By DoMyOwn staff
Cluster flies can gather inside your home around doors and windows, trying to enter your home to find a warm place to survive the winter. The best way to prevent them is to treat your home in the fall.
If you see light and dark grey striped flies gathering around doors and windows, these are cluster flies. As temperatures begin to fall in early autumn, these overwintering pests enter your home looking for a warm place to survive the winter. As temperatures warm in the spring, they emerge from their hiding spots to search for food.
Cluster flies are light and dark grey striped flies that gather inside your home around doors and windows. In the fall, these overwintering pests try to enter your home looking for a warm place to survive the winter. Then, as temperatures warm in the spring, they emerge from their harborage sites in search of food.
The best way to prevent cluster flies from entering your home is to prepare your home in the fall, before they get in. But if you see flies in the spring, you can also get rid of them with insecticides.
During the fall, cluster flies may congregate on the sunniest wall of your home and around exterior doors and windows. When you see these flies, applying an insecticide treatment around the home will help keep them out for the upcoming winter.
But if you see cluster flies inside your home in either the spring or the fall, you can control them with an aerosol space spray. Following the instructions on the spray can, close all windows and doors to a room then spray for several seconds. Leave the room for at least 15 minutes. Remove any dead cluster flies found after treatment with a vacuum or broom.
Fly lights are also a smart solution to cluster flies, especially in rooms that are not often frequented like basements and attics. Simply attach the glue board to the light and plug in. Monitor the glue board daily and replace as needed.
When you see these flies, applying an insecticide treatment around the home will help keep them out for the upcoming winter.
Select an insecticide labeled for flies and mix with water in a hand pump or backpack sprayer. While wearing gloves, add half of the required water, then the insecticide, then the remaining amount of water. Replace the lid and shake thoroughly to agitate.
Spray the perimeter of your home, including the foundation, around door and window frames, under eaves and soffits, and where utility pipes and wires enter the home.
You can also follow these instructions when applying monthly preventative perimeter insecticide treatments around your home, which will also help prevent cluster flies.
Inside, spray cracks and crevices around the home including where baseboards meet the wall, in the corners of rooms, around door and window frames, beneath appliances, and where pipes enter the wall.
Insecticide dust can also be used to help control cluster flies and other pests inside the home. After filling a hand bellow duster halfway with insecticide dust, replace the lid and turn over. Then, apply 1-2 puffs of dust per application site. Dust in the corners of rooms, where baseboards meet floors, in the voids behind outlets, around door and window frames, and in other cracks and crevices around the home. Do not apply too much dust at once or the dust will not be effective against cluster flies.
Be sure to read the instructions of any insecticide used in or around your home before you apply and to wear proper protective gear during application.
And it's that easy with the expert help from DoMyOwn.com. Subscribe to our channel for more DIY and product videos.
