Bluebottle flies in summer….HELP

[Donemain]

I really don’t know what else to do about tackling bluebottle flies in summer.

I do keep all doors and windows open for ventilation in summer, and I always seem to have bluebottle flies buzzing around constantly, they do come in the back door and windows. I just can’t shut them or keep them closed as I need fresh air all the time!!

I make sure the food bin is empty, cleaned and disinfected so they’re no smells. Rubbish and food waste is wrapped and double wrapped in bags with scented bin powder & salt to deter flies/insects. I wash out all my recycling before putting it in the recycling bin too. As soon as bins are emptied by the local council I will bleach/disinfect and hose them out to stop any lingering smells.

I do have cats - as soon as they’re finished eating, the floor is swept, cleaned & wiped and bowls are all thoroughly cleaned and put away so there’s no lingering smells, only their water jug is left out which is freshly filled each day. The cat tray is disinfected and changed so it doesn’t smell.

There is no food hanging around, there’s no dirty plates/cups as they’re in the dishwasher being washed. All the sides are disinfected and cleaned, the floors are mopped, there’s no leftover food, there’s no source of smells and STILL blue bottle flies come buzzing in?! It’s not an infestation don’t get me wrong it’s about 2-3 flies buzzing in a day but I’d hate for a visitor to think I’ve got a dirty house because they’re evidence of flies.

My bathroom is always regularly cleaned, disinfectant down the toilet, bleached & scrubbed! Nothing flies can be attracted to.

I don’t even want to buy fly sticky tapes or traps as it looks unhygienic and like I’ve got an infestation? Anyone experience the same with these dreaded flies?

Is it just the summer heat and they’ve learned to come indoors to find food?

You could get a fly curtain to stop them coming on. But don't the cats catch and eat them? Ours does.

Yeah, we got a cheapo fly curtain from Argos. In no way attractive but it does the job. If we leave it open, there’s a buzzy bastard buzzing around within seconds - I think it’s to do with sun and heat on the kitchen door that attracts them.

I have just hung some cut garden mint above the back door....

I've just bought The Buzz Fly Traps. It traps them in a bottle. I've put it by our bifold doors as I think our compost bin was attracting them and there were loads.

You then bury the flies when finished or put them in the bin once all dead. An hour in yesterday there were already 4 but there are loads in there now.

We got a pack of two but haven't needed the second placed elsewhere. So far, we've have had the door open with no flies in through the back today!

Its just the way things are, no need to go on about multiple disinfectant routines, sounds unrealistic anyway. Flies will come in, and then eventually they go out again (or get eaten by the cat)

@bellac11 I’m not “going on” about disinfectant routines, it’s to stop others trying to be helpful by suggesting things I’m already doing. Nothing unrealistic about it

If you have any sunny rooms stick a Venus fly trap in them. We bought one from b&q for a few pounds last year and it constantly has flies in it. We put it in the conservatory and kept it sat in water. The flies rarely made it last the conservatory but the one in our living room had the odd fly in it too.

Meant to say the trap is for outside. So if you're getting a lot come in, it should control numbers in your garden too.

We have a gazillion flies in the summer. We live next to a field and it’s a perennial problem. The only thing that consistently works for me and my neighbours are the uv light zappers. Not pretty but they are effective. Have tried everything else, but there are too many flies for things like fly paper and window stickers.

I think you’re going to struggle to get rid of them without a trap of some sort OP.
It’s not to do with hygiene in our case, it’s a fact of summer and where we live.
When people visit, I say please excuse the zapper, or I turn it off and put it the cupboard. No one bats an eyelid.

Be careful using all that disinfectant around your cats. Most are highly toxic to them. You certainly shouldn't be using it in their litter tray or any of their areas. Soap and water is all you need.

Fill a polybag with water drop in a few coins preferably silver, tie and hang at windows and doors, seems to work wonders here. Supposedly the flies are confused by the reflections and keep away.

Go on for fly traps. I use them and rarely have a fly in the house.

www.amazon.co.uk/Buzz-Fly-Catcher-Refillable-Attractant/dp/B00VAGK1RU/ref=ice_ac_b_dpb?keywords=fly+trap&qid=1655942033&sr=8-5

I use this style and bugger the expensive bait, just a blob of dog meat in water and a drop of washing up liquid does the trick. It gets full in no time. The only problem is disposing of the bodies. If you bury it in the back yard, dogs will dig it up. I pour it down the lavatory in the downstairs bathroom, closed doors and open windows because of the horrific smell, bleach out the jar and start again.

You can YouTube a DIY version.

Full disclosure: I have fly screens on most doors and all windows, but I can assure you the flies are still gagging to get in. Australia, innit?

We have midge / fly screens at all of our windows and I keep the doors shut ( not just because of flies) . We got ours from New blinds and they are a roller type .