Driven insane by flies in the house - please help!

RedPete · 27-06-2023 03:42PM #1

Hi All,

Hoping someone here can help or guide me in the right direction!

I have what I can only describe as a fly infestation in my house. It is confined to a couple of rooms, and it started after I had the back garden resurfaced.

We keep all our windows and doors closed so could not work out the source – they seem to come from nowhere.

It started out as a small number of greenbottle flies in our kitchen everyday clinging to our velux windows (which we initially thought were the source of the issue), then it grew to 20 and up to 50 files invading our kitchen and bathroom. We keep these areas usually really clean and tidy. We have been swatting them and opening the windows just to let them out each day.

We had a pest removal company out to take a look, they checked behind the kickboards etc and could not find anything. They sprayed down the skirting (suggesting there may be something rotting in the wall – although there is no smell). They suggested to get a drain CCTV survey which we did and nothing odd was detected.

The flies died down for a couple of days after the pesticide spray but they are back and bigger and darker in colour. I am at my wits end because I like to keep the place clean so any advice would be welcome!

Thanks

Deregos. · 28-06-2023 06:52AM

We had a similar issue and eventually found the little feckers were coming in from the attic through the light fittings. Something must've died between the roof tiles and the felt that they'd laid their eggs on.

I put one of these up high, lying on its flat on top of the kitchen unit nearest the bins.

https://www.screwfix.ie/p/manrose-20w-halogen-electric-fly-killer-220-240v/82747?tc=BI7&gclid=CjwKCAjwkeqkBhAnEiwA5U-uM_TcaX0f8yRIGW7cRf8sujjTmlCEh2NKMTLZpuCSVqEWJ1iwL18HcxoCvtkQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

The flies eventually all died off. It works best at night with all the other lights turned off and it's great at taking out them annoying fruit flies too.

wildwillow · 28-06-2023 07:06AM

We traced an infestation to a dead bird in the chimney. Had got stuck and was full of maggots.

tico1300 · 28-06-2023 07:14AM

you could try one of these https://www.nisbets.ie/eazyzap-led-fly-killer-15w/fd496

windowcills · 28-06-2023 07:15AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120776070#Comment_120776070

Flypaper is a lot cheaper, cleaner and much much more effective, you can put 1 or 2 in every room

But it does look disgisting

10-10-20 · 28-06-2023 11:56AM

They sound like cluster flies, OP.

https://www.irishexaminer.com/property/homeandgardens/arid-20456294.html

https://centralpestcontrol.ie/pests-guides/cluster-flies/

RedPete · 29-06-2023 03:00PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120776070#Comment_120776070

Thanks, I'm thinking that's a possible source for us - have searched everywhere bar felt beside velux on kitchen roof. They seem to be reducing in numbers which is good but I won't relax until we have zero a day for a week or so!

RedPete · 29-06-2023 03:02PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120776100#Comment_120776100

That's awful but good you identified the source. The house here is old enough (bar the kitchen were the flies seem to congregate). Both chimneys are blocked up and there are chimney cowls on both but not sure how effective they are.

RedPete · 29-06-2023 03:03PM

Thanks everyone for the responses - two quick follow on questions ...

If you had this problem, how did you eventually identify it - was it purely by chance or did you try something?
If you used a pest company to help find the source, can you please DM me the company name?

Cheers

z80CPU · 29-06-2023 03:12PM

Spray fly killer for an extended period down the tiny ventilation holes beneath the window frames in your house. There will be about 3 on each window.

cheif kaiser · 29-06-2023 07:30PM

There's another thread on here about the same issue https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2056061512/a-plague-of-flies may be some info here that can help. I also saw something on youtube or somewhere about this same issue and I think they said WD-40 sprayed around the Velux can help get rid of them.

greasepalm · 29-06-2023 07:37PM

Every year i buy those window fly zapper sticker and put it high up on window or door and if they land on it they get poisoned.

Also had those ultra violet bug zapper in a greenhouse WOW overkill as everything getting zapped until the bug bulb failed.

Dub. · 29-06-2023 07:59PM

Those sticky fly catchers work like a dream. I find hanging them up in a dark corner works best. 16 of them for 10 euro on amazon.

Type Haimist 16 Pesticide Free Fly Paper into Amazon UK.

RedPete · 15-07-2023 05:37PM

So, a quick update -

Flies have gone completely (lot of it is due to the colder / wetter weather)

I checked outside the house again and found that the downstairs WC did not have an external vent cover with a fly screen so fixed that

Fingers crossed they don't return!

hayrabit · 15-07-2023 06:09PM

there's one o' them bastid houseflies in us house in last ~just over a day or so

was about halfgrown then (early/late yday aft),,, seems to be about 2/3 or 3/4 grown now

had a few chances to swot him with ye rolled up newspapere todaye , but the fekker was too quicke

he'll be getting older now; granted nighttime is coming, and he'll have that on his side, but am pretty confident i'll have the kerrnt tightened come midnight

wtf are flies doing about in this weathere is what i'd like to know an' all ?!?

i blame #ClimateChange meselfe 😃

#saynotoSmartMeters#StandFirme

:)

Count Dracula · 15-07-2023 06:35PM

You need more spiders. They help to keep fly populations down.

If you get a blue bottle just open the phucking window, he wants to get out as well, bigtime.

rymass · 06-03-2024 07:40PM

Late post but I live in Wicklow and last year the flies were terrible. Found a great product called red top fly catcher. Basically a bag you hang in the garden which has non toxic bait mixed with water inside. Catched up to 20 000 thousand flies and can be dumped into your compost once done.

If ever I win the lottery I'll be buying every house in a 20k radius a bag each :(

https://youtube.com/shorts/LLxs4KqV8ro?si=z9cnGxJUm3WUOrba

tgats not me, but a vid I found in YouTube that will give you a better idea of it

Deregos. · 06-03-2024 09:27PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121858433#Comment_121858433

“The best thing since flies bred”

NIMAN · 06-03-2024 09:46PM

Looks a great fly catcher for sure, but I'd say you'd still have flies in the house even with those in the garden?

JVince · 06-03-2024 10:09PM

Forget sprays, fly paper, electronic zappers.

Smoke bombs are the answer.

Have had fly issues in the attic. I set off two smoke bombs 3 times a year and haven't had an issue since.

Very safe to use (just be out of the house for 3-4 hours if using them in a room) and can be bought online

These are the ones we used

https://owlpestcontrol.ie/medium-insect-foggers-smoke-bombs/

06-03-2024 10:11PM

I had an issue with them before and it seemed like they were nesting in the window frames. Apparently it’s common.

Jim_Hodge · 06-03-2024 10:16PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121858978#Comment_121858978

You'd be better to find out the source of the problem if you have to smoke bomb the attic of a house three times a year.

JVince · 06-03-2024 10:19PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121858996#Comment_121858996

Probably don't have an issue, but we're rural and beside a bog, so just do it out of habit.

adocholiday · 06-03-2024 10:27PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121858433#Comment_121858433

I will definitely buy these. I have a serious problem with flies in the garden mainly because I live in a wooded area of Wicklow and my lawns are pretty boggy so it's just a perfect habitat for them. I get eaten alive when mowing or even hanging out laundry!

greasepalm · 06-03-2024 11:13PM

Must be many plants out there that will repel flies and bugs.

BorneTobyWilde · 06-03-2024 11:55PM

They can't fly through walls, there must be a entrance, chimney likely

monseiur · 08-03-2024 08:31PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121859045#Comment_121859045

You'd be wasting your money, the particular flies you have are midges. They'd probably survive an atomic bomb - if you have to be out when they're active just cover up well, wear a midge/mosquito head net and use midge repellent spray on exposed skin.

adocholiday · 09-03-2024 05:56PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121867409#Comment_121867409

No not these lads, they're black flies. We have the dreaded midges too, and horse flies/clegs, but the specific ones I have issue with are these black flies that swarm and bite as soon as they are disturbed. Even worse then once they're swarming they'll make their way into the house.

poker--addict · 11-07-2025 07:10AM

https://owlpestcontrol.ie/medium-insect-foggers-smoke-bombs/

anyone managed to find a cheaper supplier? 10e for a small pot - when you may need several seems excessive.

greasepalm · 11-07-2025 11:28AM

Food waste needs to be removed quickly with this heat as plenty flying around rotten fruit here.

I also need to plug back in to use my bug zapper as with windows open bluebottles come in.

Sticky pads in yellow work .

Any plants in peat based compost also attracts them.

JVince · 11-07-2025 11:58AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123622998#Comment_123622998

That's a medium pot (11g) and will cover a decent area. €7.55+vat when you buy 10

Small pots available €3.53 at espares

https://www.espares.com/insecto-mini-smoke-bomb-35g-pest-control/product.pl?pid=5343051

If its a large space like an attic a medium pot is probably needed, but will clear them for a fair number of months. If its smaller spaces/individual rooms, then the small pots are better

Driven insane by flies in the house - please help!

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