Flying things!

For the last few days I have had the same invasion. You can get mesh open window protection attached with Velcro. When I had my Bengal cat who tried to jump from upstairs windows I bought custom-made ones from Flat Cat which are great. I expect there are cheaper ones for insects only.
www.flat-cats.co.uk/

A few years ago we had a bad fly infestation in my back yard. Of course, they would get in the house though the windows and doors, but mainly they stopped me enjoying the sunshine outside.

What worked for me was to put up a few shiny wind catchers outside, and also hang foil and silver paper near the door.

Within a few days the flies had gone and never returned.

I was told their eyes are very sensitive to moving light and they hate it. I do still get midges and fruit flies but not house flies anymore.

I think it depends where you live country, town, seaside
I haven’t had any flies or wasps or insects apart from bxxxxx snails that have just eaten my lupins to the ground…. grrrrr

We have the occasional fly.But DH spends ages dashing around with a fly spray. Worse than the fly.

Why is it they find their way through the tiniest space possible in order to annoy you for days but are unable to find their way out of wide open double patio doors?

I agree with Bluebelle. When I lived in rural France there were flies everywhere. I tried all methods known, without success. The French don't seem to mind them crawling on the kitchen table and buzzy round the windows.
Here on the coast we have wasps. I dislike them more.
You could try lengths of tulle round your windows and back door.

Yes, wasps!

There were two in the bedroom window this morning making a lot of noise. I dropped the curtain and when I looked five minutes later, the small one had gone but the large one was still there. I did bash it with a book (sorry, Jodie Picoult!) and flushed it down the loo.
It's the fifth wasp I've seen in the bedroom and am worried there might be a nest nearby.

There seem to be a lot of spiders around too.

I do rescue the bees that venture indoors.

And - lots of tiny flies or gnats coming over the fence from next door yesterday. I presume they bred in their pond.

Just had my first wasp encounter this year, so the living room window is now closed. I managed to encourage it to leave the way it arrived but I hate the things. Sharks with wings. The fruit flies are starting to appear too but I deal with them with cider vinegar in small ramekins.

Years ago, I had a plague of bluebottles. They just kept coming and I couldn't imagine how they got in. Then I realised that they were coming from the living room and were trying to get out! I discovered that they had been wintering under the sofa and were hatching from dozens of eggs. The vacuum cleaner soon put paid to their refuge.

I hate wasps but for some reason we haven’t had any this year. In fact the insect population seems reduced- not many bees, either, which is concerning. We have had a very dry year, maybe they have died ?

I have some sheer net curtain over the bathroom window that is never closed. It came as a kit with some velcro edging to fasten directly to frame. I keep it there all year road as need to keep moths and spiders at bay as well as flies.

We have had cluster flies that live under the eaves. They appear as the weather warms up and disappear in the autumn. I found a repellent that I put under the eaves and have barely seen any this year. Sorry, I can’t remember its name.

pretty soon the dreaded maybugs (cockchafer)will be coming down the chimney as soon as we turn a light on. I hate them

Not a banana in sight but fruit flies inundating the kitchen. I am trying the cider vinegar or wine with washing up liquid - they just go for a swim and come out of the jar somewhat tiddly! Total infestation of harlequin ladybirds in the master and adjacent bedroom. Have been using citronella incense sticks to some effect. I can live with them BUT I cannot live w ith the wasps. Of varying hues and very sleepy. In the same room. No nest obvious. Sleeping in the spare room pro tem.

Interesting post about the silver paper and shiny windcatchers - I'll try that.
Bluebelle - your snails - I too am plagued with them. Have your tried putting lettuce leaves down around the plant you want to save and then putting them on the compost heap in the morning with all the snails still attached?

PilgrimQuill

Interesting post about the silver paper and shiny windcatchers - I'll try that.
Bluebelle - your snails - I too am plagued with them. Have your tried putting lettuce leaves down around the plant you want to save and then putting them on the compost heap in the morning with all the snails still attached?

I'm also going to try windcatchers etc.

Someone in work said she uses peppermint oil, she wipes it around the rim of windows

I have a very small dog who has spent all morning in pursuit of a fly.....taking his guarding duties extremely seriously!

Wasps, little flitty things, may flies and black beetle things, never seen anything like it these past few days, impossible to walk on the seafront today eating ice cream or anything, which was a shame for visitors on this lovely day.

Dianalouise I used to love watching the may bugs or cockchafers crawling up the kitchen window in may when the light was on. Fascinating creatures, but by the time I moved from the countryside into a city, I hardly saw any. Our insects are under so much threat from insecticides that the swift and swallow populations are suffering. I remember way back, when my dad had to stop the car occasionally to wipe the windscreen.

A few years ago my daughter had loads of flies in her kitchen.

She used those sticky paper fly catchers, not very attractive but they did the trick.

shysal - is the mesh small enough to keep out the "no-se-um" type bugs or, (given that they are really for cats) are they larger holes than bug screens?

We have used fly papers over the past few years; they are now fruit based glue, and as soon as a few flies are stuck the paper is changed. (Do you remember years ago they would have so many flies attached you could hardly see the paper? Uggh!) I won't use sprays as they are so harmful.

Been chasing 2 flies around this evening but better than the invasion of wasps last year. Had to get pest control in twice last year as the blighters were coming through in the bedrooms. Over the last few days have found a handful of dead bees ( the big furry kind) dead on the patio.

We do get flies coming into the conservatory when the weather's warm. I do rescue any bees I can.

The flies seem to kark it overnight so I vacuum them up the next morning.