Cluster Flies again

[Philip]

What are cluster flies, why do they appear, what do they live on?

We are beating hundreds of the wretched things to death every day, apart from the exercise, it is very dispiriting.

If we have an inundation of cluster flies does it imply there is some dead object that they have used to breed or feed on, in which case I will have to go up into a very airy loft space, so far unopened, to see if there is a reason for them being there. We had the problem in a previous house where they seemed to breed in the sash box of a window, but there was no evidence of any dead birds or mice.

Many members seem to suffer from them and various threads have discussed eradication, but not apparently the why and how they get there.

 

[MdB]

http://www.bromley.gov.uk/environment/envhealth/pests/cluster_flies.htm

 

[15C Mike]

I posted a question earlier on today about this and I've done a bit of research since. I'm in East Kent, so not far away from you - must be a seasonal thing.

I'm advised that they feed on vegetation in the warm months. They do not eat dead things. As such, whilst not pleasant they are not the health hazard of "normal" flies.

So you are unlikely to have a dead rat etc in the roof.

They hide in our lofts to hibernate in the winter. Then we heat our homes and they wake up!

They can be killed in a number of ways (search for other threads on "flies") but it doesn't seem like we'l ever let rid of them.

We've got them in a holiday cottage which with guests in so its not pleasant at all. If you find a cure let me know. I'm off in the loft tonight to see what's up there!

 

[Lime]

If I had cluster flies I would ensure that they could not get in the habitable part of the house.
IME they get in through any slight opening attracted by light and heat.
Ceiling roses, the loft hatch and pipes entering the loft are usually where they come in although I once had a house where they were able to enter down through the plaster and lath stud wall and come in via the floor!
I solved that by blocking up any and every hole in the loft with plaster.

 

[KN]

We too have cluster flies that appear out of new box sashes, I'd love to know have to get rid of them too. I was hoping they would die out soon.

I'll be reading for any suggestions.

KN

 

[rogerh]

I had a problem in one room (I'd have to hoover them off the window regularly) but after I redecorated they never returned. Presumably that destroyed whatever scent they'd left.

 

[plumbers mate]

Do you have a compost bin or wormery nearby?

Both are heaven to cluster flies. so if you can keep a tight lid on a compost bin and the same on the wormery, you should significally reduce the problem .

A good big compost heap should be too hot for them.