Flies are attracted to moist organic material, which acts as both a source of food and a place to lay eggs. Make sure they don’t have access to food, garbage, or compost in your house. Dispose of your trash properly by keeping it bagged or in a closed can, and keep the area around your trash can clean.  Store human and pet food in the fridge or in tightly sealed containers. Wash dishes immediately after use. Clean up any spilled food as soon as you notice it. Dispose of food waste in a covered garbage can or a sink disposal. Keep garbage and compost in well-sealed containers, and take out the garbage frequently. Check for signs of pupae or maggots underneath garbage container lids and liners. Occasionally wash your garbage and compost containers with hot, soapy water. If you have cats, change the kitty litter frequently. Diaper bins can also be a major attraction for flies. Take out any garbage containing human or animal waste as quickly as possible. Clean under and around your fridge and other kitchen appliances, especially in areas where condensation gathers, with warm, soapy water. After cleaning up these areas, thoroughly rinse and wring out any mops, sponges, or cleaning rags that you used, and hang up mops and rags to dry. Flies can also breed in wet and dirty mops and rags. Built up organic material in drains can attract certain species of flies. Use a plunger or drain cleaning tool to clear organic material out of clogged or slow drains, then clean the drain with a stiff brush.  Chlorine bleach and commercial drain cleaners like Drano are not typically effective for eliminating fly infestations in drains. If scrubbing is not enough, try an antibacterial drain cleaner like Bio-Clean. Make sure you select a product that is compatible with your septic system. These products typically need to be re-applied several times over a period of a few weeks in order to be effective. Treat your drains with S-hydroprene (Gentrol), a gentle insecticide that prevents fly larvae from maturing. One of the easiest ways for flies to enter your home is through open windows and doors. If you’d like to have windows and doors open to let in a breeze, make sure you have screens in place to keep unwanted insects out. If you already have screens on your windows, inspect them regularly, and repair or replace them if they become damaged or are missing. The best way to rid your home of flies is to seal them out. Flies can come in through roof and attic vents and other small openings that connect the inside of your home to the outside. You may wish to cover these vents with screen so that air can still flow freely through them, but flies cannot enter. If you suspect flies are coming in through open cracks and crevices in your home, fill in these openings with spackle, caulk, or expanding foam.

Summary: Clean up food and food waste immediately. Keep your garbage disposal areas sealed and sanitary. Get rid of used diapers and animal waste. Clean under and around appliances. Clean your drains. Use screens on windows and doors. Screen open vents in your home. Fill in cracks, crevices, and spaces around pipes.


This will help clean the bite and can prevent additional infection. It's best not to use other creams or medications on the bite area until it is clean. Look for over-the-counter antihistamines like Benadryl or Chlor-Trimeton. Don't scratch the bite, as that can cause it to become infected. Topical creams, gels, and lotions—particularly those containing pramoxine or benadryl—may help control itching. Make a cool compress, a cloth dampened with cold water or filled with ice, and hold it over the swollen area. If possible, elevate the bite area to reduce blood flow. Crops of raised, itchy, red bumps may appear as a result of a hypersensitivity to insect bites.  This usually occurs after bites with fleas, mosquitoes, and bedbugs.  Treatment for urticaria include antihistamines and topical steroids. Do not scratch these pumps, as this can result in scarring or infection. . Some insect bites can cause an allergic reaction, which can be very dangerous. The first signs of a serious reaction are often hives, rash, a swollen throat or tongue, and trouble breathing. This is an urgent medical emergency, so call 911 or go to the emergency room right away. Use an EpiPen if you have one, as allergic shock can be fatal. In most cases, the effects like itching and swelling can go away quickly. If the symptoms persist, or get worse, you should look for a doctor, to make sure you are not suffering from a more serious reaction. If you think, or know, you have been stung by a scorpion, seek medical attention immediately. Insect bites may not be dangerous by themselves, but many insects can carry diseases. Ticks can carry Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and mosquitoes may carry West Nile Virus and encephalitis and can transmit these serious diseases to humans. Keep an eye out for other symptoms like fever, body aches, and nausea. These are usually signs of a more serious condition.

Summary: Clean the bite area with soap and water. Use anti-itch cream if the bite itches. Cut down swelling. Treat for papular urticaria.  Treat for shock Seek medical attention. Watch for symptoms of other diseases.


The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) can deny you entry if they have a reason to doubt your ability to support yourself or your dependents while you are in Canada. You can reduce these financial doubts by carrying specific documents with you when crossing the border:  Proof of finances (i.e. bank statements); Income tax records (past and present); Evidence of current employment (i.e. pay stubs, an employment ID, notarized letter from your employer); You may be asked to provide evidence that you have responsibilities that will guarantee your return to your home country. Examples of these responsibilities are having a permanent job, home, financial assets or family in your home country. Documents that will serve this purpose are:  Proof of current residence, including recent proof of rent payments, copies of your mortgage and utility bills; Proof of your planned departure from Canada (i.e. an airline or other travel ticket that states the time and date you plan to leave); Information about where you plan to go while in Canada, including but not limited to the address, telephone number, and which Canadian citizen you are visiting (if applicable). If you have even one criminal conviction in your past, regardless of how trivial or long ago, you can be turned away by the border officer. Civil traffic violations (such as speeding tickets) and other minor infractions (such as parking violations or littering fines) are exempted.  DUI and DWI offenses that may be considered misdemeanors in the Unites States are considered serious offenses in Canada and you can be denied entry for them. If you’ve been convicted of a felony in the past, you will be prevented entry into Canada unless you've received a pardon, been accepted for rehabilitation and deemed rehabilitated.  Individuals with a past criminal conviction are allowed to cross the border as long as conviction has been expunged, but make sure you have paperwork or a letter from an attorney on hand to prove it. This will be determined on-site simply by observing how you look when you cross the border. If you are observed to be in a condition that is likely to endanger public health and safety, or if it will cause you to over-utilize Canada’s health or social services, you will be considered inadmissible on health grounds.
Summary: Bring enough money for your stay. Bring evidence that you will leave Canada at the end of your visit. Exercise caution if you have been previously convicted of a crime. Be in good health.