Old house- wives tale?

notjustair · Jan 18, 2015

The farmhouse was built in 1919 and added on to in about 1930. It never fails that during the winter if we have a 50 degree day the house is filled with flies. I just killed 13 on the window on the stairs. The story I've been told was that when all of the dirt blew in during the 30's fly eggs came with it and were in the walls. Every year you get a new crop of eggs.

I rarely have any in the summer even though the hogs and cattle aren't more than 100 yards from the house. In the winter, it's like a daily plague if the sun is nice and warm. Sit on the couch at your own risk in the evening. If there's a fly on the wall behind you the cat crawls over you at break neck speed to get it. She must have the afternoons off. She was no help just now.

john in la · Jan 18, 2015

Since common house fly eggs hatch into maggots within a day or two and need a moist food source I would hate to see the inside of your walls if the wives tale were true.

I would think since you only see them in winter on sun heated walls you are seeing cluster flies.

Glen SW Wi · Jan 18, 2015

The old houses had weights in the pockets on either side of the windows. Flies may be getting into the pockets from the outside where the siding meets the window trim. Once in the weight pockets they can enter the house through the holes where the chain or rope pulleys are on the inside. Check the outside of the house for any places the flies can get into the pockets from the outside. Caulk any openings. The flies usually enter the pockets from the outside and overwinter in the pockets. They then are drawn into the heat in your rooms.

L.Fure · Jan 18, 2015

We have the same trouble with our house. Only you have to include boxelder bugs and lady buds to the mix. When the weather cools in the fall insects like to hang onto the walls that are exposed to the sun to stay warm. At night when the sun goes down the bugs find any small opening to enter the warm house. When freezing weather sets in the bugs that didn't make it all the way into the house go dormant. When we get a warm sunny day in the winter the bugs wake up and make their way into the house. In the spring and fall I have a few windows I have to vacuum up the bugs during the day so they aren't buzzing the lights when the sun goes down.

ss55 · Jan 18, 2015

The farm house I grew up in had the same problem. I suspect you are seeing adult flies that found their way into your house as adults. The probably got in during the late fall when the weather was getting cold. It would take days or weeks for fly eggs to hatch and grow to be adults. Older houses were not sealed very well. A house wrap under the siding and caulk help.

GlenIdaho · Jan 18, 2015

A Pastor friend had the same trouble in his church. Upon inspection of the attic area we found it was infested with flies. As the building warmed they would find their way into the sanctuary. The building gable vents had no screens and there were a few other places where they would come in to get out of the cold. We set off some bug bombs in the attic and temporarily solved the problem. Check you attic. We found the greatest infestation on the wall for the vent.

Michael Soldan · Jan 18, 2015

These are called "cluster flies" and they will be around anything that has an opening and has heat. I put up with them for years and finally called a friend who worked for an extermination company. Once a year for two years he treated the farmhouse and that was the end of flies period. Best money I ever spent, you don't have to put up with them and it is not expensive , around $100 for a treatment

2underage · Jan 18, 2015

They are also called "corn flies' by some. They breed in the ground and are plentiful in a wet year but much fewer in a drought year. There is a spray that can control them but you need an exterminator.

Russ from MN · Jan 18, 2015

Next fall spray the outside of the house with Tempo, soffits, vents, around the windows. We do this to our cabin, it helps a lot, and it's pretty safe.

Icuby · Jan 18, 2015

Last summer I had an infestation of brown inch worms{milapeeds} mainly in the basement and side walk. They dont hurt anything and they dont live long just dont like them. I spray w/tempo but doesnt seem to fase them much.

GeneMO · Jan 18, 2015

We had the same problem in the house we built from scratch in 1984, so that kinda blows a hole in the "dust bowl" era theory.

Gene

Old house- wives tale?

notjustair

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john in la

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Glen SW Wi

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L.Fure

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ss55

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GlenIdaho

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Michael Soldan

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2underage

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Russ from MN

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Icuby

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GeneMO

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