Help.. I have a fly problem... what can I do

[Nosha123]

This may sound a trivial problem but its really starting to do my head in!!! So please.. help save my sanity!!!!!

I am being totally inundated with flies. Not the biting kind thankfully but literally INUNDATED. Photos can be seen here (I hope!) - http://s642.photobucket.com/albums/uu145/nosha 123/?albumview=slideshow

I am trying to identify what the fly is.... so I can find out where its coming from and get rid of them.
What confuses me is yesterday morning when I left the house - our wetroom door was closed, no windows no furniture in it so no hiding places. I have taped some netting over the extractor. No flies.. only the dead ones on the floor from night before. SO.. I come home last night - and the whole house is FULL of them Inc the shower room - with the door still closed! What is this insect, where does it lay its eggs and how can I get rid of them! I have netted all the windows and screened the door so I know that they are not coming in from outside (well not this many!!! maybe one or two). I hoover them all up and even stuff tissue in the nozzle to stop them flying back out!
This morning I did notice some small blobs of black stuff (sorry.. it looked like jet black bogeys!) stuck to tiles in the shower. I originally thought that this was the remnants of the dead flies turning into jelly or something.. but now think it could be their eggs!!!! I keep cleaning it all up and it comes back.. not loads - just a bit!
I":M GOING MAD! DO I NEED PEST CONTROL!!!!

[fredwalker]

Looking at that photo it appears to be a window fly, window gnat, sylvicola fenestralis.

Biology: Adult females lay their eggs in wet rich areas in organic matter. Often found around sewage works. The larvae which emerge are essentially aquatic, feeding on organic matter. The large numbers of these flies which can emerge from pupation areas means that these flies can constitute a nuisance in domestic premises where they are often found, as their common name suggests, on the windows.

Control: Where a large number of flies are apparent, then an attempt should be made to locate the larvae breeding site and eliminate at the source where possible. Swarms of adults maybe effectively dealt with a high residual insecticidal spray.

I'd suggest looking and spraying around pipe work, around sinks and around bins etc.

A high residual insecticide which works very well can be found at http://www.ppcsupplies.co.uk/AG001

Best

Fred

[Nosha123]

frewalker you are bloody marvellous! Will google now and see if pics look the same. I thank you!!!! Though I have no idea where the breeding ground can be.... but there must be one in our house since the numbers of them increase without the doors and windows being opened.

Any suggestions or tips on tracking it down? I guess there may be more than one too!!!

What would the breeding ground look like - and how big could it be???? Our wetroom is really basic.. no hiding places as such!!!!

[fredwalker]

Any blocked drains? A drain buster or bleach down the sinks to flush away any collected dirt will be beneficial. Reading your question again, I'd recommend the bleach down the shower plug and sink.

Glad to be of help!!

Best

Fred

[Polly1958]

Hi Nosha123, we have noticed that at this time of the year when the windows are open that we have a few flies ,and i have thought that maybe they are hatching in the drainage holes in the window surround.May be worth a try spraying some pesticide in the holes.

[Nosha123]

thank you all. I have ordered some of that spray recommended by fred, and have been using bleach in the shower plug hole also...
They have been driving me loopy loo!!!! I did find what I now think is eggs on the wet scouring sponge .. dont look like eggs.. looks like black blob of jelly stuff.. just disgusting! Husband refuses to clean them out of the shower so I have to except when I take my glasses off in the shower I cant see the beggars!!!! grrr
Thanks for all your advice... I just need to now find where the breeding areas are! That will be fun!!!

[..]

close your legs

[Nosha123]

.......

get a life scumbag

....

[paraffin]

Best of luck, Nosha - go get the little gits!

[knotsure]

Don't know if it helps but Lavender is supposed to drive them away as they supposedly can;t stand the smell.

Good Luck

[Ujjalseo]

I can understand that you are doing lots of things in order to get rid of this problem but unfortunately nothing can be helpful. You have to call the pest control company in order to solve this problem permanently.