How Do I Know If I’ve Got A Problem?

Cluster flies tend to congregate:

• Check around doors and windows.
• Around plug sockets in the house.
• In and under soffits and fascias.
• In the roof or attic space.
• In old brick work

Prevention Is Better Than Cure

DIY fly sprays will have an effect on direct contact with the flies, but not on those already hibernating in cracks and crevices.  Make your premises less inviting by keeping windows and doors shut.

Tidiness and cleanliness are vital allies in the battle against flies:

• Clean up any spills or discarded food or liquids
• Store rubbish in clean, lidded containers
• Remove and discard of any dead flies
• Clean any animal excrement, as this attracts flies
• Pour away any standing or stagnant water

For cluster flies specifically, make sure that the pointing in your brickwork is intact as old, deteriorating pointings is an ideal harbourage for them.

Other Information

You can recognise cluster flies because they are larger than house flies and often appear to be slightly yellow or golden, because of their tiny hairs. They breed in soil and host on earthworms during the larva stage of their development.

Like many insects, they move inside for the winter months. They usually enter through gaps in roofs, attics, and eaves, and settle in warm, sun-facing spaces. Although they leave around early spring, they have been known to return to previously occupied spaces, leading to annual infestations.