Getting Rid Of Cluster Flies In The Home
Cluster flies, Pollenia rudis, is a large fly up to 10 mm in length with a wingspan of up to 20 mm. It appears to be very similar to the housefly, but its thorax has a distinctive grey colour with golden hairs. The abdomen is usually checkered in pattern. The life cycle of the cluster fly is somewhat straightforward; the female lays eggs in the soil, often in entry point to earthworm burrows, the larvae hatch and search for the earthworm. Once the larvae has found the worm they enter into the worm and develop within it. They leave the earthworm and pupate and the adult fly emerges.
Cluster flies are not a real pest control problem or the rat control. They rarely transmit diseases, however they do create large swarms which become excessively irritating. Controlling cluster flies is very straight forward however complete elimination year on year is almost impossible. Cluster flies are often found in loft areas and often on the south side of the property where it is warmest. With Cluster fly treatment we must firstly be careful that we are not disturbing any bat infestation. If the loft area is clear of any bats, if there are bats present you must inform the Bats Conservation Trust. You can also contact a pest control expert.
The next step is deciding on a controlling method. Really there are 3 real successful ways for treating cluster fly infestation. Firstly to use smoke generator or smoke bombs. These small canisters emit an insecticide into the loft area killing off everything that's flying or crawling. Agropharm produce a small mini smoke canister that covers up to 120 cubic metres of space for flying insects which is ideal for cluster fly infestations. We recommend treating the loft space around 7 pm and re-applying a week after the initial treatment. With smoke generators/smoke bombs you must cover up any open water tanks and follow the label accordingly.
The second method of dealing with cluster flies is to install a electronic flying insect killer machine. Check http://www.flybusters.co.nz/ out for more details. The flies are attracted by the UV light and immediately get killed on impact. A stronger UV machine is recommend and an initial fogging is preferred for a fast knockdown. A good UV fly killing unit is our preferred method as no chemicals are used after the initial fogging. The third solution is a product called the SWAK dispenser kit. The SWAK dispenser kit works by automatically dispenser a natural insecticide into the atmosphere. Once on contact with the cluster fly it immediately kills it off.
