Swarm of flies at back door?

gonthemicrobe

So outside our French doors at the back of the house I’ve noticed a swarm of tiny flies buzzing around the past 2 days when it’s been sunny. They don’t appear to be there at night but can’t be certain.

I assumed it was due to our food waste bin which is around 3 metres away. However, there doesn’t appear to be any flies around the bin itself, even when I open it.

Could it be something else? Apologies if this is better off in the gardening forum.

[Deleted User]

 I get these in my garden sometimes by the door, usually in patches of sunshine. Thousands of them swarming for no particular reason. 

gonthemicrobe

_shel said:

 I get these in my garden sometimes by the door, usually in patches of sunshine. Thousands of them swarming for no particular reason. 

Yeah that seems exactly it, following patches of sunshine too. I’ve had a look at a couple and they are long and thin so I think it may be midges.

[Deleted User]

 Not a clue why the congregate, I've several cats so that might play a part but they were around before we got the cats. Not like they are near the grass either where the cats might pee, its quite high up. 

Apodemus

Most likely chironomids - "dancing midges" (don't worry they are not the biting kind).  I would try moving things around out there, as they tend to swarm like that with one eye on a marker - move the marker and you might move the swarm.  The marker could be a reflection of sunlight off the glass, though, so might not be moveable (although as the season progresses the reflection might move on its own). 

[Deleted User]

Apodemus said:

Most likely chironomids - "dancing midges" (don't worry they are not the biting kind).  I would try moving things around out there, as they tend to swarm like that with one eye on a marker - move the marker and you might move the swarm.  The marker could be a reflection of sunlight off the glass, though, so might not be moveable (although as the season progresses the reflection might move on its own). 

 That makes sense, i have decorations and crafty things hanging all over my fences. One is a CD crafted thing i made with my son, sun glares off it. Will hide it away 

twopenny

Grow some lavender nearby or around the window. I know this sounds kookie but insects don't like lavender. As soon as the bush below my kitchen window was cut down I got flies there. You could try wiping lavender oil around the frame.

But it is the time for flies that have been snoozing in cavities to come out with the warmth.

You could also try wiping Windolene on the windows and not wiping it off to see if it is reflections. The worst that can happen is that you have clean windows