Having yellow flies around your dwelling can be an unpleasant experience. This is because these flies bite (the females). No one wants to contend with such a problem.
Rather, finding the right solutions is the logical thing to do. So, how can one get rid of yellow flies?
This article will be shedding light on ways by which you can take back control of your surroundings. These flies can be easily expelled only when the right extermination measure(s) is/are adopted.
Yellow Fly Physical Characteristics
One of the ways to successfully get rid of a yellow fly problem is being able to identify them.
In other words, some level of identification is required to better tackle the problem. Yellow flies possess key features by way of color, size, as well as other differences which can easily be distinguished from those of similar insects.
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Color
As the name suggests, yellow flies mostly have a yellow body. This color is only restricted to their body and also 2 rear pairs of legs.
In most cases, their front legs are black. For yellow fly larvae, they are identified by their whitish colored body with yellow-brown short hairs.
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Size
The size of these pests is roughly about 3/8 inches long. Yellow fly larvae will typically grow to about a half-inch long.
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Additional Characteristics
Other characteristics of yellow flies include narrow or slender larvae which are either aquatic or semi-aquatic.
Also, fully grown yellow flies are similar in many respects to deer flies. What more? Wings are clear with yellow and black veins. Patches of brown can also be found towards wings middle and rear.
Female yellow flies are the culprits when it comes to their painful bites. This feeding activity is only restricted to the females as the males are known to feed on nectar and pollen from plants.
Why Get Rid of Yellow Flies?
Unlike normal flies whose presence may be considered tolerable, yellow flies are quite pesky and are known for their painful bites. Such bites are meant to draw blood. Plus, some people may be allergic to bites from yellow flies.
In any case, you are better off with a yellow fly-free environment as you can go about your outdoor activity without fear of bites from these pests.
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What Happens when they Bite?
The painful bites inflicted by female yellow flies results in swollen and itchy welt in most cases. Sometimes, an infection may result when bites aren’t treated or kept clean. So, what can you use on your skin whenever you notice such bites?
Consider applying some medical skin ointment to the affected area.
When yellow flies bite, anticoagulants contained in their saliva are injected to help with blood-feeding. This may result in allergies in some people.
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Symptoms of Yellow Fly Bites
If you aren’t sure whether you’re dealing with a yellow fly bite or not, symptoms such as red areas around the bite region, itchiness, and swelling should be enough to point to a possible yellow fly bite.
The best way to prevent further bites includes wearing protective clothing which will be expanded on shortly and also taking necessary steps to get rid of them.
Yellow Fly Habitat
Understanding the habitat of yellow flies is crucial to finding solutions to the menace caused by their presence. If you have a nearby body of water, yellow flies may find such conditions welcoming.
What more? Shaded areas serve as ideal nesting spots where they wait for their victims (you) to feed. Other likely yellow fly habitat includes wood plants, root mats of cypress, shingle oak, and underneath the water surface.
Best Ways To Get Rid of Yellow Flies And Keep Them Away
Yellow flies can be gotten rid of without much difficulty if you know what to do. You don’t need to worry if you have no idea how to go about this. The information contained here should suffice.
Several strategies are needed to help with the adoption of a comprehensive yellow fly control measure.
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Calling a Pest Control Service
Pest control services are always a call away to provide far-reaching solutions to a myriad of pest issues. This includes yellow fly infestations. Now, you’ll need to choose what company or service to call for this task. There are always lots of options to choose from.
However, before settling for a pest control service, it’s important to first find out if it is reliable. In other words, you need to have an idea of what the pest control service is capable of. Lots of pest services make huge claims about their capabilities to fight all sorts of pest issues.
However, the reality is sometimes different from the promises made. The only way to find out if a pest control company is up to the task is by finding out from its previous clients. This is possible through reviews about the service. Some online research should greatly help in narrowing down your list of reliable pest control services.
You can then choose your most preferred pest control service from the list and place a call. Typically, an inspection is scheduled to help determine the degree of yellow fly infestation before treatment commences.
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Adopting DIY Strategies
The adoption of DIY strategies for yellow fly control is another effective method you should consider. This involves three main strategies which include protective covering, the use of repellents as well as the use of traps. Let’s explain each of these briefly.
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Protective Covering
Yellow flies are known to bite whenever they come in contact with exposing parts of the body. With such knowledge, the best way to prevent this is by putting on a protective covering. This simply means putting on clothing that includes head-nets, long pants, and long-sleeved shirts.
These will limit the extent to which your skin is exposed. Such covering makes it more difficult for yellow flies to bite.
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Use of Repellents
Yellow fly repellents come in many forms. Generally, these are called insecticides and are meant to be applied wherever yellow flies are present. This is also referred to as the chemical method as most of these insecticides are chemicals.
Examples include permethrin, malathion, and carbaryl also known as Sevin. These chemical products or insecticides are readily available in hardware stores. They are and continue to be very effective in getting rid of yellow flies.
The application of chemical treatments or insecticides around yellow fly-infested areas is not a guarantee that the new pests won’t replace dead ones. In other words, insecticides only provide temporary relief as yellow flies are likely to return when the area is safe.
To tackle the influx of yellow flies from breeding sources, it will be necessary to periodically apply this treatment. The best strategy should be the inclusion of other yellow fly control methods such as traps etc. That way, your surroundings should be free of yellow flies.
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Traps
Yellow fly traps are highly effective methods of getting rid of these pests.
The most popular among these traps consist of sticky balls. These are hung around the most infested areas. When the wind blows, the balls make movements that attract yellow flies.
By landing on such balls, they get stuck and die. The most effective way to use these yellow fly traps is by providing or hanging as many balls as necessary around your surroundings (especially yellow fly-infested areas).
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Vegetation Management
What exactly is vegetation management and how does it help get rid of yellow flies?
Simply put, yellow flies love the shade provided by shrubs and small trees. Humans love shades, so how can the situation be managed? Does it mean you’ll have to clear your surroundings of all vegetation just to get rid of yellow flies?
Not! You also need trees due to the many benefits provided.
However, this situation can be managed by targeting unnecessary shrubs and small trees scattered around your property. The more open your surroundings are, the greater the sunlight penetration you get and yellow flies hate it.
Increased sunshine on your property due to less vegetation makes your environment less favorable to these pests.
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Keeping Away from Certain Conditions
Yellow flies are most active during certain times of year (typically between May and June). Such periods are known as the yellow fly season.
During such seasons, it will do well to avoid or limit the number of outdoor activities you do. All this can be done while simultaneously treating an existing infestation.
If you must perform outdoor activities, then you do this at certain times of the day. This is because yellow flies are known to be most active during the early mornings and late evenings.
Understanding this helps you identify and utilize the window of opportunity to conduct whatever outdoor business you want to do.
Also, staying in open sunny areas will help keep yellow flies at bay. Try avoiding shaded spots such as forest canopy etc.
The information provided here is aimed at helping you fight back a yellow fly infestation. We have provided multiple control strategies that help beat back the invasion of these pests.
During yellow fly seasons, it’s best to adopt preventive measures. This helps limit the likelihood of dealing with a future infestation.