they aren't breeding in your Thanksgiving leftovers. Check weatherstripping, screens, and gaps around upper-story windows before guests arrive. Attention to these entry points can also help discourage other household pests that favor sheltered spaces.

Keep Fly Attractants Under Control on Thanksgiving Day

Simple adjustments to behavior when cooking and prepping for Thanksgiving can help limit fly activity.

• Cover dishes between courses and wipe up drips promptly
• Don't let the trash overflow; empty into outdoor garbage cans regularly
• If the weather is nice enough to prompt eating outdoors, make sure the doors are closed quickly when carrying dishes in and out.
• Position trash cans away from eating areas
• Having a ceiling or standing fan turned on may help discourage flying insects.
• Since flies and gnats can thrive around moisture and organic material, scrub sink drains and store food appropriately.

These simple steps complement broader pest control services without interfering with your holiday plans.

How Mosquito Squad Plus Can Help With Fly Control

Some of the most efficient ways to limit flies in and around the house are just basic upkeep tasks. However, if you are dealing with persistent fly activity, it may be worth talking to one of our team members about the different pest control options. In particular, our Squad Fly Control service is designed to target flies, gnats, and no-see-ums around the outside of a property.

Call (864) 362-2013 for a free quote over the phone, or contact Mosquito Squad Plus of Greenville to discuss its fly control options for your property.