Why do I have cluster flies in my house?
Cluster flies prefer warm areas, so homeowners often find them flying around houses on sunny days in the winter and late fall months. Entering living spaces by way of electrical outlets or baseboards, the pests take shelter in attics and walls to hibernate, awaiting the arrival of warmer spring weather.
How do you know if you have cluster flies?
They have yellowish golden hairs on their thorax. The abdomen of a cluster fly has a prominent dark and light coloured chequered pattern. Unlike house flies they do not have dark stripes on their thorax and also they don’t have bluish or greenish metallic coloured bodies like the ones that bottle flies have.
How long do cluster flies stay in the house?
Cluster flies are a nuisance because they live a long time. In fact, most other flies live less than three months. Cluster flies, however, can live for two years or more. To endure the harsh winter, they will hibernate.
What smell do cluster flies hate?
If you find cluster flies in your attic, try to prevent these pests by using a ‘Citronella’ fragrance wick that emits a smell into this area, which can work to deter these flies from returning. Alternatively, you can spray these insects with fly killer and vacuum the area afterwards.
Will vinegar kill cluster flies?
You can also use some home-made sprays against cluster flies to create an unwelcoming atmosphere around your trash bins. Citronella sprays or natural insect repellents are useful sometimes if you don’t want to spray chemicals. A strong vinegar solution discourages them from hanging out around trash bins as well.
Where do cluster flies hide?
When it gets cool, cluster flies hide in cracks, crevices, and voids. Once indoors, cluster flies can be found under clothing in closets, under curtains, behind pictures and furniture, etc. Cluster flies also may leave their hiding places and appear on sunny warm days during winter buzzing and “clustering” at windows.
What are cluster flies and how do you get rid of them?
Cluster flies especially love decomposing food and sweets! A contact pyrethrum spray like CB-80, which is approved for indoor use, can help, as well. Spray it lightly, as needed, for contact kill. To prepare for the next season, you can spray areas where you suspect these pesky flies will cluster.
How does cluster buster work?
The cluster buster is a fast-acting, long-lasting trap that uses the fly’s natural behavior and an eco-friendly powder made from egg shells to quickly capture these annoying flies. The trap is also known to work by the fly repeatedly hit the window pane causing it to drop downward, directly into the trap.
What is the difference between house flies and cluster flies?
SIZE AND COLOR: Cluster flies are larger than house flies at approximately 7mm long compared to the 3-6mm length of a house fly. WINGS AND FLIGHT: Cluster flies will fly at a much slower and less frantic rate than a house fly. Cluster fly wings will overlap while at rest, house flies have wings that remain separate.
What is Fly powder?
PRODUCT DESCRIPTION: Small discreet window trap which is filled with a fine white powder made from egg shells. This all natural powder is safe for people and pets but deadly to flying insects. When set out, the foam cover is removed which reveals a thin passage way through which flying pests will enter.
Why is Spanish fly used?
Cantharidin, known popularly as Spanish fly, has been used for millennia as a sexual stimulant. The chemical is derived from blister beetles and is notable for its vesicant properties.
Is Spanish Fly safe to take?
Spanish fly is a poison that burns the mouth and throat, and can cause urinary infections, scarring of the urethra, and in some rare cases, death.