# How are Flesh flies getting in the house?



## Nik333 (Mar 1, 2015)

It's hot here there are lots of flies. I can handle most of them - fruit & house flies but there is a new fly. It has big, red eyes, striped thorax, spotted back & black legs. It's not interested in people.

It's a flesh fly. It feeds on nectar & can live in bees nests. But, it likes to lay eggs in dead animals.

I try to use Raid & the like only in emergencies.

There are some open pipes on roof. I don't know what to plug except not the pipe connected to water heater & a pipe that is needed for air to sink outflow, I think? Can they come in wall heater flue?

I haven't seen these flies except on horses & cows

A list of possible entries would be really appreciated..


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## Nealtw (Jun 22, 2017)

The plumbing vents would have no access to the inside of the house.


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## Nik333 (Mar 1, 2015)

Nealtw said:


> The plumbing vents would have no access to the inside of the house.


Everything here is jury-rigged. KItchen outflow pipe goes into a long pipe to street. A vertical open pipe is connected to the long pipe. It's just a tall corroded pipe. When tree roots blocked the pipe to the street, kitchen sink backed
up. Why couldn't flies enter when there is no outflow & come out of the sinks? I've seen that in other countries.

I'm not trying to disagree; I just want to understand. I blocked the washer outflow & drier vent just in case. I even duct taped around the doors (which is a potential fire hazard. :sad. )


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## cat's_pajamas (May 9, 2018)

You've probably already done your research, but I found this interesting:
"These species enter mainly through the main door". I'm thinking they must "sneak" in when the front door is opened.
https://www.pestwiki.com/flesh-fly/

Another possibility: are there any gaps around the water lines coming through the wall under the sinks (kitchen and bathrooms). I'm a bit obsessive about pests getting into my house, so I used white duct tape (on white wallboard) around the gap for the cold water line incoming into the toilet and the water lines under the sinks. Not sure if they would get in that way, but if they can get into the walls, I would guess they could find their way in.


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## Nealtw (Jun 22, 2017)

Nik333 said:


> Everything here is jury-rigged. KItchen outflow pipe goes into a long pipe to street. A vertical open pipe is connected to the long pipe. It's just a tall corroded pipe. When tree roots blocked the pipe to the street, kitchen sink backed
> up. Why couldn't flies enter when there is no outflow & come out of the sinks? I've seen that in other countries.
> 
> I'm not trying to disagree; I just want to understand. I blocked the washer outflow & drier vent just in case. I even duct taped around the doors (which is a potential fire hazard. :sad. )


 do you still have a trap under the sink


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## Nik333 (Mar 1, 2015)

Nealtw said:


> do you still have a trap under the sink


If you mean P-trap, yes, two. Kitchen & BR.

Gas water heater.


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## Nealtw (Jun 22, 2017)

Nik333 said:


> If you mean P-trap, yes, two. Kitchen & BR.
> 
> Gas water heater.


 The water in the traps, I would think should stop them.


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## de-nagorg (Feb 23, 2014)

Flies enter when you are holding the door open calling kitty, letting kitty out, you are entering/ leaving.

Also look for a ripped / missing window screen, any little hole and they crawl in.



ED


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## Nik333 (Mar 1, 2015)

No, the cats are indoor right now. They are big flies, about 1", I would notice them. I don't go in & out or hold the door open.


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## Nealtw (Jun 22, 2017)

Once inside the females look for any kind of food or rotting substance to lay eggs and hundreds of them that hatch a day or so later. 
Warm moist food rotting or not are good spots to make sure you get after. Cat food.


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## Nik333 (Mar 1, 2015)

Nealtw said:


> Once inside the females look for any kind of food or rotting substance to lay eggs and hundreds of them that hatch a day or so later.
> Warm moist food rotting or not are good spots to make sure you get after. Cat food.


The only food left out is dry. They are coming in somewhere. Before I plugged it, I could feel the breeze thru the drier vent. Before flies.


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## PestGuy (Jan 15, 2018)

Are you sure it's not a cluster fly? What is the flight pattern like and is it quick or slow moving?


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## Nik333 (Mar 1, 2015)

PestGuy said:


> Are you sure it's not a cluster fly? What is the flight pattern like and is it quick or slow moving?


Slow. They looked identical to the photo & description. Easy to kill. I'm fairly new to this more rural area. There could be cattle or horses around. Or meat from hunting. Lots of dogs & poop.

I tried every non-pesticide solution. What worked was many fly tapes & I kept them up even after they seemed full. Flies like dead flies. They're all gone now. The fruit flies were the scuttle flies, I think. They ran mostly & had a hump.

It was like a scene from a Vietnam War film. Little fighter jets to lumbering large supply planes.:wink2:


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## PestGuy (Jan 15, 2018)

Nik333 said:


> Slow. They looked identical to the photo & description. Easy to kill. I'm fairly new to this more rural area. There could be cattle or horses around. Or meat from hunting. Lots of dogs & poop.
> 
> I tried every non-pesticide solution. What worked was many fly tapes & I kept them up even after they seemed full. Flies like dead flies. They're all gone now. The fruit flies were the scuttle flies, I think. They ran mostly & had a hump.
> 
> It was like a scene from a Vietnam War film. Little fighter jets to lumbering large supply planes.:wink2:


That's odd because the one thing that distinguishes cluster flies is that they are very sluggish and slow in their flight. Other than that they look almost identical to flesh flies with that checkerboard pattern


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## yardmullet (Jan 6, 2018)

Little fighter jets to lumbering large supply planes.:wink2:[/QUOTE]
See

"Minuscule: Valley of the Lost Ants"

bg


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