Blooming flies

We've got more swifts this year than we have had for a long time, so there must be more flies for them to eat. Which can't be a bad thing. BUT I know they are a real pain in the house. I hate killing them as they're some birds dinner, so keep bunches of lavender inside all the door ways, the doors shut as much as possible and net curtains at the windows. Seems to keep most of the little beggars out. The resident spiders see off the ones which get inside!

But if anyone can tell me how to get rid of fruit flies I would be much obliged! Where do they come from? Take grapes out of sealed packet. Put in fruit bowl. Ten minutes later, there they are. Swarming!

I’ve got what looks like a battery operated tennis racquet. Makes a satisfying crackle when I zap the little blighters. Great fun playing fly tennis!

I thought thunderbugs were everywhere, they're certainly here and thriving in Cumbria.
The cows have been moved from the pasture next to our house now so there are fewer flies. I don't find nice gentle things like herbs or citronella deter them and the only way is to dope them with toxic fly sprays so they are easy to bash with a swatter. The toxic fly spray is not as strong as it used to be, but its a nerve paralyser and although supposed not to harm humans I only resort to it when really pushed.

Just googled these.might cancel appt....

PS I have now looked at the adverts for window stickers which I have used in the past and note that they are sometimes also described as moth catchers which I find disturbing. The only moths I wish to deter are the ones whose larvae make holes in my jumpers, but there's a multitude of other types who may come to the window, attracted by the light inside and I don't want to harm them. So I'll never again unthinkingly buy the stickers.

When we lived in Norfolk, the 'thunderbugs' were those tiny flies which got under picture frames. In the 36 years since we moved to Cheshire, I've never encountered anything like them. We do have annoying tiny black flies. I opened my compost caddy yesterday to find them swarming in there. I've now sprayed the inside with a contact insecticide which I hope will at least deter them.

Most houses here have flyscreens on the windows and sliding door flyscreens. They are quite easy to fit. Failing that those plastic strips handing from doorways do the job but they don’t look that nice. I wouldn’t have those sticky papers -eeeugh. Germy.

Are the thunderbugs only in RURAL Lincolnshire then? Or are they even in towns?? Ive not noticed them when we've holidayed there, do they only come at certain times of season then? I ask as am going to view houses there and dont want to go willingly into living with this problem??

Dont the flies just get in inbetween the coloured strips?

My wife detests flies and it's a battle getting rid of them. A good fly squat seems to be best.

We had a surge of them recently, probably due to the hot weather, ours seems to come from a crack in our outside bin,
whereas my FwB lives next to a field and that attracts a lot into her house too.

I`ve just been to empty the tray under the plug in zapper, and it was empty!! Yet it`s been catching flies, maybe it vaporises `em!

I have a plug in ultra violet fly killer. It is a small version of those you see in tea shops.

We have the hand held electric zapper (looks like a tennis racquet). Body count: 6 in one short session.

We also use a plug in electric gadget. The light attracts the flies, and they get an almighty shock which kills them. Unfortunately it attracts other insects too - like moths. So we end up with a variety of bodies. So we try to use it when the flies are at their worst during the day.

Last summer we also hung a bag with water and a few coins in it, outside one of our doors, and it did help deter the little b*^%*^s.

You need to buy a ‘red top’. Bought from Amazon you hang it outside and after a few days the flies are drawn to it and once in can’t get out again. We too live next to fields of livestock and use every year. I can’t promise no flies but we only get one at a time now.

I certainly sympathise. Flies made our lives a misery in hot weather. The Buzs fly traps really do work. We blame the river at the back or the cows turned out on the other side. . Emptying the trap does need a strong stomach though. The contents of ours go into a plastic bag which is sealed and put in the dustbin. We’ve put two in the garden, hardly had a fly indoors.

We also use a voile panel over our conservatory door in the summer. With spring rods top and bottom it sits neatly and keeps the majority of flies out. We just slide it across to go in and out and push it to the side when it’s not needed. So far it’s cost nothing other than the curtain rods, I’ve used old net curtains from goodness knows how far back made into a panel.

A electric tennis racket zapper it keeps DH amused zapping them. His got a back hand like Roger Federer

www.amazon.co.uk/Buzz-Fly-Catcher-Refillable-Attractant/dp/B00VAGK1RU/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&crid=3DMR7KTHYU3TW&keywords=fly+catchers&sprefix=Fly%2Caps%2C174&tag=gransnetforum-21&qid=1626468400&sr=8-5

One of these hung on a tree in the garden does the trick .

We have the Vapona window stickers on the inside of each window. They are in the shape of a small sunflower, about 3 inch in diameter and contain a chemical. The flies are attracted toto sticker, walk on it and hey presto, drop dead in seconds. We bought them from A****n. The stickers are hardly noticeable at all and the flies don't stay long.

i use one of those sticky fly catchers at my verada door, it stops the flies...not that i get many...my problem is the blue bottles, they seem to have a thing about flying close to my ears...lol.

Not heard of thunder bugs for years Nandalot. As a kid in Yorkshire we got them (they loved Golden Rod flowers) been in Cheshire for over 30 years and seen them here. There used to be swarms of them at home.

I hate flies in the house too and so keep the doors closed - I've got a swatter, electric swatter and a plug in (which I don't use very often) with only the odd one that gets in I find a flick of a towel is easy than waiting for them to eventually settle, then smack them whilst there down. I hate going in to shops and see them crawling on uncovered food - yuck

My electric zapper has been earning it`s keep today, cracks every few minutes.

We hung the door netting with a narrow tension rod at the top and fastened the sides with small magnets...you have to stick some magnets to the frame but you can easily get them off again if you want to take the curtain down. I also netted the windows that we open using mesh (from ebay). This comes with sticky velcro which is great for the sides you don't open but then we used magnets again on the handle side because it makes it easier.

I tried the poly bag with coins but it didn’t seem to help

We get them when the fields round us have muck spread on them. I try not to leave any food out and wipe down surfaces before I work in the kitchen. I also have a swat which I really enjoy using - and makes me appreciate the reflexes of top tennis players!

We do not have a dung heap near us but the flies this year have been terrible. Never known so many. I spray and swat, thinking about using those ghastly sticky paper things in desperation!