As the name suggests cluster flies are a problem due to their preference to gather in large numbers – but what do you do if they move into your home or business?
Cluster flies in themselves are not harmful to humans, so while the thought of these insects making themselves at home in your house or business may be unpleasant they will not actually cause you any ill effects.
Looking like a normal housefly, expect for some tell-tale yellow hairs, cluster flies are slow movers that will fly languidly around your house and gather at the windows.
The main way in which they differ from other flying pests is that they are a problem in winter.
As heat–seekers cluster flies will appear on the side of homes or at windows as they aim to bask in the warm rays of the sun.
From here they will quite often head into the attic – or even the walls of your house or business – as they look for a warm place to rest and hibernate before waking up in spring.
Why are cluster flies a problem?
Rather than being a threat to health, cluster flies are an annoyance, largely due to the fact that they gather in such large numbers. No home or business wants to be swamped by hordes of flies after all.
Aside from their sheer numbers, cluster flies will also leave behind faeces, which can be seen as black spots on windows and walls. In addition, the flies create a distinctive smell.
A huge problem with cluster flies is that once they are in your home there is a very good chance they will return as they leave behind a scent that they return to.
This means that dealing with the problem and taking action to keep them out of your home is important.
Are Cluster Flies Dangerous?
Cluster flies are very annoying, but they are not considered dirty or dangerous. Unlike houseflies, cluster flies do not lay eggs in human food, and they also do not like to land on rotting things.
While house flies can spread bacteria, diseases and create unsanitary conditions, Custer flies are not a treat.
What are cluster flies attracted to?
Cluster flies like the sunlight and warmth, which is the reason why they buzz against the windows. These pests will enter your home looking for overwintering sites during the cold season. They prefer warm places, and therefore you’re likely to find them flying around your home on sunny days in winter.
How To Get Rid of Cluster Flies
Cluster flies are a bit larger than house flies; they are more sluggish in their speed and easier to swat. These flies will enter your home looking for overwintering sites during the cold season. They prefer warm places, and therefore you’re likely to find them flying around your home on sunny days in winter.
You can do things to get rid of cluster flies and stop them from ever coming back again. These include:
Vacuuming: When you use a vacuum to clean your living area, you can vacuum up the cluster flies and any larvae or eggs available.
Getting rid of debris around your house: Cluster flies will stay in buildings or wooden structures around your home. If you have abandoned buildings or debris garbage around your house, cluster flies may be breeding there.
Sealing up your house: Make sure you seal up any holes in your home because cluster flies like laying eggs in attics and between the walls.
Sealing up your food: Cluster flies love sweet things; they will land on your food and get comfortable. To avoid this, make sure you permanently seal up your food.
Are houseflies harmful?
Flies can breed inside your house, but chances are they’ll come from outside. These pests will make their way into your home using open doors, windows, and they love to linger around garbage cans (which they breed in).
Dealing with flies can be extremely annoying, especially when they land on your food, your kitchen utensils, or your face. The continuous buzzing is undoubtedly enough to frustrate anyone.
Have you been wondering if house flies are harmful? The answer is yes! House flies are the most common flies found in many places, and they are also one of the top flies for speeding bacteria. These pests will spread diseases by simply flying from one place to another; this makes them harmful.
Imagine how fast these pests are when buzzing around you. One minute they’re around your dog’s faeces or in the garbage can, and the next, they’re on the breakfast you just prepared. They pick up bacteria using their bodies, making it easy for them to spread it to the next place they land on.
The World Health Organization estimates that house flies are responsible for spreading about 65 diseases, including cholera, tuberculosis, conjunctivitis, dysentery, salmonellosis, and typhoid fever. All these are serious illnesses. Therefore, whenever you see flies buzzing around your home, you need to find means to get rid of them before they make you or any of your loved ones sick.
Can you get sick from house flies?
House flies can transmit a range of harmful diseases; they are also carriers of diarrheal diseases, skin and eye infections.
You can 100% get sick from house flies, and the most common way of getting sick is by consuming contaminated food products and liquids that the fly had defecated or landed on. Using contaminated cooking utensils, cutlery, or eating utensils can also transfer the diseases.
When you touch an infested product and then touch your eyes or open wounds, you are at a high risk of catching a house fly transmitted disease. You need to take some proactive measures to reduce the presence of flies in your home, and this will help keep you and your loved ones safe.
How To Get Rid of House Flies
You can use several methods to get rid of houseflies in your home; these include drain treatments, traps, and insect sprays. Let’s take a look at these effective ways in detail.
Using drain treatments: Most flies will breed in drains because the drains provide a moist environment with the flies love for breeding. To stop the infestation, you need to clean the drain properly with effective cleaners.
Setting up flytraps: Many flytraps are available in the markets; these can help remove fly infestations. The flytraps include light traps that use ultraviolet light to lure flies and a glue board into trapping them, traps that use a low voltage electrical current to zap flies, and traps that use other sweet scents as bait to attract flies
Using fly sprays or insecticides: Various insect sprays can be used to get rid of flies in your home. Pyrethrin is one of the sprays you can buy. However, these sprays are a temporary solution, and you’ll have to use them in combination with other effective techniques. When using Pyrethrin sprays, you should avoid direct contact with the skin or eyes.
How to get rid of houseflies naturally
Many people prefer using natural methods when getting rid of flies; this is because they 100% safe, and there are no precautions needed. Potential approaches include herbs and flowers, vinegar and dish soap, and Venus flytrap.
Herbs and flowers – You need to plant herbs and flowers all around your yard to help keep flies away from your home. The herbs and flowers that repel flies include lavender, catnip, marigold, basil, and bay leaves.
Vinegar and dish soap – Mixing vinegar and dish soap is an effective method of trapping flies. For this method to work, you need to mix about an inch of apple cider vinegar and a few drops of dish soap in a tall glass. After that, cover the glass with plastic and then poke small holes in the top. Flies will fly through the holes because of the vinegar and will get trapped. The dish soap makes the flies sink instead of simply landing on the vinegar.
Venus Flytrap – These are carnivorous plants that eat insects. Therefore, you need to plant these flowers around your house, and they will naturally eat the flies.
When a fly lands on the Venus plant, the plant closes around the fly and then secretes digestive fluid to dissolve the fly’s soft insides. After a few days, the plant will spit out the remains of the fly.
What attracts houseflies to your home?
House flies are attracted by material in which they can lay their eggs. The rotting material includes food waste, animal faeces, manure, and other garbage. Bright lights during the night can also attract flies to your home.
Therefore, you need to make sure your home stays clean. Your rubbish can should be sealed to prevent flies from buzzing all over it, your pets’ faeces should be disposed of at the time, and all your surrounding area must remain clean.
How to prevent a housefly infestation
The best way of dealing with flies is by preventing the infestation in the first place. You must make sure they don’t lay eggs anywhere around your home, remove all the things that may attract the flies.
Seal your windows, doors, and vents properly, buy a garbage can with a tight-fitting lid, and whenever it’s full, make sure you take it out, don’t leave dirty dishes on the sink, make sure you clean up your pets’ faeces as soon as they are done, don’t leave grass clippings to rot near your house and finally turn off your lights whenever you can, flies are also attracted to light.
What will kill flies instantly?
The most effective way of killing flies involves calling pest control professionals. However, there are also DIY effective methods that can help get rid of flies instantly. These include soda bottle traps, apple cider vinegar, and dish soap fly, cayenne pepper and water, etc.
Wrap Up
Housefly and clusterfly infestations can be hazardous to your health. If you keep your home clean, especially from food waste, it can help eliminate flies or prevent infestation.
Pest Busters (Birmingham)
Highfield Farm, Middle Lane, Kings Norton, Birmingham B38 0DX
0121 695 9076
www.pest-busters.co.uk
