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Cluster Flies
Since the beginning of time, flies have been a nuisance to man. They
have ruined foodstuff, transmitted disease and are generally annoying. Flies
are the fourth largest order of insects on the earth and have over 100,000
species. Pictured above is what is known as a Cluster fly and they become
pests throughout much of the United States. These flies closely resemble
house flies and are easy to mistake one for the other. Their behavior is
quite different, however, and this difference is usually enough to determine
which you have.
Cluster flies are parasites of earthworms. Adult females lay their eggs in
the soil. When the larva hatch, they seek earthworms as their food. The
larva burrow into the worm and feed on it for up to a month. Once it gets
its fill, it leaves the worm to pupate. It does so in about two weeks and
then emerges as an adult which feeds on shrubs and flowers. It is prevalent
throughout the entire United States and will be able to complete up to 8
generations in any season.
Cluster flies are a nuisance because they live a long time. In fact, most
other flies live less than three months. Cluster flies, however, can live
for two years or more. To endure the harsh winter, they will hibernate. In
the fall, Cluster flies will migrate into the siding of homes and other
buildings. There they stay until warm weather and spring. Homes which
attract cluster flies seem to attract more each year. The first few years of
having the flies stay all winter go undetected but at some point their
population will start to find their way inside. It is at this point the
residents learn they have a problem. Cluster flies will migrate inside
randomly. It is not uncommon for some of them to mistake a warm winter day
as spring. Once they awake they will move to where it is warm. This may turn
out to be inside your home. They crawl out around molding and vents, warm up
and become an instant pest.
Most people are at a loss when trying to understand where they came from and
will spend a lot of time and effort trying to control them. Once identified,
there is a way to get control. If you notice Cluster flies in your home we
can apply an exterior perimeter treatment which will help keep them out in
the fall when they tend to look for likely spots to hibernate. In the
meantime, dispose of the dead flies you locate.
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If you are experiencing problems with Cluster Flies
contact us for treatment or more information.
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