Flies, flies, flies!

PestilencialCrisis · 2023-08-17T13:27:26+00:00

I keep getting flies in the house (last few days, about 10+ at a time, big green bottle housefly ones). The windows are closed so they must be coming from somewhere inside the house, but I can't find where (have checked all kitchen cupboards, bins etc and nothing obviously festering away). I have no sense of smell since covid so can't follow my nose either. Has anyone else had this and did you find the source? What was it? Need ideas of other things to check! Thank you!

Poudretteite · 17/08/2023 14:31

Sorry no help but they're really irritating me as well. We suddenly have clouds of tiny fruit flies. It's awful.

Coastalcreeksider · 17/08/2023 14:31

Yes, me too! I put it down to the cat, I have to stand over him when he eats as the blasted things land on his food and his back.

The minute he finishes or wanders off without eating all of it I have to pick the bowl up and move it into a cupboard or to wash up.

It's driving me nuts as he is constantly asking for food and I'm feeding him about eight times a day. I might as well live next to his food station.

GasPanic · 17/08/2023 14:31

To make flies you must have maggots. Maybe a dead rat in the wall or loft or something.

I would get some flypaper. I used to have an infestation of mini flies on the plants and it worked really well.

GasPanic · 17/08/2023 14:32

Poudretteite · 17/08/2023 14:31

Sorry no help but they're really irritating me as well. We suddenly have clouds of tiny fruit flies. It's awful.

Get those sticky pads off amazon work really well.

Original poster

PestilencialCrisis · 17/08/2023 14:56

GasPanic · 17/08/2023 14:31

To make flies you must have maggots. Maybe a dead rat in the wall or loft or something.

I would get some flypaper. I used to have an infestation of mini flies on the plants and it worked really well.

🤮 I hope not! But I can't see where they are coming from. The sound is driving me nuts! I've probably had about 40 today. I open the door to let them out and then about 5 minutes later I hear the buzzing start up again. There's already another 4 or 5 in the room again and it is less than 10 minutes since I shooed them all out.😭

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Original poster

PestilencialCrisis · 17/08/2023 14:58

Coastalcreeksider · 17/08/2023 14:31

Yes, me too! I put it down to the cat, I have to stand over him when he eats as the blasted things land on his food and his back.

The minute he finishes or wanders off without eating all of it I have to pick the bowl up and move it into a cupboard or to wash up.

It's driving me nuts as he is constantly asking for food and I'm feeding him about eight times a day. I might as well live next to his food station.

I don't have a cat, but I have 2 children who are constantly dropping food all over the place, but the floor is completely clear and I can't see anything out of place in the kitchen or any of the cupboards, all food is wrapped or in sealed containers/clipped with food pegs. It's driving me mad!

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GasPanic · 17/08/2023 15:00

Close all the doors and find out which room they are coming from.

Problem is one fly lays lots of eggs.

Good news is that maggots probably ate all the dead whatever so once you get rid of them there will probably be no more. Hopefully.

CoffeeBeansGalore · 17/08/2023 15:02

Clear Dettol antibac spray is good for killing off flies. The lime & mint one smells lovely.
Squirt a few times towards the flies & leave the room. They will be dead in 5 minutes.

huggiess · 17/08/2023 15:05

I had this last week, don't know what happened ! It was bin day though don't know if it was something to do with that. Don't let them out just kill the dirty little bastards, I hate them with passion

ThreeLittleDots · 17/08/2023 15:07

Cluster flies, probably coming in through window vents or other vents. They leave a smell so their mates can get into the house the same way. You can spray fly spray or Indorex around all possible access points to help stop them.

Parseley · 17/08/2023 15:21

I think something had happened this year due to the constant rain - does it make them breed more?

Original poster

PestilencialCrisis · 17/08/2023 15:27

GasPanic · 17/08/2023 15:00

Close all the doors and find out which room they are coming from.

Problem is one fly lays lots of eggs.

Good news is that maggots probably ate all the dead whatever so once you get rid of them there will probably be no more. Hopefully.

Good idea, will see if I can narrow down which room at least!

Love your silver lining 😂

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doodlyfiddly · 17/08/2023 15:43

Do you have a fire? We occasionally get them when something dies in the chimney 🙁or we cook something that smells really good - they follow the light/smell.

The good thing (and I use that word loosely!) is that they just want to go outside, so open the windows and doors.

WhineWhineWhineWINE · 17/08/2023 15:43

I feel your pain. That infernal buzzing noise sends me into a murderous rage. 😡

doodlyfiddly · 17/08/2023 15:45

doodlyfiddly · 17/08/2023 15:43

Do you have a fire? We occasionally get them when something dies in the chimney 🙁or we cook something that smells really good - they follow the light/smell.

The good thing (and I use that word loosely!) is that they just want to go outside, so open the windows and doors.

I meant to say, in case it wasn't clear, that they actually come out from the woodburner!

magicstar1 · 17/08/2023 15:56

I had this yesterday. There were a load of flies, and more circling around the back door. Turns out we had a bird feeder full of sunflower hearts, and somehow it got wet, and the bottom got blocked with damp seeds. The flies must have lain eggs and the maggots were all in the feeder - it looked horrific!! Every few minutes I could hear a plop, and another maggot managed to climb out and drop down to the ground. I got DH to cover it in a black bag and dispose of it immediately.

Original poster

PestilencialCrisis · 17/08/2023 16:01

ThreeLittleDots · 17/08/2023 15:07

Cluster flies, probably coming in through window vents or other vents. They leave a smell so their mates can get into the house the same way. You can spray fly spray or Indorex around all possible access points to help stop them.

I don't think they are cluster flies (had to Google), they look like green bottle houseflies. Will order some fly spray and do the windows and doors anyway though, thank you

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Original poster

PestilencialCrisis · 17/08/2023 16:29

doodlyfiddly · 17/08/2023 15:45

I meant to say, in case it wasn't clear, that they actually come out from the woodburner!

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I have a fireplace, but haven't used it since we moved in to the house a year ago.

They don't seem to be coming from the fireplace, but I can't work out where they are coming from. It's infuriating!

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Original poster

PestilencialCrisis · 17/08/2023 16:31

WhineWhineWhineWINE · 17/08/2023 15:43

I feel your pain. That infernal buzzing noise sends me into a murderous rage. 😡

100%! I feel like they are mocking me. I get rid of one wave of the buggers, close the window, sit down and then the rotten buzzing starts again!!! Gaaaaah!

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Minikievs · 17/08/2023 16:36

Have you checked your loft? My old house was infested with them in the lift and whenever you opened the hatch a big pile of dead ones would drop on the floor 🤮

Goslowglowworm · 17/08/2023 16:39

Dead bird in the gutter maybe? Or mouse under the floorboards?

Goslowglowworm · 17/08/2023 16:40

If shut all the inside doors and try and figure out which room they're in to narrow down your search. Yuck yuck yuck. I HATE them so much. I honestly think I'd rather have wasps. Hope you get rid of them soon

thenightsky · 17/08/2023 16:43

We had this in our new house. When you go out, shut all the internal doors so you narrow it down to the correct room. We came back and found 100s in the sitting room. Only way in was the chimney, which we'd never used. Got a sweep in and he pulled out 2 dead birds. He also put a cage over the top, so no more could get trapped in there and die.