Drain Flies in Concord Dorms

Drain flies are also called moth flies or sewer gnats.
Any housing problems should be taken to Bill Fraley or someone in the housing department.
Photo By Sanjay Acharya

Infestations of pests are one of the biggest headaches any homeowner goes through, and this headache is doubled when taking public housing such as the dorms of Concord University into account. Unfortunately, around the week preceding Thanksgiving break, an infestation of drain flies was discovered in the Wilson residence hall bathrooms. 

    What are drain flies? Also known as moth flies or sewer gnats, Psychdidae are small flies with short, hairy bodies that can live in sewage systems. Although these flies are harmless, they are a persistent annoyance and can even be a health hazard. The larvae of these flies can live in drainage systems where they feed on bacteria, which is how drain flies become a problem. Initially, the larvae can be beneficial to drain systems by clearing away excess sludge and hair by eating it, but eventually the adult flies will continue to reproduce in the same places. The adult fly lives for about 20 days after pupating, and will often mate within hours after emerging from the pupal stage. Females can lay anywhere from 30-100 eggs at a time just above the water line in most drains, making these flies a fast-growing nuisance.

    Bill Fraley, Director of Housing at Concord University, states that he doesn’t know what caused the initial outbreak of flies, but it was contained to only one bathroom. After the initial outbreak, Fraley spoke with custodians and plumbers about getting the issue fixed, making sure that custodians were aware of proper procedure. Fraley stated in an interview on November 18, 2016 that he’s unsure of the flies being a problem in the future, but insists that proper technique is being followed by custodians and that plumbers are handling the situation.

    As with any situation of this nature, students are urged by Fraley and other housing staff to immediately report anything they see to RAs or RDs in order to properly ensure that the situations are dealt with swiftly and entirely. For more information on drain flies and how they can be problematic, go to the relevant page for Moth Flies on pestproducts.com. If students are unsure of proper protocol in the event of an infestation, contact Bill Fraley or any Resident Assistant or Resident Director.