To ask about tiny flies appearing in my flat

[Rainyrainy445]

Not the most exciting thread! So in the last couple of weeks I’ve had a lot of tiny flies appearing.
Modern flat if that makes any difference ie no old brick work etc. I have an indoor cat and wondered re fleas but her behaviour hasn’t changed and didn’t think indoor cats were prone to fleas.
I’ve ordered some flea treatment just in case.
I don’t normally kill any living thing but I’ve been killing about 10 of the tiny flies a day in case they are fleas. I’ve not been hoovering etc any less than usual. Windows have been closed as it’s cold
Could it be fleas, or any ideas why the flies are suddenly appearing? Thanks...

I think @TreadSoftlyOnMyDreams means you might be one neighbour down.
Pretty sure that would mean bluebottles rather than fruit flies.

@TreadSoftlyOnMyDreams

Seen your neighbours recently? ....

😂

Have you got a real Christmas tree? We have aphids coming out of ours.

The best cure I've ever used for fruit flies is a apple cider vinegar in a jar with some washing up liquid on top. They dive right in. They were driving me demented.

I spotted a few of these, and it turned out a tiny satsuma had rolled free of the fruit basket and was going bad behind the microwave. By the time I had found it, I had mopped all the floors and cleaned every other surface in the whole downstairs of the house, treated the drains, washed all the soft furnishings. I felt very silly

It'll be the bananas, especially if you have the heating on. They love them.

If small I would think fruit flies first. I would check rotting fruit and drains and house plants.

Fleas don't fly.

They will be drain flies or possibly gnats from houseplants. Have you got a new plant lately? The houseplant ones flourish in winter. I got a new plant which had the gnats (thanks Homebase) and before I knew what was what every plant I
Owned was infected.

If not plants google drain flies.

Put a bit of banana in a jar and leave it out. Wait for the flies to flock to it and then put the lid on and bring them outside. I found that to be the most reliable way to get rid of them. You might have to do it several times before they are all gone though

Fleas don't fly but they can look like they are cos they jump so fast. I know by bitter experience.....

Fruit flies.

Apple cider vinegar in a shallow bowl, with washing up liquid.

You can also put some cling film around and poke holes in.

They fly in due to the smell of the ACV, and drown in the washing up liquid.

They can get into the holes in the cling film, but for some reason they can't get out.

I had these in my kitchen 2 years ago and this was the only thing that worked.

The flies in houseplant compost are thrips, not gnats.

We do get a lot of these in our damp bathroom, mind.

This happened to us (think they were coming from a houseplant). I sprayed Raid around a couple of times and they disappeared. Had to hoover up all the little corpses sadly.

So they are definitely flying, not jumping, so yes I reckon fruit flies. Thanks, I couldn’t work it out!
No plants or real Xmas tree so it must have been the bananas.
If they are not gone by tomorrow, I think I’ll try the vinegar/ washing up liquid combo. Really appreciate all the advice!

Do you have a Tassimo? I had this problem with mine

Fruit flies like a banana

If they are fruit flies then let them be, they won't harm you.

I had white fly on a plant. I wiped off the flies (on the underside) stuck it under the shower, then once I felt most had gone I placed clingfilm across the pot so no more could fly up and start laying eggs etc.
After a month or 3 removed the cling film - flies gone for good.

A cheap bowl of malt vinegar, covered in clingfilm and poked full of holes with a fork works brilliantly. They get in but can't get out.