Flies and how to get rid of?

[deerhound]

On our first trip after getting parked on hook up, (about 3months ago) there were a lot of house flies inside the main skylight, the small vent, in overcab bed and inside the vent in toilet, I spent a while swatting and killing as many as possible but on coming back to van it was covered in them, the strange thing being when I attempted to get them they went in behind the skylight surrounds and only then did I hear them buzzing like a nest, so off to local shop for fly killer, good while later the more I got the more came out, infact the surround area in overcab was black with them and we considered abandoning the trip, 2 full cans of killer used during the night and next day, seemed to work although there were still some. Today in van I removed the bench seat in passenger side to find a huge blue/green bottle fly like in state of hibernation, on further searching got 3 more, I emptied another can of killer and went in to every compartment and cupboard, Is this normal and is this best way to keep them out? Thanks for advise. *-)

[nuevoboy]

If you're still breathing by now (or did you use gas masks?).....

...we had similar problems when we first got our 'van 3 months ago.

Every time we opened the cab doors we got an infestation.

On checking the door seals, we found hundreds of the blighters.

I opened up the seals to release them all outside and carefully cleaned the seals out to make sure none were left.

We did have a few appearing on side windows and the skylight, so I opened all these and again cleaned out all the seals. Only one fly appeared on our recent outing.

My suspicion is that one or two got into the seals sometime during the summer when the windows etc. were open and procreated from there.

I've just learnt that my 'van went on a 3 month trip to Spain in the summer

so I suspect they're all illegal immigrants!

Hope this helps...and do try to use less aerosol...it ain't good for you (or the flies). ;-)

[Guest pelmetman]

Sound like cluster flys, I suspect you have cured it now :D

[deerhound]

Thanks for that, and my van was resident in Spain untill I purchased it, I will check the seals in skylights etc, Oh Boy the smell of that fly killer, I had to purchase complete new bedding when on the trip.

[Guest peter]

It's not normal to empty 3 cans of insecticide into the interior of your van, not unless you are trying to commit suicide that is. (lol)

[laimeduck]

These will have been cluster fly "Pollenia rudis" and "Dasyphora cyanella"( A green bottle) & maybe "Musca autumnalis".

 

They come into buildings/structures in late autumn to hibernate. They are called Cluster Fly because they cluster together & release a pheromone which attracts other flies of the same genus. This pheromone can last for years so the same structures can have problems year after year.

 

You can recognise Pollenia as it is one of very few flies that when at rest folds its wings like scissors ie one wing over the other.

 

The bad news is that you cannot prevent these flies. They WILL find the smallest gaps & gain entry.

 

The good news is that you can kill them easily - but don't kill yourself in the process!!

 

Open all cupboards drawers etc but close all windows & vents & give the van a 15sec burst of aerosol fly spray - then close the door & leave for 20 minutes. Then open the doors and windows & vent for 20 mins. This should kill all insects inside BUT will have no residual effect - so more flies may enter on the next sunny autumn day. Simply repeat. You are simply wasting money and harming yourself if you use more spray.

 

I have one client in Berkshire where I remove 3 black bin liners of dead flies from one bedroom every year using a similar technique.

 

Jeremy

 

[deerhound]

Many thanks for all replies, That is exactly the type of fly, I will use that method and have a stock of the dreaded fly killer. :-D