Flies!

charlie792

I don't really know where to post this on the forums but wondering if anyone has any ideas or solutions.

The last few days there has been an excessive amount of flies in my house - the windows and doors have been shut so firstly its a mystery how they have even got in.
When I say excessive in the last 2 days OH has caught 14.... On this point the flies seem very confused, not flying around very much and will just land on something and stay there - hence him being able to catch them all.

The are all in the same room (the study) and we don't see how they could possibly be getting in. The study is in the middle of the house (think of my house as a long corridor) so its a long way from any main door and although it has a window in there its firmly shut and we can't see any way they could be getting in and no holes seem to be in the external brickwork.

Apart from just getting some fly spray and spraying the entire room does anyone have any suggestions - I really don't want a mass infestation! (It happened in an old student house I was once unfortunate to live in - flies took over the entire lower level)

paddypaws101

Is there a fire place in there? I had a similar issue last year with masses of flies coming out of a bedroom fireplace, presumed a nest had hatched. Ugh. Luckily they too were slow moving rather than buzzing bluebottles. I got the chimney swept eventually, but in meantime sprayed and killed and sprayed and killed.:eek:

rising_from_the_ashes

Hi, I live in the country so we get loads at certain times of the year - yuk!

Try some of these http://www.pestcontrolcentre.co.uk/other-fly-control/167-sticky-fly-paper.html

You should be able to get some from a local hardware store etc

tankgirl1

Could they be flying ants? Would explain why they are confined to one room, and the mystery about how they got there....

olias

Do you have a cat? Could there be a dead mouse, or even poo(!) under or behind furniture?

Olias

Mupette

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330485429804

got a couple of these, zapped 2 today, but it stinks when you get em.

devildog

Could they be cluster flies?
They, unfortunately 'choose' a property and generally stay there!
You can get 'fume' type devices that will kill them off or there is another product that you can place near window sills(if memory recall is correct)it is a tray with something like very fine egg shell in that 'swallows' the flies.
You will be amazed at the smallest crack they can get through(if they seem a bit 'confused' it will be because they are sleepy(cold)) best time to set off a 'fume' type device is either when it is wet or there is a frost.

Google cluster flies and see if yours look like them

Baby_Sue

I’m blighted by bugs in my house, right now it’s moth time. I went to my window 7 times last night and shook a jar out of it, the neighbours opposite must wonder what’s going on, lol. I get plagued by lake flies for a couple of weeks a year when they’re out (real annoying things that look a bit like daddylonglegs). Then greenfly. I have my windows shut near enough all the time but nothing stops the sods from getting in. Seem to have an outbreak of baby spiders in the living room at the mo, keep taking them out too, I just live with it, and I sure wouldn’t want to kill any of them.

charlie792

Thanks for the replies everyone

paddypaws101 wrote: »

Is there a fire place in there? I had a similar issue last year with masses of flies coming out of a bedroom fireplace, presumed a nest had hatched. Ugh. Luckily they too were slow moving rather than buzzing bluebottles. I got the chimney swept eventually, but in meantime sprayed and killed and sprayed and killed.:eek:

There is a chimney breast wall but no fireplace - not even one that has been borded up iykwim. However I just looked under OH's desk and noticed that there is actually a small vent which I cant see why would be there, as the house is terraced and ajoined on that part to next door....
The vent appears to be closed but I assume could be a possibility?

olias wrote: »

Do you have a cat? Could there be a dead mouse, or even poo(!) under or behind furniture?

Olias

No pets at all, not since our Hamster died last year (and we most definetly buried her at my parents house before anyone suggest otherwise )

devildog wrote: »

Could they be cluster flies?
They, unfortunately 'choose' a property and generally stay there!
You can get 'fume' type devices that will kill them off or there is another product that you can place near window sills(if memory recall is correct)it is a tray with something like very fine egg shell in that 'swallows' the flies.
You will be amazed at the smallest crack they can get through(if they seem a bit 'confused' it will be because they are sleepy(cold)) best time to set off a 'fume' type device is either when it is wet or there is a frost.

Google cluster flies and see if yours look like them

Not sure, I didn't really study them - could be....To me they just looked like the kind of normal house flies you see around (the middle size ones, smaller than a bluebottle etc)

hermum

My parents have had a problem with flies, that have got into the loft & then down into the house.

Fire_Fox

charlie792 wrote: »

Thanks for the replies everyone

There is a chimney breast wall but no fireplace - not even one that has been borded up iykwim. However I just looked under OH's desk and noticed that there is actually a small vent which I cant see why would be there, as the house is terraced and ajoined on that part to next door....
The vent appears to be closed but I assume could be a possibility?

The vent is there to stop that wall becoming damp, don't block it even if it's not an outside wall. The vent should be open at all times, which is probably not what you want to hear! There may be no fireplace but there is probably a void behind which joins onto next doors chimney breast. Chimney breasts are expensive to remove as the lower floor part supports the upper floor part, so they are often left in situ. If there is a void, a dead pigeon could have fallen down the chimney and that feeds flies. Flies can also come from dead rat under the floorboards, they only need a tiny gap around the edge of the carpet. Lastly a mouse may have found his way into your kitchen and eventually to the office where it died. Mice are VERY small and squishy, they can get in through the tiniest of gaps and kitchens are a hive of pipes and vents running in and out of the house and from cupboard to cupboard.

Is the property rented or do you own it? If it's rented e-mail the landlord or his agent to resolve the infestation as it is a health hazard. If he refuses, Environmental Health can force him to. Before that I'd fingertip search every nook and cranny just in case the flies are coming from a sarnie/ poop/ dead mouse that has somehow got behind furniture. If it's your house get some dust sheets, a screwdriver, rubber gloves, trowel, bucket ... Take off the vent and remove whatever cr*p is behind there - piles of soot, builder's rubble, bird's nest, the deceased. If you don't you will probably have to knock a thousand off for a damp proof course that is not required when you sell, I know from experience tho I was the buyer! Also if the house is yours AND there are dead things in the chimney you need to get the roof checked as the stack should be capped.

I suspect there will be a ton of queries of this nature if you search the "In my Home, includes DIY" board.