house fly problem (Gainesville: houses, living in, shop)

[bellamaxjoy]

Hello!! I am hoping someone can help me out. My mother lives in Gainesville Mo and is having a horrible problem with house flies. Every time the weather warms up, her house ends up inside infested with them. She is ready to "burn it down" it really has her wigged out. She has tried sealing every opening and caulking every crack, but they still come out when the weather gets warm. She had a new roof put on her house this fall, a steel roof, as opposed to shingle, she is wondering if this could be a factor. Any help or suggestions would be greatly appriciated.

[mongazid]

Gainsville? well howdy neighbor. Does she have something in her house that has a strong odor that they are attracted to. I know this time of year even cooking with the windows open will attract flys like crazy. I like the Fly spray you get at the feed store for milk barns. Kills then all dead very fast. The feed store next to the sell barn out on 5 probly has it. or terrys feed in theodosia has it for sure.

[tambre]

Did she happen to also get new vinyl windows installed, as well as the new roof? We just built a small garage apt. and it has vinyl windows. No one has been living in it (so no attractive odors), but all of the windows were covered with flies on the inside. We sucked em all up with a vacuum, and in a matter of minutes they were back. After careful investigation, we found out that they were crawling in the window sill weep holes on the outside of the window, then crawling up through small tunnels in the side jams, then popping out into the room. We placed small nylon scrubber type material in the weepholes (to let the moisture out, act as a barrier and won't rust). Not sure if that is your Mom's problem, but just an idea. Good luck!

[bellamaxjoy]

no odors, but the only change is the steel roof. and she does the same thing sucks them up with a vacume, they really make her freaked out, she hates them. She is going to the feed store, and getting bug bombs first, for attic, as well. Gonna try that. Someone suggested that she may hve to fill in the small channels on the steel roof, but I really dont want my mother up on her roof! Told her to try the bombs first. I will also tell her of the "weep holes" and see if they can fill those in with what you suggested, Tambre. Thank you both!!

[MoNative34]

I've had a problem with them myself. I've lived in my house for almost 9 years and have never had a problem until this year since October. I'm thinking this may be just a bad year.

Apparently, they seem to be getting through my doorways. My front door (that I never use) was the main problem. I tried taping between the edge of the door and the frame and that helped a lot! It looks pretty hillbilly, though. Oh well.

A vacuum is the best this time of year when they are slow. No fly guts on my walls!!

The ladybugs were bad this year too, but I'll give them a little more leeway than those damn hippie flies

[jgordon13]

I'm so glad to hear it's not just my house with the problem!
If I see one more dead ladybug or hear one more buzzing fly, I'm going to go nuts!
We have an old, drafty farmhouse, but we've NEVER had fly problems as bad as this year. Good luck to your mom...and the rest of us. :-)

[kareybear]

We have ladybug infestation in our home. I have a friend that hanged a box fan above the door and turn in it on when exiting the house and had about one or two flies come in the house. Flies can't seem to fly in the strong wind. It really works.

[Sillypups]

First of all...they look like lady bugs that we are familiar with as kids, but actually they are japanese beetles. They stink, they bite. They arrive every autumn when the farmers cut the soybean fields. All you can do is shop vac those creepy bugs. Our dogs hate them. The chickens hate them, too. They won't even eat them.

The fly's...
I have no clue. We had the fly's even after the very cold weather was here for awhile. We would shop vac them too. We would even find them dead on the floor, once they did get in.
We use NO pesticides, because of our dogs. You don't want to spray bug sprays cause then your dog walks on the floor, then licks his feet. That would be very, very bad.

After the harsh cold...eventually they are all pretty much dead.

Then there's always next year...Here they come again.

[lordsgift]

we own a pest control company at lake of the ozarks. Japanese beetles have been terrible for a few years now. They are going through a cycle in the Midwest. Remember when the swarms in Chicago made the news a few years ago? Flies can be attracted to the tin roof "warmth" also if your house is white or light color they particularly love white houses. You can have a power spray of the outside of your house, which usually runs anywhere from 80-150 dollars depending on the company, but the residual ingredient is the key and it can last up to three months in dry weather, shorter time in rainy seasons.

[bellamaxjoy]

The roof is a white metal roof..........thank you for your response!