Plague of flies

[NY]

Is anyone else being plagued by lots of flies indoors?

In the kitchen we have a UV light electrocution device (similar to the Insectocutor ones that butchers use) and a length of sticky flypaper. But the flies seem to avoid both of these. The UV zapper is great for catching tiny fruit flies, but larger bluebottle sized flies don't seem to be attracted to it. We've tried it both near a window (which will be light during the day) and in a darker part of the room, and we've left it on overnight when the UV light will be the only light source that the flies will see.

We had a fly trap outside which mimicked the smell of rotten meat and that caught thousands of flies but may need renewing because it doesn't seem to be attracting as many flies now.

As I write, there are five of the little buggers flying around me all the time. I've got a UV light right next to me, but they avoid that and fly everywhere else...

[Mark Carver]

Using one of these can be a source of great satisfaction, though despite sparks being visible, they are often only stunned, so while they are unconscious take swift action to reduce one of their dimensions to close to zero

[John Rumm]

I think they suggest you stick some bait in the try to attract them... (must admit ours tends to get lots of moths etc, but blue bottles ignore it)

[John Rumm]

The "Executioner" branded one is actually pretty good - it makes a far more dramatic "bang" on contact than the other I have tried - and will knock down wasps and things fairly easily.

[tabbypurr]

UV insect electrocuters attract the wrong species. They're yesterday's tech now.

NT

[Harry Bloomfield, Esq.]

NY expressed precisely :

I had one of those UV units running for months a few years ago, it never caught a single one. Most effective solution has been a mesh screen across the often open back door, one of those that uses magnets to keep itself closed. They normally provide Velcro to fix them round the door frame, but that doesn't stay stuck for long. As it was so effective, I simply made a frame to fix it from 20 x 20mm timber, screwed to the door frame. We have had no more than two large flys in the house so far this year, but a few of the really tiny ones.

[Dave Liquorice]

Not all species of fly are attracted to UV, round here is it small 2

- 3 mm "floaters" that ignore it. Blue bottles don't but when they get zapped they explode spreading bits of fly over a couple of feet...

We did have an invasion of the same species of "house fly" last week, dozen or more of the things just suddenly appeared. Next day we found the well decomposed remains of a blackbird hidden near the door that we had left open for longer than normal before we noticed the flys...

[Adrian Caspersz]

Poundland sells these, and with mine I've seen flies stunned with sparks and, yes, they often recover and fly off.

Like BigClive's video, my one is yellow, which I think may be working against me swatting the critters, given that its a nature warning colour. Should try environmentally friendly green...

One downside is the smell of burning fly flesh and whatever recent delight that the fly had enjoyed before the electrocution. I don't think that's too healthy to breathe....

[Brian Gaff (Sofa)]

You need an entomologist and find out what they are and what they have hatched out from. Probably a dead rat? Brian

[Brian Gaff (Sofa)]

You are aware of course that these are quite popular as sex toys as well.

I still think one needs to establish where they are coming from. If its inside you need to find the source. I had a problem with carpet beetles a few years ago, when they died there were carpets of them on the window sills. We suspect they were eating the wool underlay in the sitting room. Brian

[williamwright]

I've got one of them. The children love it.

Bill

[Paul]

My guess would be a dead mouse. That's sufficient.

A dead mouse will feed a cloud of flies for quite a while, until the carcass thoroughly dries out.

You can have a dead mouse in a wall or ceiling, and the flies can then find a gap somewhere, so that after lunch, they can come visit.

For confirmation, sometimes you'll catch a whiff of the decaying mouse.

Treating the area where the cloud lives, is more efficient than treating the area with the five flies in it.

Paul

[harry]

Had a bath lately?

[Cynic]

I recall once opening a loft hatch in one house I worked in. Everything was coated with flies. Apparently it was a cluster fly infestation. One source suggested it was a sign of a healthy earthworm population in the lawn.

[Pamela]

I have the "Executioner" electric fly swatter but find bluebottles will survive it despite being dramatically flung across the room. I hate the things and end up chasing after them with fly spray.

[Harry Bloomfield, Esq.]

The warmth yesterday afternoon, brought out lots of flies here in the garden. A slim bodied fly with what looked like four quite slim wings, which folded tight above their thorax once they landed.

I wonder what they were - is there a fly identification website?

[Tim Lamb]

In message , Harry Bloomfield

[Chris Hogg]

[Tim+]

Possible a breed of wasp. There are billions of different varieties. I have some like those tunnelling into some rotten logs by my back door.

Almost certainly. ;-)

Tim