How to Get Rid of Cluster (Attic) Flies

how to get rid of cluster flies

Cluster flies can take hold of a property rather quickly and make your home nearly inhabitable in severe cases. Cluster flies infestation often start small and grow into significant issues that are incredibly difficult to eliminate efficiently. Fortunately, our team at Attic Projects offers professional cluster fly extermination in California that can help you take back your home at a fair and affordable price.

What Are Cluster/Attic Flies?

Cluster flies, also called attic flies, are pesky insects that often appear during spring. They are around 8mm long and sport a dark gray coat with patches of yellowish-gold hairs along their wings and back. Although most cluster flies lay eggs outside, they often infest homes before winter (usually around August) and hibernate throughout the season.

Cluster flies enter properties through loose electrical outlets, roof eaves, holes around cables, vents, pipes, and gaps within your home. Their excrement can stain floors, walls, and furniture while causing an unpleasant odor that lingers throughout your residence. It’s best to eliminate cluster fly infestations swiftly to prevent the issues from spiraling out of control.

How to Identify Cluster Flies

Although cluster flies are relatively small, they usually travel in swarms, making them a bit easier to identify. Many homeowners notice numerous dead or lame flies around lighting and insulation. They also accumulate in lofts or attics and return yearly until you seal entryways and eradicate existing infestations.

During the fall, cluster flies gather along exterior walls until they find a safe entryway. They typically hide in walls until temperatures rise and move to attics and similar areas later on.

Cluster Flies In House

How Did Cluster Flies Enter Your Home?

Cluster flies usually enter residences through gaps within the property. Vents, piping, roof eaves, and other small passages allow cluster flies to enter homes unnoticed.

Once cluster flies enter a home, they release a pheromone that attracts more to the property before hibernation, marking it as an optimal nesting area. Once they settle inside a property, they will return year after year until you fill your property’s gaps and terminate existing nests. However, eliminating cluster flies is often difficult and requires professional equipment to remove them efficiently.

Different Methods to Get Rid of Cluster Flies

Getting rid of cluster flies isn’t always easy. However, if you suddenly notice cluster flies in your house in summer or spring, use the following termination methods to eliminate the infestation efficiently.

Use Insecticide

High-quality insecticides eliminate cluster flies while hindering future infestations. Spraying insecticides around your home’s exterior will create an invisible chemical barrier that prevents cluster flies from entering your home. Conversely, an indoor spray will eliminate nests and help you eradicate flies in the attic and other vulnerable areas.

However, before administering insecticide inside your home, ensure it’s safe for interior use. Some variations are for outdoor use only and can cause health issues if used inside.

Foggers

Foggers are one of the most effective treatments for cluster fly infestations. They emit toxic fumes that eliminate cluster flies swiftly and efficiently. However, the fumes are also hazardous to humans, so it’s best to have a professional exterminator handle the fogging process.

Say No to Gaps

Although filling holes within your property won’t eliminate existing infestations, it will prevent them from worsening. Always repair gaps plaguing your home’s foundation to ensure cluster flies can’t enter your home during spring or summer.

Smoke Bombs

Like foggers, smoke bombs release fumes that eradicate cluster flies expeditiously. However, you must wear protective gear when using a smoke bomb since the gas can cause significant respiratory issues. Wear a high-quality mask, goggles, and other protective gear to reduce fume exposure and maintain optimal health.

It’s best to hire a professional exterminator to handle smoke bombs to ensure optimal results and preserve your health. Professionals understand how to use smoke bombs safely and wear professional-grade gear that keeps technicians safe throughout the process.

Electric Fly Killers

Although electric fly killers aren’t the most effective method to fully eliminate cluster flies, they can help you reduce the infestation’s severity. Flies often gravitate to lamps and succumb to the electric shot. You can also use electric fly swats to eliminate one or two flies pestering you inside your home.

Fly Boxes

Setting up a few fly boxes will also help curb minor cluster fly infestations. The flies will enter the box and become entangled in the interior glue until they become obsolete.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) – Cluster/Attic Flies

Will Cluster Flies Eventually Go Away

Most cluster flies return yearly and releases a pheromone to alert others of an ideal nesting and hibernation space. Infestations often worsen over time and demand professional extermination services to remove them. You must address cluster fly infestations to ensure the pests don’t overtake your home.

What Smell Do Cluster Flies Hate?

Cluster flies don’t like essential oils like peppermint, lavender, or eucalyptus. Planting mint, basil, or similar plants along your property’s exterior can reduce the chances of cluster fly infestations, helping you keep your home pest-free throughout the year.

How Much Would It Cost to Professionally Get Rid of Cluster Flies in the Attic?

It depends on the infestation’s severity and the extermination method. Professional exterminators can evaluate your cluster fly problem and determine the best termination approach for your situation. After determining the best solution, the exterminators can give you a cost estimate.

Contact Attic Projects for High-Quality Professional Cluster Fly Extermination in California

If you experience a cluster fly infestation in California and need professional extermination services, contact Attic Projects. Our team will teach you how to get rid of cluster flies, how to stop cluster flies from returning, and efficient extermination methods to help you take back your home. Next time you ask yourself, “Where do cluster flies come from, and how can I eliminate them?” Contact the pest control experts at Attic Projects.

Give our Attic Projects team a call and see what our team can do for you today!

Contact Your Local Attic Projects: