Forum home› Problem solving
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Cluster flies

Lily PillyLily Pilly Posts: 3,845
in Problem solving
  We have never had this problem in the 13 years we have been here but they are in our attic and dropping into our bedroom. Only at the rate of 2/3 a day but the grandchildren due this week and I would like them away/under control
I called Rentokil as the local agent is in the next village. He passed it to a surveyor who, after identifying cluster and blue bottles, has recommended two treatments. A wash onthe windows which kills the flies instantly and a gas in the attic repeated after 21 days.  Cost £1500 and no guarantee they won’t return next year

Has anyone had this? Is it a fair quote ? Really am a bit taken aback at estimate.

I know we have a great team out there, who knows we might even have a pest control forker🤞

many thanks
Weeds are flowers, too, once you get to know them.”
A A Milne

Posts

  • K67K67 Posts: 2,506
    In one house we had them over winter in our loft every year. They didn't move until you had to go into the loft and  put on the light  which seemed to wake them up.  I used to lift the hatch a little and spray fly killer but it would take ages to sweep them up! Also tried smoke candles which were easy to use and worked fine. 
    There might be light from the house getting through to the loft which is attracting them.
  • Lily PillyLily Pilly Posts: 3,845
    Yup there are two old windows on each side. The attic is packed with mixes etc. I dread to think how far they have taken over
    Weeds are flowers, too, once you get to know them.”
    A A Milne
  • TopbirdTopbird Posts: 8,355
    Hi @lilypilly  
    We (and all our neighbours!) have a perennial problem with cluster flies in the attic. Some neighbours have used smoke / insecticide bombs but the problem with those is that you’re using rather nasty chemicals in your house and you end up with a lot of dead flies in the attic.

    We regularly have bats in the loft as well so we can’t use any insecticides. We, therefore, have a fairly large UV fly zapper plugged in & hanging in the loft. The sort of thing you see in butcher’s shops. It works well & doesn’t seem to worry the bats. The flies are attracted by the light and ‘fry’ on the grid.🤢

    We had to have a socket put in the loft and the actual zapper cost about £150. Ongoing costs are a bit of electricity & new UV light tubes - they cost about £10 every 2 years.

    Our zapper hangs near the centre of the attic. You need one where you can remove the supplied collecting tray and replace it with a hanging plastic sack. That’s because the collecting tray is too small for the volume of flies killed. It would fill quite quickly and an overfull tray could cause the electrics to short. That’s then a fire risk. We change the bag abt every 6 months & it’s surprising how many bodies there are in it!

    If you’re interested I can dig out the make / model number for you.
    Heaven is ... sitting in the garden with a G&T and a cat while watching the sun go down
  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    edited February 2019
    we've got an electric fly killer too, but we only paid about £35 for it. 
    We get lots of flies in summer as we're surrounded by cows and fields.
    Google " electric fly killers" and you'll see lots of them.
    https://www.google.com/search?q=electric+fly+killer&rlz=1C1CHFX_en-gbGB480GB480&oq=eletric+fly+&aqs=chrome.1.69i57j0l5.10846j1j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
    Devon.
  • Lily PillyLily Pilly Posts: 3,845
    thank you  everyone. I have just read your posts. Didn’t feel up to it at breakfast!

    Shall show OH and no doubt a discussion will be next.
    i am just surprised as it is so cold still here☹️
    Weeds are flowers, too, once you get to know them.”
    A A Milne
  • TopbirdTopbird Posts: 8,355
    Not sure if this will work, but I’ll try to post a link to the pest control company I use and their page on cluster fly control

    http://www.thesuffolkpestcontrolcompany.co.uk/cluster-fly-treatments

    Heaven is ... sitting in the garden with a G&T and a cat while watching the sun go down
  • pr1mr0sepr1mr0se Posts: 1,193
    We had cluster flies over-wintering in our loft in our previous house - thousands of them!  The Pest Control chap said that, if there ever was such a thing as a "clean" fly, then the cluster fly was it!  Apparently they hibernate overwinter, and feed on pollen in the warmer weather.

    When I looked in the loft, I found loads of them clustered together along the roof trusses.  To keep them under control without chemicals, I took my vacuum cleaner into the loft and poked the long tube down the trusses and vacuumed up loads of them.  It kept the problem just about under control.

    We didn't think about using an insectocutor, I must admit - but this, although a bit of a fiddle, worked well, and I only had to do it a couple of times to get the problem just about sorted.
  • Lily PillyLily Pilly Posts: 3,845
    Very useful shrinking violet thank you. 
    My 3 and 1 year old grand daughters arrive tomorrow and the elder hates flies
    great reason to ban Grannie s room in the early hours!



    Weeds are flowers, too, once you get to know them.”
    A A Milne
Sign In or Register to comment.