Flies!!
We have flies here which look a lot like regular house flies, but are called cluster flies. In the fall, they swarm all over the house, and crawl into any crack they can find looking for a warm place, I suppose. I live in British Columbia, but have seen similar flies in upper New York state. They do not seem to be a problem in town, but only in rural areas. Los of our neighbours have similar problems.
If you pull off a piece of siding (mine is cedar bevel siding) there are lots these flies underneath. Some of them get into the house, where they die buzzing against the windows. Some times I vaccuum them up daily.
Also woodpeckers and flickers bore holes in my siding to eat the flies.
Any ideas on how to discourage them?
Replies
mmmm.... flies
Konk is the answer - foodservice and hospital safe - death to flies.
Konk Too is even better - for dairy barns etc. Might be a bit harder to find outside of agricultural areas.
a teeny tiny squirt here and there on your afternoon walkabout and presto.
how to keep them out in the first place? don't know. anything tight enough to keep those little flies out would have a condensation problem.
Golden,
I was finishing a cutnailed pine floor one night in Rangeley Maine, and the clusters were attracted to my halogen worklights. Brand new house, brand new floor, oil poly. The next morning, tons of them were peppered on my huge 2 story and stair piece of flypaper.
-zen
fish and frogs eat flies ...
so stick some fish and frogs inside the siding.
that should help.
Jeff
Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
We have a similar problem here with Japanese lady bugs. I've opened up walls during remodeling and have had thousands fall out. Most lady bugs don't bite, but these do and if you crush them, they have an orange colored stinky juice.
Here in Horse capital, they use either sulfer, on a plate..or vet specific repellants...I said repellants, not extermination.
Try yer google fingers for either
NASCO farm supply
Or
Farmtek.com
I have a raging fire outdoors or I'd link ya...
easy enuff to fix, go to equine supplies, aKA face flies.
In doubt crush some chrysthansymuns and steep in h20..spray on the areas to be treated..safe and humane as a deterrent and an ex fly application. IT will stain fabric and such, so be carefull. Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Cluster flies. We have those too, but not as bad as adjacent homes that get more sun. Supposably cluster flies move from animal fesces and decaying organics to warm places in a cyclical manner. Eggs/larvae in the woods and buzzing flies in your windows. Our neighbors have used a product called Cluster Buster and have seen a decline in flies collecting on their window sills. Supposably, the Cluster Buster breaks the cycle of flies moving from the woods to your windows. It is a powderized egg shell fly trap that sits in your window sill. Depending on your window/sill layout it can be relatively unobtrusive. Check out Cluster Buster at http://www.natural-insect-control.com/catalogue/getprod.cgi?3062.
Good luck.