It is not a pleasant thought, but there are a variety of bugs that live in our drains. The damp and dark conditions of a drainage system are ideal for many bugs that thrive in the stagnant, shallow water and feed on organic matter such as food waste and hair. They also lay their eggs among the gunky stuff that collects in the pipes. Let’s look at the four of the most common types of drain bugs:

1. Fruit flies

Fruit flies are very small flies that are fairly common and can be seen buzzing around a fruit bowl and other food that has been left out in the kitchen. They love rotting fruit and veg, rubbish, and damp organic matter, and make their way into drains to breed. While you can buy insecticides to deal with them, you can also use natural remedies such as apple cider vinegar.

2. Cockroaches

These pesky creatures are tough. They can survive almost anywhere but they love a drain because it gives them constant access to food and water. If you find a cockroach, there are likely to be many more; therefore, it is a good idea to call in a pest control expert.

One way of finding out what is going on in your drains is to have a CCTV drain survey, whereby a camera is passed down into the drainage system to see inside. If you need a CCTV drain survey Wolverhampton or the surrounding area, companies such as wilkinson-env.co.uk/drainage-services-cctv-surveys-midlands/cctv-drain-surveys/wolverhampton can help.

3. Phorid flies

Also called a humpback fly, a phorid fly is also attracted to the organic material found in drains, particularly fungi and rotting vegetables. They can cause major damage to a property’s plumbing system.

4. Drain flies

With hairy wings and bodies, these insects are also known as moth flies and breed in sewers and drains. It is best to try to identify their breeding site so that you can get rid of it and prevent the drain flies from spreading further.