HELP! My house has been invaded by flies and gnats!

[mikedt]

Wait--don't you have air conditioning? I'd be lost without it.

Funky is in the UK. Don't usually need A/C in homes there. But apparently they're having a heatwave at the moment, or so some of my friends over there tell me.

Where I'm staying at the moment doesn't have A/C. I leave the windows open, but there's mesh bug screens on them to keep the pests out. And I sleep under a mosquito net at night. In southern China most homes have A/C, it would be intolerable without it, but then they don't have heating, not needed. If it gets chilly, you just put more clothes on.

 

[MoodyBlues]

Funky is in the UK. Don't usually need A/C in homes there. But apparently they're having a heatwave at the moment, or so some of my friends over there tell me.

Yes, I knew Funky is in the UK, but for some reason it didn't click. My daughter lived in the UK for a year following college graduation, so I actually know what the weather is like there, but, whatever. Chronic brain fog, I guess.

Where I'm staying at the moment doesn't have A/C. I leave the windows open, but there's mesh bug screens on them to keep the pests out. And I sleep under a mosquito net at night. In southern China most homes have A/C, it would be intolerable without it, but then they don't have heating, not needed. If it gets chilly, you just put more clothes on.

I don't remember now what program it was, but years ago I saw a show about China, and I was shocked at the images of people bundled up like Eskimos cooking in kitchens inside houses with no heat, yet it was VERY cold--you could see their breath as they talked. This was in a rural area, as I recall. Now that I think about it, I think it was something to do with China's "one child policy." So I'm guessing that China's weather varies greatly, as ours does here in the US, depending on location.

As for mosquitoes, you have no idea how glad I am to be back home in the mosquito-free area I grew up in! When I lived in Dallas, summers were so MISERABLE, not only because of the oppressive heat and humidity (like 103 degrees with 99% humidity), but because within moments of stepping outside my arms turned black. I was a mosquito magnet! My husband, who grew up in Florida, seemed to have some kind of natural mosquito repellent in him, because while I was being devoured by mosquitoes he wouldn't have a single one on him.

 

[MoodyBlues]

Another update: It's MUCH better today! I've only seen four flies and one gnat. That's compared to 20...30...40 flies and countless gnats at any given time a few days ago. I've been running around the house like a madwoman with my detergent-solution-filled spray bottle, and last night my kitchen floor kind of felt like an ice skating rink [it was so slippery!], but my efforts seem to be paying off.

Oh, I'm not celebrating just yet. I realize it could be a fluke and/or a temporary change. But, still, it's MUCH BETTER!!

 

[Clementine_3]

I hope you are on the better end of winning! Damn friggin' bugs

 

[MoodyBlues]

What gets me is that my six LAZY, SPOILED cats just sit around and watch the flies go by. Like I said before, you'd think at least SOME of the flies would get caught by the cats...right?

 

[OcalaFlGuy]

The may be a lot of phoneomologists here but probably not many Entomologists here.

Go find ya some experts. FREE ones.

Get a couple dead unsquished examples of what you have and take them to your County Extension office. They should have a bugmanologist.

They can tell you what they are, how to kill them, and where in your house the nests may be if there are such.

[EDIT] Damn. Forgot one of the most important parts. Not only are the Ag agents Free but they aren't in the business to take money away from you for their product like a commercial exterminator.

Bruce in Ocala, Fl

 

[huh]

ONLY if you didn't want them too!!! Then they would be all over it!!

 

[MoodyBlues]

ONLY if you didn't want them too!!! Then they would be all over it!!

You're not kidding! This is what Big Brian does while flies are zooming around over his head:

Every once in a while he looks up and says, "Oh, hi, Mom!" Snoooooze.....

 

[Shotgun84]

I can sympathise with you about the flies. I'm sat by a lake fishing and there's loads of them, but I guess it's not as bad as I'm on their turf. It seems like you have things under control but a tip I've been given today to keep them away should in principle work for you as well. I guess you'll have to do a room at a time. So close all doors and windows and light a scented candle in the middle of the room and turn out the light. They'll be attracted to the light and get killed when they get too close. On a side note to why there were so many flies about. Do you cats have a habit of catching birds or mice and leaving them in random places?

 

[Granite1]

Knoxville MD. We called em the Knoxville Knats, really bad down there!!

Had to wear these to work outside:


Cider vinegar / water in a mason jar. Poke some holes in the lid with a big kitchen knife. Works for us.

Also heard the water bag trick works, haven't tried it yet tho.

 

[MoodyBlues]

I can sympathise with you about the flies. I'm sat by a lake fishing and there's loads of them, but I guess it's not as bad as I'm on their turf. It seems like you have things under control but a tip I've been given today to keep them away should in principle work for you as well. I guess you'll have to do a room at a time. So close all doors and windows and light a scented candle in the middle of the room and turn out the light. They'll be attracted to the light and get killed when they get too close.

No problems with that idea--I LOVE scented candles and have tons of them; I always have at least one lit in the living room. So if my issue doesn't stop, I'll give your suggestion a try.

On a side note to why there were so many flies about. Do you cats have a habit of catching birds or mice and leaving them in random places?

Oh, no. I NEVER let my cats outside. It's far too dangerous for cats to be out, so that's a non-issue.

 

[Clementine_3]

Gotta love a wax encrusted fly.

 

[general eclect]

Had to wear these to work outside:

Did you come to Australia to get that?

 

[zuben el genub]

That white cat sits like my Snowshoe. Our feral will catch bugs - even the ferrets did.

I won't be obnoxious and tell you how a fly eats.

 

[zuben el genub]

There's a company in the States that makes "The Bug Shirt" Guaranteed to keep out no-see-ums. I got the hat veil to keep the damn moths out of my face.

The ORIGINAL Bug Shirt - protection from insects since 1991

 

[zuben el genub]

If that fly was in Amber it would be worth a couple of bucks.

 

[Clementine_3]

If that fly was in Amber it would be worth a couple of bucks.

Well, the wax is sort of an amber color, that should count for something, no?

 

[Joelgp83]

Another update: It's MUCH better today! I've only seen four flies and one gnat. That's compared to 20...30...40 flies and countless gnats at any given time a few days ago. I've been running around the house like a madwoman with my detergent-solution-filled spray bottle, and last night my kitchen floor kind of felt like an ice skating rink [it was so slippery!], but my efforts seem to be paying off.

Oh, I'm not celebrating just yet. I realize it could be a fluke and/or a temporary change. But, still, it's MUCH BETTER!!

*Insert joke about using daily/nightly house builds here*

 

[general eclect]

If that fly was in Amber it would be worth a couple of bucks.

Amber should stop eating flies. Filthy habit...

 

[MoodyBlues]

That white cat sits like my Snowshoe.

That's my wonderful Brian Setzer, or as we normally refer to him, Big Brian. (In case anyone's wondering how he got his name: I was talking to my best friend and said "so what am I going to name this stray cat?" To which she replied, "Brian Setzer." (And if you don't know who Brian Setzer and/or The Stray Cats are...you're way too young. Go away. ) He joined the household last Halloween--and QUICKLY figured it all out. I guess he discussed things with the other kids [or cats, if you prefer], and found out that he now gets food and water 24/7, can lounge around all day, roll around and act cute when Mommy walks by, and play with lots of toys. He also enjoys stalking and chasing the kids who were here BEFORE him. Except for my baby, Joy Noelle. She's the boss of the house, my little princess, and she knows it. They ALL know it. They defer to her. At first, she wouldn't even allow Big Brian on my bed at night. Now, he can get up there, but he has to keep his distance from Mommy.

Our feral will catch bugs

One of my two feral cats is quite the bug catcher, but for some reason flies are of no interest. Crickets? Yes. Moths? Yes. Flies? No.

I won't be obnoxious and tell you how a fly eats.

Oh, but I already know... :vollkommenauf:

 

[MoodyBlues]

There's a company in the States that makes "The Bug Shirt" Guaranteed to keep out no-see-ums. I got the hat veil to keep the damn moths out of my face.

The ORIGINAL Bug Shirt - protection from insects since 1991

Wait a minute--1991 is when I started using Linux. You don't think there's a connection here, do you?

 

[zuben el genub]

We had an influx of flies in one office. Could have been due to mice as we didn't have a break room, so no real food around. We did have mice and exterminators used DeCon.

Fly strips did no good, so I finally made a fly swatter out of cardboard and a coathanger. Got the flies, but the cleaning crew didn't like it.

 

[Granite1]

Did you come to Australia to get that?

Actually no. I remember seeing this hat on a video by the wiggles, my kids loved those guys , and someone told me it works to keep knats away from your face. So my buddy and I made em with the wine corks his wife collects. Worked like a charm!

 

[zuben el genub]

Wait a minute--1991 is when I started using Linux. You don't think there's a connection here, do you?

I thought the older Linux was bug (virus and baddie) proof. Might have been directed at Windows users.

 

[MoodyBlues]

Head count so far today:

Flies - 2
Gnats - 0

Looking good!