Midges are small flying and biting insects. They belong to the same order as mosquitoes and gnats. But they’re much smaller. Yet, some midge species are known to be far worse than mosquitoes!

However, many species are harmless, feeding on plants and decaying matter. Others, like biting midges, feed on exposed skin and can leave painful, itchy welts.

They’re commonly found around water sources such as wetlands, rivers, and coastal areas.

According to the Government of Western Australia, biting midges are most active at dawn and dusk, particularly in humid weather and calm conditions. While they don’t spread diseases in Australia, their bites can cause discomfort, allergic reactions, and disturbed sleep.

You don’t have to live with them. Here’s how you can reduce or stop an infestation.

• Start by removing standing water: Empty pet bowls daily and tip out water sources like plant saucers.
• Use fly screens: Properly fitted screens help keep out midges, mosquitoes, and other flying insects.
• Clean on a regular basis: Wipe kitchen benches, take out bins quickly, and avoid leaving fruit exposed.
• Try natural options: Bowls of apple cider vinegar mixed with dish soap can act as simple traps for gnats and midges.
• Set up traps near windows or light sources: These can catch adult midges attracted to brightness.
• Use insecticides carefully: Sprays designed for flying insects can reduce adult populations, but should be applied with care.

And importantly, call a biting insect control professional. At Allstate Pest Control, our insect control service in Adelaide provides personalised solutions, safe treatments, and long-term preventative measures.

We know midges. With decades of local experience, we understand South Australia’s climate, pests, and problem spots better than anyone else.

Our services cover all biting insects, from mosquitoes to gnats and bees & wasps, ensuring your home or business is protected year-round. We also use eco-friendly options where possible; they are designed to protect humans, pets, and the environment.

Most importantly, we also help identify breeding grounds, reduce future risks, and give you back peace of mind.

Blow flies don’t wander inside for fun. They’re looking for food sources or breeding grounds. Here’s what triggers them:

• Seasonal factors: Warm weather speeds up fly breeding. In summer, blow flies complete a life cycle in as little as 7–10 days. That means one pair can multiply into hundreds within weeks.

• Food sources: Flies love decaying organic matter. Things like rotting meat, animal waste, or open garbage cans with no tight-fitting lids become instant targets.

• Infestation sources: A dead rodent in the roof void. A bird nest in your eaves. Even an unnoticed pet accident indoors. These hidden breeding areas are the most common found in homes.

• Other contributing factors: Open doors, broken flyscreens, or bins left unwashed. All create easy access for bottle flies and adult blow flies to swarm in.

2. Larvicides for Blow Fly Maggots

Most effective and widely used in livestock blowfly strike prevention.

• Cyromazine: Leading product for sheep blowfly strike prevention (e.g., Clik, Vetrazin).
• Diflubenzuron: Used for livestock blowfly protection in some formulations.
• Dicyclanil: Widely used in sheep for long-lasting blowfly strike protection.
• Methoprene: Permitted in some manure and waste treatments as a larvicide and growth regulator.

3. Baits and Traps for Adult Flies

Registered blowfly and housefly baits in Australia rely mainly on neonicotinoids or methomyl.

• Imidacloprid: Found in granular fly baits such as QuickBayt.
• Thiamethoxam: Used in some bait formulations.
• Methomyl-based baits: Effective but more restricted, available mostly to agricultural users.

DIY can help reduce numbers. But sometimes it’s not enough.

Persistent swarms mean there’s a hidden breeding source, like a dead rodent on the roof. Health concerns also come into play. Flies can transfer bacteria from decaying organic matter to food, increasing risk of diarrhoeal disease. That’s when expert fly control is the safest option.

Types of Flies

There are many species of flies present in Australia, with varying feeding habits, life cycles and seasonal activity. By determining which species of fly is responsible for an outbreak, this can assist with developing an effective, targeted treatment plan. These are the more common species you’re most likely to encounter:

House fly

• Lays 120-130 eggs a time, can take up to 42 days to mature into an adult fly
• Attracted to food smells
• Deposits eggs onto decaying material such as garbage, animal waste, sewage, organic plant matter such as compost
• Rests on walls, floors, ceilings, the ground, plants, fences, compost heaps and rubbish bins

Bush fly

• Drawn to large animals, particularly proteins in bodily fluids such as saliva, sweat and tears and animal waste
• Known to transmit eye infections to humans and livestock

Fruit fly

• Attracted to fermenting sugary liquids in waste bins, fruit and vegetables, drains, spills and cracks in floors/other surfaces
• Commonly found in hospitality settings such as bars, pubs, breweries, vineyards, kitchens, restaurants, fruit and vegetable plants

Drain Fly

• Favours rotting food and other organic waste material that builds up in drains, septic tanks and compost
• Largely resistant a lot of pest control chemicals and cleaning agents

Blowfly

• Attracted to and deposits eggs in rotting meat, particularly dead animals such as rodents and birds, as well as food waste from hospitality venues, and occasionally cheese

Cluster fly

• Usually found in quieter, less frequented areas such as attics and wall voids
• Seeks warm places to hibernate in winter

Fermentation fly

• Attracted to fermenting bacteria and yeast in rotten fruits and vegetables, as well as alcohol
• Found in breweries and pubs

Flesh fly

• Attracted to decaying food, garbage and animal waste

Professional fly prevention

In business settings, we recommend you don’t take any chances with flies because an outbreak can happen quickly. Allstate’s highly trained technicians are familiar with food standard HACCP, so we can provide professional fly control solutions for your business to ensure that you stay compliant with health and safety regulations. Our fly removal service involves 4 steps:

Inspection

Our fly prevention team will come over to perform a visual assessment of the outbreak to determine the best treatment plan.

Identifying and removing fly attractants 

We’ll help you to remove potential food sources and breeding sites for flies to see if this fixes the problem. If needed, we’ll also make recommendations for waste management and maintaining good hygiene practices. 

Applying fly treatment

For severe outbreaks, our treatments can be applied out of business hours to minimise disruption. We only use AVMPA approved chemicals, which are safe for the environment, children and pets.

Treatment may include using a combination of sprays, aerosols, fogs, dusting powders and baits.

For reliable, long-term fly control at commercial and industrial facilities with food handling, we highly recommend installing a fly killer unit.

Follow-up treatment

Flies are a constant threat to many food handling businesses and require ongoing monitoring and additional treatment if necessary. 

Reporting back to you

We’ll send you a document with important information about your fly outbreak and treatment that you can keep as part of your workplace health and safety management plan. This report is easily accessible for you and your employees for future reference.