5 Easy Methods to Get Rid of Cluster Flies

Some insects become less active as temperatures fall, which is a relief. However, the cooler temperatures bring out a swarm of cluster flies

Cluster flies are dull-grey in color with black markings and are slightly larger than common house flies. They have golden-yellow hairs on the thorax and make their appearance in the autumn. Overwintering pests crawl out of wall voids and attics to enjoy the warmth, clustering in large numbers on the sunny exterior of buildings, as well as at windows within the home, in search of sunny sides to escape the cold.

It’s worth noting that these flies emit an odor that some describe as smelling like buckwheat honey. You most likely have cluster flies if you’ve noticed large flies suddenly sitting on the walls and gathering on the windowsills of your home, especially during the winter months. The following guidelines will assist you in identifying and eliminating cluster flies in your home.

Identifying:

How can you tell if a winter fly is a cluster fly or another large fly? Several characteristics distinguish the cluster fly from the house fly:

Body: A cluster fly has a black/silvery-black body and is slightly larger than a housefly. They also have short golden or yellowish hairs on their lower bodies, which a house fly does not have. 

Slow movement: The cluster fly will fly around the house at a slower pace than the house fly.

Wings: When at rest, the cluster fly’s wings will overlap, whereas the house fly’s wings will remain separate.

Clustering at windows: On warm, sunny days, if there is a large population of cluster flies, they tend to cluster along windows or inside attics, and usually in little-used areas.

1- Seal Entry Points

Keeping entry points closed will help keep cluster flies out. Because these pests are small, small holes should not be overlooked. Pay close attention to these areas. Examine your home’s exterior and interior for cracks and gaps. To keep cluster flies out of your home, seal them with caulk. Check the condition of the weather stripping. You don’t want flies to get in. If the screens on your doors and windows have holes, they must be repaired or replaced.

2- Vacuum Visible Flies

Control methods are limited once cluster flies enter a building to nest within the walls or buzz around rooms. A more natural way to get rid of cluster flies exists. Because flies are slow, those that find their way inside are usually easy to swat or vacuum.

Unfortunately, as soon as you get rid of them, more will appear, resulting in an ongoing cycle of swatting, vacuuming, and frustration. But eventually, you’ll have killed most of them, and the rest will perish while trying to escape your house. This may be one of the more effective natural ways to keep cluster flies away from your home.

3- Use Contact Spray

If you have a lot of cluster flies in your house, using a space or contract spray is one of the best ways to get rid of flies. Before you begin treating the room, make sure that all of the doors, windows, vents, and other openings are properly sealed.

Spray thoroughly according to the instructions. Make sure to spray in the crevices of the room as well to get rid of any hidden cluster flies. Leave the room by closing the door. After a few minutes, open the room’s door and windows to find a large number of cluster flies dead on the floor. If you still have cluster flies around your house after a month, you can repeat this treatment.

4- Use Fly Lights

If there aren’t too many cluster flies flying around your house, this can be used. These are lights equipped with a glue board that traps insects as they fly around the bulb. Cluster flies are drawn to these lights, and you can easily catch them if they get too close. Use these bulbs in unused areas of your home, especially during the winter, to control cluster fly entry and infestations.

These methods will usually help you get rid of cluster flies to a large extent. If, after trying everything, you still see these flies around your house, we recommend contacting a professional pest control expert for a permanent solution.

5- Approved Indoor Pesticide

For interior use, a pyrethrin-based insect spray based on chrysanthemum flower extract will quickly kill cluster flies. Pyrethrin’s are present in a variety of commercial products. Use them sparingly and directly at the flies. Pyrethrin’s aren’t completely harmless—they’re toxic to fish, so keep them out of drinking water—but they’re safe for humans and other mammals. Check to see if the product contains pyrethrin’s rather than pyrethroids, which are synthetic versions.

6- Seal Cracks and Gaps

Flies that have found shelter in walls by entering through exterior cracks and crevices cannot become an indoor nuisance unless there are gaps on the interior walls as well. The smallest cracks along window and door frames, as well as along baseboards, provide an entry point for flies. Keep going your attempts to eliminate cluster flies and prevent their return by caulking or otherwise filling all cracks and crevices in the interior wall surfaces of your home, including:1

• Close to doors and windows
• Near electrical outlets
• Close to vent registers.
• At the junctions of baseboards and flooring

These methods will keep new flies from emerging while killing the ones that are already present.

Causes Of Cluster Flies:

Cluster flies come into your home for one reason only: they need warmth to survive the cold winter months. These are mostly outdoor insects that lay their eggs in the soil and hatch into larvae that eat earthworms. They enter homes and other warm structures as the fall turns cold in order to survive the winter. These pests do not reproduce in your walls or in your home, nor do they seek food as basic house flies do.

Call 1st Choice Pest Control today for prompt and dependable pest control services. With a wealth of industry experience and experts ready to provide quick responses and effective control for any emergency issues, you can trust us to get the job done. Your home is the ideal winter retreat, but that doesn’t mean you have to share it with cluster flies.

Make sure to pest-proof your home before the fall to keep these pests at bay. If pests are bothering you, we’ve got your back! We have offices in a variety of locations, including: Henry St, Kaukauna, Channel Dr, Stevens Point, Ryan Rd, De Pere, Nelson Rd, Waupaca, Fenton St, Ripon, Breezewood Ln, Oshkosh, Buehler Ave. Nekoosa, Brantwood Dr. Neenah