Earlier this month we talked about the various types of flies that are active in and around our homes and businesses. These include fruit flies, drain flies and cluster flies. This week we will take a look at cluster flies, what they are, and how to best prevent their entry and if necessary, get rid of them.
Why are they called cluster flies?
Often called attic flies, cluster flies are 7-9 mm in length and light/dark gray. They are larger than houseflies yet nowhere near as quick. They look to come inside to escape the cool fall and cold winter days. Attic flies want to cluster in your warm spaces, so we often inspect the outside of your home to identify their entry points.
Are cluster flies dangerous to humans?
Mostly just annoying, cluster flies do not spread disease because they do not lay eggs in human food. They do, however, tend to exist in large numbers. They do not reproduce in the winter months; they just lay dormant and are happy to be out of the cold.
How do I prevent cluster flies?
The best way to prevent cluster flies is to never let them in your home! Our home maintenance agreement for pest control provides regular treatments between June and August. These treatments can prevent cluster flies from entering and infesting your home once the weather turns cool. We apply insecticides on the outside of the structure and inspect for any areas vulnerable to entry.
- Window seams and frames
- Door frames/screens
- Soffits and eaves
- Vents on the roof
- Electrical outlets
- Gutters- they love to nest here!
Cluster flies are skillful at finding ways of getting inside your home and patiently lay dormant waiting for spring. Should the weather warm, they awake and look to get outside forcing them out of hiding and into your living space. This is why you see flies in your home in the dead of winter.
Application to the surrounding soil of your home could also assist in minimizing cluster fly infestations and entry during late fall/early winter.
How do I get rid of cluster flies?
Prevention is the key and as discussed above, a maintenance plan with Accurate Pest Control insures consistent treatment as well as a regular inspection of your property by a trained professional technician. While insecticides will treat the cluster flies, dead cluster flies inside your home during the winter months, function as a food source for rodents and other insects.
An ounce of prevention is very often worth a pound of cure!
Contact us for information on annual maintenance agreements and keep your home, or business, healthy and pest free!
