to be stupidly proud of myself...

[FrostyJanet]

... for making a DIY aromatherapy oil burner out of a church candle, 2 paper clips and an empty Fosters can?

Have got dirty flies pissing about in my cooker hood and have been charging about like a mad woman chasing the buggers out the house all morning.

I've checked everywhere and can only assume they're coming from the loft but can't check that until tonight and they're driving me insane!

Then read on here that lavender can work to deter them, but had no burner - so bodged my own

The lavender stench is making my eyes water, and my 'burner' looks a lot like something you'd find in a drugs den, but it bloody WORKS!!! And there is finally SILENCE!!!

FrostyJan 1 - Flies - 0

[dodobookends]

There is such a thing as 'Attic Flies' believe it or not.

[FrostyJanet]

dodo are they like blue/green bottles?

Ours is a new build house so there aren't very many nooks/crannies for things to get in and die - but I guess things can always fly in the loft... shudders

[GallopingFoxley]

They sound like cluster flies to me

[FrostyJanet]

Hmmm - I dunno galloping, I just googled cluster flies and the ones I have are shiny blue and green - makes my skin crawl!

[wednesdaysocks]

Sound like blow fly (bluebottle)- any chance you've dropped some food around the cooker and not realised? They thrive in rotting meat.

[FrostyJanet]

That's what's worrying me Wednesday - no food round oven as is built in to an island. But worried maybe there is rotting flesh in the form of a dead bird or mouse or something... lurking...

[ElementaryMyDearWatson]

Nice one. Did you use fresh lavender or did you have the lavender oil already?

[FrostyJanet]

Elementary - I had a little bottle of lavender oil in the bathroom