What Are These Huge Flies Buzzing Around My Springfield Home?

Are you seeing big flies buzzing around inside your Springfield home? If so, it is possible that those huge flies are cluster flies, especially if you are reading this when the weather is turning colder. Cluster flies are overwintering pests. During the warm months, they are attracted to the light and they don't get into homes. When the temperatures drop below 50 degrees, however, they begin to be attracted to the dark. This causes them to get into the cracks and crevices of Springfield homes. Cluster flies are very large flies. At 8 to 10 mm, they are bigger than house flies, which are between 6 to 7 mm. Let's take a look at a few more ways you can tell if you have cluster flies and a few tips on what to do about them.

Cluster Fly Identification

• Cluster flies have wings that are often stacked on top over each other. If the fly you are looking at has clearly parted wings, it is probably not a cluster fly.
• Cluster flies group together. If you're seeing lots of flies, it is likely that they are cluster flies.
• Cluster flies are not shiny blue or green. If you're seeing flies with a metallic coloration, they are blowflies (also called a bottle flies).
• If you have cluster flies inside your home, you probably saw them congregating on the outside of your home recently. They group up on the sunny side of homes in the fall.
• When cluster flies warm up inside your home, they can think it is springtime and start heading toward light, instead of hiding in the darkness. For this reason, you're likely to find cluster flies on window panes and window sills. Often, you'll find many of these flies dead on your sills or on the floor beneath windows.

Cluster Flies vs Other Flies

• These flies are somewhat unique among flies. Here are some important differences:
• They crawl on the ground and lay their eggs on earthworms. Other flies lay their eggs in rotting organic material.
• They feed on flowers. Other flies feed on decaying organic material.
• They overwinter in houses. Other flies get into houses all year long.

Why You Have Cluster Flies

If you're dealing with these flies, you may be wondering what is attracting them to your house. It actually isn't your house. It has more to do with your yard. If you have a large yard, these flies can move in near your home. They are also more likely to be a problem for a home that is near a large field. But there isn't much you can do about either of these attractants. The only real solution for cluster flies is to apply pest products to reduce and control their numbers. This is best done by a licensed professional for desirable results.

Cluster Fly Diseases

Since these flies don't feed on rotting organic matter or breed in it, they do not come into contact with harmful bacteria like other flies do. This makes them a low threat for the spread of harmful bacteria and other human pathogens. While these flies are incredibly annoying to have in the house, they are far better than having an infestation of some other flies, especially house flies, which are linked to the spread of at least 65 diseases.

Cluster Fly Control

If you have cluster flies in your home, you can manage them by sucking them up with a vacuum and depositing the bag outside. This can get a large number all at once but can become costly if you're doing it several times a day. You can also put up sticky traps to catch and remove these flies. If you continue to have trouble, remember that American Pest Solutions is always available to help you with any of your pest problems. We provide industry-leading pest control in the Greater Springfield area.

For answers to your questions or to schedule a visit from one of our highly trained and certified pest professionals, reach out to us today. While cluster flies are just nuisance pests, boy can they be a nuisance! We can help you get control of that nuisance problem fast and give you insight into how you can prevent future infestations. We're here to help.