Will You Be Bothered by Cluster Flies This Winter?
It might seem too early to start thinking about winter, but the darker mornings and evenings are already closing in. And September is the first month you’ll be aware of the presence of cluster flies around your home, and possibly getting indoors as well.
Cluster flies aren’t harmful, but they can be annoying. Suffice to say, you wouldn’t particularly want them getting into your home to hibernate there for the winter. If that’s the case (and we assume it is), now is the time to make sure they can’t get in. From September right through until November, these flies will try and gain access to your property wherever they can. They want somewhere to hibernate in safety, and they won’t ask first.
Since these flies are quite small, they’re often able to get into buildings through small gaps. It’s good to take a look around your windows to see whether there are any gaps they can get through. Seal these up before the weather turns damper and colder, and you’ll keep the heat inside your home as well. That would certainly have more than one benefit for the winter months.
If you’ve done a good job, you won’t get any cluster flies inside your home during the darkest months of the year either. From December onwards, for a period of three months, any cluster flies that have got into your home could be awakened from their period of slumber by the central heating clicking on. The additional light sources in your home could also be a problem. Cluster flies tend to buzz around lights and windows in much the same way moths do. At least you will know if they are present in your home – you don’t have to do much detective work to figure this out!
However, prevention is always going to be the best way to tackle these bothersome flies. Take the time to check your property for any gaps and holes they might be able to get through. Plug or seal them up as best you can with some weatherproof sealant. You should do this before winter anyway, to make sure your property isn’t open to the elements.
If you do, you might just notice your home is a little warmer this year – not to mention free from flies buzzing around at what seems to be an unusual time. Now you will know better, because you will know which breed of flies they are.