Hello,
I have a 4 year old house in Vermont with vinyl siding. The builder recently removed several pieces of siding in order to install 2 gable end attic windows. Upon removing the siding, thousands of house flies were falling out. Flies don’t bother me too much, but this was pretty disgusting.
The house has wood trim, with rabbets cut into it to receive a metal j channel and the siding.
Anyone know if it is common to have thousands of houseflies under the siding? Can it be detrimental or indicative of another problem?
Thanks, Eric
Replies
Very common, we call them cluster flies, 'cause they cluster together in the fall, it can be overwhelming, but given the size of them, they can be damn near impossible to seal out ... if it's any consolation 99% of them will find they're own way back out of the house in the spring ..
or the ladybugs.
Man, you can't forget the ladybugs.
Use to be cute when just a few, but when they swarm and cover a doorsized area inside and out it can make one rethink his opinion.
'Nemo me impune lacesset'No one will provoke me with impunity
Funny, what pops up when you pull siding and trim off, particularly an older house.
I've seen the swarm of dormant flies thing, also in the NE. The same job, a 100 yr old farm house...I was standing on a ladder outside, winter time, starting to remove an old double hung window. I stuck a bar under the head casing and it pulled off easily. There, curled up, lying on his back fast asleep on a soft bed of cotton on top of the head jamb was a very contented field mouse. His contentment was quickly ended by the rush of light and cold air. He awoke, looked at me...looking at him...and lit out of there. I could imagine what he was thinking, "freakin' 20 degrees out and this bone head picks TODAY to evict my sorry butt."