House flies arising from the dead.

Forums › Off topic › House flies arising from the dead.

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583 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1517744 22-Mar-2016 15:59

We get cluster flies here, which could also be known as retard flies.

If I understand it right, from hibernating and a hell of a lot of inbreeding, these flies awake and don't seem to have the usual fly brain functions. It's quite funny to see them on their back, just spinning around and around... or others next to a limb, which must have just dropped right off.

They also don't even move as you approach them, so squishing them is incredibly easy.

What to do well however, is bunch up in clusters (hence the name). They release a pheromone which attracts more, and so it's not unusual to see a pile of say 20 cluster flies almost on top of each other. Very gross, and unfortunately the pheromone tends to linger around even after the flies are gone, which then brings more to that spot.

Previously we bug bombed the roof where they were all staying over the winter, and that worked pretty well. But last winter we didn't. I don't think we'll skip that again ;)

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andrew027

1286 posts

Uber Geek

#1517748 22-Mar-2016 16:02

SepticSceptic:

Mmm, flypaper !!!

Actually, in my limited experience, flypaper does work well. But it's not a particularly pleasant looking thing to have hanging in your house. You can make a reasonably effective fly trap by putting some sugar water (or vinegar) in a glass, then making a paper cone, cutting the point off to leave a hole just big enough for a fly to get through, and sitting the inverted cone in the glass so the hole sits a centimeter or so above the water.

allio

885 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1517810 22-Mar-2016 16:57

LostBoyNZ:

We get cluster flies here, which could also be known as retard flies.

If I understand it right, from hibernating and a hell of a lot of inbreeding, these flies awake and don't seem to have the usual fly brain functions. It's quite funny to see them on their back, just spinning around and around... or others next to a limb, which must have just dropped right off.

They also don't even move as you approach them, so squishing them is incredibly easy.

What to do well however, is bunch up in clusters (hence the name). They release a pheromone which attracts more, and so it's not unusual to see a pile of say 20 cluster flies almost on top of each other. Very gross, and unfortunately the pheromone tends to linger around even after the flies are gone, which then brings more to that spot.

Previously we bug bombed the roof where they were all staying over the winter, and that worked pretty well. But last winter we didn't. I don't think we'll skip that again ;)

We got these this year. Absolutely dopey - you could pretty much just reach out and squish them with your hand. I assumed their dumbness was due to the fact that they hatched in early spring when the weather was still pretty cold. The flies that came along in summer were a lot zippier.

nunz

1421 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#1517836 22-Mar-2016 17:41

vexxxboy:

timmmay:

Kill them with fire.

bit dangerous ,, Petrol works especially if they are underground . A couple of litres down the opening and seal. all dead and hive useless in 2-3 days . Gets the adrenaline going i tell you .

Agreed but not sure why it took a few days. I found after I dropped a match on the petrol I poured down the nest it all happened pretty quickly :)

mattwnz

20141 posts

Uber Geek

#1517839 22-Mar-2016 17:46

LostBoyNZ:

We get cluster flies here, which could also be known as retard flies.

If I understand it right, from hibernating and a hell of a lot of inbreeding, these flies awake and don't seem to have the usual fly brain functions. It's quite funny to see them on their back, just spinning around and around... or others next to a limb, which must have just dropped right off.

They also don't even move as you approach them, so squishing them is incredibly easy.

What to do well however, is bunch up in clusters (hence the name). They release a pheromone which attracts more, and so it's not unusual to see a pile of say 20 cluster flies almost on top of each other. Very gross, and unfortunately the pheromone tends to linger around even after the flies are gone, which then brings more to that spot.

Previously we bug bombed the roof where they were all staying over the winter, and that worked pretty well. But last winter we didn't. I don't think we'll skip that again ;)

My brother gets those in his location, as they are common in some places. But they appear to be a smaller type of fly, and don't behave in the same way as blow and house flys.

jpoc

1043 posts

Uber Geek

#1517907 22-Mar-2016 19:07

mattwnz:

jpoc:

The last thing that you should consider using is one of those UV zappers or electrical fly swatters.

What happens when one of those gadgets zaps an insect?

Current passes through the insect's body, the insect presents a resistive load and the current causes it to heat up.

Part of the internal fluid inside the fly will boil and that will cause a huge spike in internal pressure and thus the insect's body will rupture.

Only part of the insect will be heated up and most of the fluid will be expelled as an invisible cloud of drops that will fall out over an area a couple of metres across.

Those droplets will be full of the bacteria that are present in the insect's gut.

When I was living in Germany, some consumer show examined the surfaces in the vicinity of a zapper in a restaurant and they found bits of congealed fly insides all over the surfaces near to the zapper and they also pointed out that anyone in the vicinity of a zapper when it had just zapped a fly would be inhaling the droplets - germs included.

Not in my kitchen thank you.

Is there scientific proof about that though? Also is that any worse than inhaling insecticides, which is what flyspray is? They have them in many restaurants, so I guess if you eat at one that has these things, then depending on where it is positioned, you could be eating insect guts! But people eat insects all the time without knowing it, and you don't know what may have found it's way into the processed food you are buying. Personally I think there are bigger things to worry about, and you don't have to have these things in a kitchen to work. The reason why many people have so many flies in their house, is because they don't keep things clean, and wash up dirty dishes when they need doing.

Yes and yes.

And it is much worse than eating insects. Your body is very good at avoiding infections when you eat something with a load of bacteria or viruses. Only a few infections can cause harm if ingested, norovirus, E.Coli, cholera etc. Your lungs are much more susceptible to infection than your gut.

TinyTim

1042 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#1517985 22-Mar-2016 21:47

jpoc:

The last thing that you should consider using is one of those UV zappers or electrical fly swatters.

What happens when one of those gadgets zaps an insect?

Current passes through the insect's body, the insect presents a resistive load and the current causes it to heat up.

Part of the internal fluid inside the fly will boil and that will cause a huge spike in internal pressure and thus the insect's body will rupture.

Only part of the insect will be heated up and most of the fluid will be expelled as an invisible cloud of drops that will fall out over an area a couple of metres across.

Those droplets will be full of the bacteria that are present in the insect's gut.

When I was living in Germany, some consumer show examined the surfaces in the vicinity of a zapper in a restaurant and they found bits of congealed fly insides all over the surfaces near to the zapper and they also pointed out that anyone in the vicinity of a zapper when it had just zapped a fly would be inhaling the droplets - germs included.

Not in my kitchen thank you.

Presumably the heat would also kill the germs...?

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Geektastic

17942 posts

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#1518005 22-Mar-2016 22:37

Maybe keeping geckos or venus fly traps?

andrew027

1286 posts

Uber Geek

#1518118 23-Mar-2016 08:24

Geektastic: Maybe keeping geckos or venus fly traps?

Or a few spiders?

Linuxluver

5828 posts

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#1518167 23-Mar-2016 09:21

jpoc:
The last thing that you should consider using is one of those UV zappers or electrical fly swatters.

...
Not in my kitchen thank you.

Same goes for overhead lights: especially halogen and spot pots. Cooking meat isn't much different either.

I have an immune system with millions of years of practice handling bacteria.

But you do highlight the needs to clean things at least occasionally.

:-)

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geoffwnz

1587 posts

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ID Verified

#1518174 23-Mar-2016 09:30

Geektastic:

Maybe keeping geckos or venus fly traps?

Hmm, tempted to look into getting a venus fly trap. They look like they aren't too hard to care for.

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frankv

5680 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#1518233 23-Mar-2016 10:37

geoffwnz:

Geektastic:

Maybe keeping geckos or venus fly traps?

Hmm, tempted to look into getting a venus fly trap. They look like they aren't too hard to care for.

Had a couple of them. They didn't catch many flies. And, just because it was cool to watch, I would often feed them with flies I'd swatted. They died.

I'd say you would need a couple of hundred venus fly traps to make a significant difference. And then, one day, your cat would go missing....

TinyTim

1042 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#1518325 23-Mar-2016 12:00

geoffwnz:
Geektastic:

Maybe keeping geckos or venus fly traps?

Hmm, tempted to look into getting a venus fly trap. They look like they aren't too hard to care for.

They don't catch much:

They need a *lot* of direct sunlight or they die.

michaelmurfy

meow
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#1518330 23-Mar-2016 12:09

We live in an area where Flies can be sometimes a problem and have found one product that works time and time again and keeps flies out of the house (despite many windows open), flies also don't rise from the dead. The answer? Ecomist. They're not the cheapest but you sure know when the dispenser has ran out only since there are many many flies around during that time.

Would recommend to anyone having fly problems. Both my parents and I have got one and during the winter I just replace the spray with something like Coffee flavor to make the place smell awesome. Also in Wellington there is a guy that'll just drop off new cans and invoice you which makes it darn easy to keep on top of the refills.

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Fred99

13684 posts

Uber Geek

#1518339 23-Mar-2016 12:13

mattwnz:

jpoc:

The last thing that you should consider using is one of those UV zappers or electrical fly swatters.

What happens when one of those gadgets zaps an insect?

Current passes through the insect's body, the insect presents a resistive load and the current causes it to heat up.

Part of the internal fluid inside the fly will boil and that will cause a huge spike in internal pressure and thus the insect's body will rupture.

Only part of the insect will be heated up and most of the fluid will be expelled as an invisible cloud of drops that will fall out over an area a couple of metres across.

Those droplets will be full of the bacteria that are present in the insect's gut.

When I was living in Germany, some consumer show examined the surfaces in the vicinity of a zapper in a restaurant and they found bits of congealed fly insides all over the surfaces near to the zapper and they also pointed out that anyone in the vicinity of a zapper when it had just zapped a fly would be inhaling the droplets - germs included.

Not in my kitchen thank you.

Is there scientific proof about that though? Also is that any worse than inhaling insecticides, which is what flyspray is? They have them in many restaurants, so I guess if you eat at one that has these things, then depending on where it is positioned, you could be eating insect guts! But people eat insects all the time without knowing it, and you don't know what may have found it's way into the processed food you are buying. Personally I think there are bigger things to worry about, and you don't have to have these things in a kitchen to work. The reason why many people have so many flies in their house, is because they don't keep things clean, and wash up dirty dishes when they need doing.

"Don’t use fly swatters near food preparation areas because they may result in contaminating food with insect body parts. Similarly, never use a "bug zapper" to kill flies near food preparation areas, as the insect body often explodes upon touching the wires and insect body parts can be propelled over several feet from the device."

link This article suggests that insecticide / fly spray should be a last resort after other methods to control them.

Wiki link to diseases they can transmit. So they're a bit more than just "annoying".

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