The insects can spread bacteria to humans when they come into contact with our food.
Rentokil has warned homeowners to be vigilant in safeguarding their homes against fly infestations, following a 19% increase in callouts for the insects over the last three months, compared to 12 months ago.
The company said that it expects callouts to rise in the coming months as weather conditions get warmer.
While flies are traditionally more numerous in warm weather, cluster flies in particular can become an issue for home or business owners as these pests move inside during the cold-weather months to seek shelter.
The main threat which these insects pose is when they spread bacteria such as E. coli, salmonella, and campylobacter, which can lead to a range of illnesses in humans, one of the most common being diarrhoea.
The insects can spread these bacteria to humans when they come into contact with our food.
According to Rentokil, the top five counties which have accounted for fly infestations during the period of November 2020 – January 2021 are: Dublin (29%), Kerry (25%), Galway (10%), Cork (6%) and Cavan (3%).
“Flies can pose the threat of contaminating food or spreading so it is important to ensure that all food in your premises is covered and stored correctly and not left out in the open," Richard Faulkner, Advanced Technical Field Consultant for Rentokil said.
"Additionally, these insects can pose an annoyance when found in swarms as their collective excrement can cause a stench and stain fabrics and walls.
"Additionally, their presence can pose the threat of violating food or hygiene regulations for businesses. In terms of guarding against these pests, the most effective methods to employ are fitting fly screens to doors and windows, and utilising an LED fly killer unit, such as the Lumnia LED fly killer.”
