eliminating ants, flies and other household pests

Now that the weather has started to warm up, you're probably seeing more fly activity around the house. Unfortunately, wherever you see flies, maggots won't be very far behind; this is particularly true if you're not able to keep the flies under control. Once flies get the opportunity to lay eggs, you can end up with maggots all over your yard. Here are four simple steps you can take to keep the flies away and reduce the maggot population this summer:

Pick Fruit Before It Gets too Ripe

If you have fruit trees in your yard, flies are going to be attracted to the fruit as it ripens. Unfortunately, once the ripened fruit falls to the ground, you'll be at an increased risk of maggot activity; this is because flies will lay eggs in the rotting fruit. To avoid that, you should pick your fruit before it has a chance to fall to the ground. If you do have fruit on the ground, you should throw it away before it has a chance to rot.

Go Heavy on the Natural Scents

Flies are attracted to the smell of rotting food and other unpleasant odors. You can help keep the flies away by going heavy on the clean scents. One simple step you can take to reduce fly activity is to use scented trash can liners, especially lavender-scented bags. Flies are repelled by the scent of lavender, which means they'll stay away from your trash. You can also reduce the fly population around your home by growing fresh herbs such as rosemary, basil, and mint.

Keep the Trash Under Control

In addition to using scented trash bags, you should also take other steps to keep your trash under control. You'll usually notice the most fly activity in or around your trash cans -- this is also where you'll see the most maggot activity. You can reduce both by keeping the area around your trash cans clean, ensuring that the lids are securely in place on your trash cans, and washing your trash cans at least once a week.

Start Pest Control Services Early

Flies and maggots aren't the only pests that can wreak havoc on your home during the summer. To make sure that your home isn't overrun with pests, you should start your pest control services early in the season. In fact, it's a good idea to schedule your first pest control treatment of the season as soon as the temperatures start to warm up.