Drain Fly (Moth Fly)
Clogmia albipunctata
Fuzzy grey flies sitting on the tiles just above a drain. Harmless in themselves, but they mean the trap below them is fouled.
Where it lives in Maltese properties
Gelatinous organic film inside drains, shower traps, floor gullies, sewage pumping chambers, air conditioning condensate trays and septic tanks.
Signs of an infestation
You will usually notice the evidence long before you see the pest itself. Look for:
- Small furry moth-like flies resting on bathroom and kitchen walls
- Flies emerging when a rarely used shower or gully is run
- Numbers concentrated in a single room or around one drain
- Slow-draining or odorous waste pipes
Why it matters
The risks associated with drain fly in Malta:
- Can mechanically transfer bacteria from sewage film to surfaces
- Persistent nuisance in bathrooms, spas and commercial washrooms
- Indicates a drainage fault that may lead to a worse problem
How to prevent it
Prevention is always cheaper than treatment, and for this species it is genuinely effective:
- Run water through every drain and gully weekly, including guest bathrooms
- Clean hair and soap build-up from shower traps
- Service air conditioning condensate trays
- Repair cracked or blocked waste pipework
- Avoid pouring bleach as a “fix”. It does not touch the organic film
How we treat drain fly
We identify the exact drain with sticky traps placed over each outlet overnight, then apply a bio-enzyme foam that clears the biofilm the larvae live in, followed by a residual treatment around the outlet. Where a broken pipe or dry trap is the cause we report it so the underlying defect can be repaired.
Fly Control & Drain Treatment — from €95 per property
Breeding source investigation, bio-enzyme drain treatment and adult knockdown, the only way to stop flies returning.
- Breeding source survey of drains and voids
- Bio-enzyme drain and gully treatment
- Residual treatment of resting surfaces
- Monitoring traps
- Sanitation report
Often confused with, or found alongside
House Fly
Musca domesticaA fly can move from refuse to a dinner plate in seconds, and it feeds by regurgitating onto food before drinking the liquid.
Fruit Fly
Drosophila melanogasterThe tiny flies over a fruit bowl or a bar drip tray.
Asian Tiger Mosquito
Aedes albopictusEstablished across Malta since 2010 and now the dominant biting mosquito.
Common House Mosquito
Culex pipiensThe one that whines around the bedroom at night, bred in stagnant, organically rich water: blocked drains, cesspits, neglected wells.
Dealing with drain fly?
Book a treatment online at a fixed price, or request an inspection if you would rather have it confirmed first. Either way you will know the cost before anyone starts work.