Is anyone else freaking out over the number of flies around these days?

[LiliAnjelika]

I can't open the window in my house without twenty flies crashing in. Yesterday, there were 12 flies dozing on lounge window when I got home. It's like living in that house in the Amityville Horror film. What the hell is going on? Is it global warming? Do I keep a foully dirty house? Intense paranoia has now set in and I have cleaned the house from top to bottom with very ecologically unfriendly cleaning products. I keep on thinking it's the cats but then we've always had them and it's never been this bad. Dh is too green to consider flykiller and won't invest in one of those bead curtain thingies because of his weird jewellery phobia.
Any ideas?

i've had the same. seem to be green bottles. also loads of maggots in wheelie bin .

don't know where you are but i imagine it's the sudden heat that's brought them out.

I'm in Cardiff but it may as well be sub-Saharan Africa today. We're getting the big dozey houseflies (sorry not too hot on correct species name). Afraid of looking in wheelie bin.

I have loads here- even bought fly sprayt he otehr day although i hate using it and the smell makes me sick

oh phew - I'm so glad it's not just me - I thought the increase in flies was because of my (long overdue to be emptied) ash tray outside which is also full of water......

Just noticed another four on study window. Don't want to swat them in case they fall in my hair. God they're so horrible. Do they actually have a point, in ecological terms?

Flies aren't bothering me at the moment - but we have loads of bees and wasps everywhere. I'm such an expert at catching them in a cup!

thank goodness it's not just me. I thought it was because we had maggots in our vacuum cleaner (not anymore I hasten to add).

we've got them too, but have more mosquito type things big and small versions, apparantly its due to the flooding round here. i went and got a plastic door curtain thingy, doesn't keep them all out but i've got less than i did have without it.

You are so brave pyjamaqueen.

no. they are fucking flies

i suppose they do have a point . they thrive off the heat and dampness.

with fortnightly wheelie bin collections too, maggots are going to thrive. i poured so much disinfectant on them and hot water and they still wiggled about. grr

(sorry if tmi!)

Mosquitoes. That's another thing. Bloody loads of them. I'm told only one species of mosquito in Britain is capable of carrying malaria. Is this supposed to be reassuring?

Back to the flies question, you can get this thing called RedTop, which is a bag of sweet liquid that hangs on a tree outside your house and is supposed to attract females. Gets rid of fly population in your garden apparently. I tried it last year but they're back this year with a ferocity, and I don't fancy two year old dd spilling the stuff on her head by accident either. Yikes.

southeastastra - I did the same. DH went mental because I spilled some on the path and all these nice old worms came writhing out of their holes. Felt so guilty!

that happened to me too! i emptied the bin onto the grass outside and the amount of worms that came out. weird

Casualties of war I suppose!

One more question - can you get 'green' flykiller?

yes a cat!

i think they'll just go soon

My cats are too lazy. (Only got two in case you think I'm mad old biddy with loads of them).

I suppose you're right about them going once it's autumn. I should just chill.

Anyway, I'm buzzing off to bed now (ha ha) but thanks for all your moral support.