Flies hate cold temperatures, so air conditioning at low temperatures will kill them. This explains why they always disappear during the cold seasons. Even in hot seasons, it’s not easy to see flies active early in the morning before the sun is up.
To kill and repel house flies in a room, close the windows and doors and run the air conditioner at 55°F for 1 hour. This is enough to make them dormant, and they will try to leave the room immediately. If they remain at that temperature for an hour, they will die.
House flies need a minimum temperature of 85°F to breed and reproduce effectively. They will become inactive when the temperatures are set at 50°F (10°C) and will die at any temperature that is below 40°F (4.44°C). The temperature has to be warm and relatively humid for house flies to thrive.
Are flies attracted to air conditioning
Flies hate air conditioning because it regulates the natural temperature and humidity levels that they need to survive. Flies need a warm and humid environment to thrive, and an AC works to eliminate those two factors.
An air conditioner will blow and displace the smell that attracts flies to a particular area. Flies use their antennae to trace odors from anything that they like. Flies hate air conditioning because it interrupts their ability to smell.
An air conditioner will interfere with flies’ sensory nerves, and they will not be able to identify where the odor is coming from accurately. This will help in keeping them away because they will not be in a position to find their food.
Can air conditioning get rid of fruit flies?
Air conditioning is one of the easiest ways to repel fruit flies in the kitchen. After cleaning, you may still see some of those tiny flies around. After getting rid of anything that can attract them, do the following:
To get rid of fruit flies, turn the AC cold to 60°F and let it run for 1 hour. The cold temperature will stop their system from functioning, and they will drop to the ground and remain inactive. If the air conditioner temperatures remain cold at 55-60°F for 1-2hours, all the fruit flies in a room will fly away or die.
The minimum temperature that fruit flies can thrive in is 68°F (20°C), which is why they will go away or die when the temperatures fall below that.
You need to know that this will only work for fruit flies in the kitchen if you have taken all the measures to eliminate them. There is no way you will have dirty plates in the sink or ripe fruits on the kitchen counters, and expect an air conditioner to get rid of fruit flies.
How to get rid of flies using an air conditioner
Before you set the AC on, you need to make sure that the house is generally clean. Generally, flies are attracted to bad odors and anything that is rotting in the kitchen. The drains and sink need to be cleaned, and anything that is rotting should be removed.
After that, you need to set the air conditioner to kill any flies at home. Common house flies can not stand cold temperatures, and running your AC at 55-60°F will get rid of them fast. They will struggle to leave the house, and if they stay there, they will finally drop dead.
It is important to identify where those flies hide in the house because once the temperatures are lowered, they will either leave or hide in the room. Check under the seats, sink, and behind the refrigerator to find them. Think of any warm dark place like open cupboards and flash them out of it.
If the humidity is high, run your humidifier at 35%-40% and let it run for about an hour. This is because flies need a minimum of 65% humidity to survive and breed. Lowering humidity levels will repel flies because they cannot function and reproduce properly.
Are flies attracted to air conditioning?
When it is cold outdoors, an air conditioner can attract flies into the house if it is between 85-88°F. They will find the house much warmer and better and would rather stay warm indoors. This is the only time flies will be attracted to air conditioning because they cannot stay outside in the cold.
Any temperature above 95°F will be too hot for flies, and they will start to become dormant. If there are open windows or doors, they will leave the room very fast. Flies do not like it when it is too hot or too cold; they get very uncomfortable with high temperatures.
If the temperatures are above 120°F, any fly will drop dead, and they cannot survive in it completely. It has been observed that flies tend to hide under shades on a sunny day. They will not stay under the sun for long if they fly out.
They will simply get their meal and return to a shade to rest. After they cool, they can fly out again in a hot environment, but they cannot do that for more than 10 minutes if the temperatures are above 95°F.
Indoors, flies love the kitchen because it is always warm. Constant cooking and warming food will keep the kitchen temperatures relatively high compared to the rest of the house.
Both house flies’ and fruit flies’ life span is directly affected by temperatures. Cold temperatures will delay the rate at which they multiply. The same applies to roaches; this is why roach air conditioning works, especially after cleaning.
Extra hot temperatures will kill them, and based on research at Scientific American, flies need to beat the heat to survive.
Above all, keeping your house clean is one of the best ways to get rid of them. On the same note, you can also use air conditioning for mosquito control at home.