These damn flies are driving me crazy!

[femmocrat]

We are having a warm, sunny day and they are all getting into the house. I have no windows or doors open but see them on the windows. One just buzz-bombed past my head. I must have killed about three dozen of them in one bedroom. I think they are "cluster flies" from searching online.

Any tips on how to repel them? They come in from the attic according to an online article. (I'm not going to climb up into the attic. Too old for that!) I hung a fly strip, but no takers so far.

[In_The_Wind]

1. They are dive bombing me!

[IMG][/IMG]


Make 'em stop! The fly strip is useless. We bought 4 new flyswatters.

[femmocrat]

2. I wish there were some nice natural repellents, like herbs or something.

If I could hang a bunch of mint or lavender instead of a sticky, yucky fly strip, that would be perfect. I ended up with that sticky goo all over my hands. (Hint: make-up remover got it off my skin!)

I can catch them on the window with a small handful of toilet paper and then I flush them. One particularly nasty one came zooming out of the toilet at me!

I am tempted to get a couple of pet frogs.

[In_The_Wind]

3. Or buy a pet lizard

[Laffy Kat]

4. OMG that spider was huge. Good lizard. nt

[Laffy Kat]

5. Every year at this time I have the same problem with wasps and/or yellow jackets.

I'm terribly allergic so it's a bit deal. Can't for the life of me figure out how they are getting in.

[femmocrat]

10. They could be European hornets.

I only know this because one of the schools where I taught had a hole near a window frame and they were coming into my classroom. They would really freak out the kids. The district finally brought in an exterminator. They look a lot like yellow jackets, but are a little smaller:

[underahedgerow]

12. No, no, no, they're a lot LARGER. I'm working on a project in the South of France these days and

we had to exterminate a nest of them last year, and this year there is a nest nearby, so they're around constantly.

Maybe you're thinking of a bumble been but even compared to them, these suckers are HUGE. From an inch to an inch and a half long, very distinct, very vicious, very, very destructive and dangerous. They make honeybees and oh hell, any other flying insect look tiny, dainty and delicate. One got in my bedroom at 5 am, oddly, about a month ago, he must have been dying and disoriented and I caught him with a glass and kept him for inspection. He died within a couple hours.

They're destroying the EU honey bees population to a crisis level, and they've just been found in the UK as of a few weeks ago, and this is really bad news.

I use an electric 'tennis racket' fly swatter that zaps the lil suckers on contact. Look on Amazon for 'electric insect killer'. I use larger standing model one on the terrace to keep the mosquito and flies population down. It was a really cheap one that lasted for about 6 months and I saw a marked increase once the machine died... So I'm on the lookout for another one!

[femmocrat]

13. Oh no..... that is terrible.

I'm so sorry to hear they are attacking the honeybees. Thanks for the information and good luck!

Wow... the south of France.... It must be so lovely to be there.

[Orrex]

6. Tell a neighbor to cook some halupkies

While cooking the cabbage will produce a scent that seems to attract flies like, well, like flies.


Truth.

[femmocrat]

7. We don't have any close neighbors, but I have a tray of frozen halupki in my freezer!

Knock off two birds with one stone..... a delicious meal and the flies will be lured downstairs. Ha!

They are so bad that I have not slept for two nights because I can hear them buzzing. I think they are trying to gaslight me.

[whistler162]

11. At least it is a drive, hopefully a long one

not the short walk it is for me when flies are around.

[sl8]

14. A few things that work, a bit:

Assuming these are cluster flies (there are identification aids on the web):

Clear window flytraps, like these, work well:
https://www.amazon.com/Catchmaster-904-12-Clear-Window-12-Pack/dp/B008JVIHDO
Shop around, 'cause prices vary drastically.

Cluster flies seem to be attracted to sunlight or UV, as opposed to houseflies, which seem to be attracted by odor.

Traps with UV bulbs seem to work pretty well, either the ones with sticky paper, or bug zappers, if you can abide having a bug zapper indoors. Here's one I've tried, somewhat successfully:
https://www.amazon.com/Gardner-FW-9-Fly-Web-Trap/dp/B0006OIZN4/ref=sr_1_1?s=lawn-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1478312216&sr=1-1&keywords=Uv+fly+trap
I make my own sticky boards, as the pre-made ones are awfully expensive. One nice thing about the UV traps is that they' ll attract the flies throughout the night, while you're asleep.

One other, less than ideal, solution is to take a vacuum cleaner with a wand attachment to the buggers, at whichever windows are in the sun. It does provide some immediate gratification.

I use all three of the preceding. The flies are really annoying, but at least they're fairly safe, health-wise. The ticks are a whole other story.

Also, local exterminators can spray for cluster flies. I haven't tried that at home, but its a common practice in New England & I believe it's effective, but don't quote me on that.

Edit to add : Supposedly, the best solution is to seal all the openings in the house. That's probably true, but easier said than done.

[femmocrat]

17. Wow, thanks for all the information.

They are not attracted to old-fashioned fly paper at all. All I have caught so far is one ladybug! I will check out the traps that you have recommended.

I haven't seen any ticks yet, but I'm sure they are out there. It is still very warm here for November.

[TexasBushwhacker]

15. Plug all sinks and bathtubs

Don't leave any water anywhere. Even if they aren't attracted to food or odors, all living things need water, so cut off that supply. Also, if you have a light on your patio, turn it on at night, leave your indoors dark and open the patio doors. Flies are attracted to light, so eventually they'll fly outside.

[femmocrat]

16. Thanks!

Yes, I have been trying to outsmart them with lights. We are having an unusually warm fall here. We haven't even had a killing frost yet!

[RedCloud]

19. rent my cat.

He killed over several hundred in the garage.

I do think each time it was an accident.

He looked like he was just trying to catch them to take a close up look.