Dozy Flys

hlb

hlb

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Why's my boat been full of very dozy flys since I got it back. They have no intelegence at all. We just keep hovering them up. Theres not so many this time, but last time we were down, we must have hovered up 10 or 20 every day.

There not even bright enough to go outside, if we leave a light on there and switch the inside ones off.
 
They're too cold just now - crank your heating up and they'll really start buzzing.

(Unless there's some connection with the full holding tank issue........ /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif )
 
No. The heatings well up, they just sit there whilst we wack them, or hoover them up. It's a bit soon, for loads of flys init. Well, surely a month ago. Still, it's helped towards the entertainment. Cant find any now. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
We had a bunch of these in an old house we purchased - its probably whats called a cluster fly..

"These insects, sometimes called "attic flies", often become pests in homes. They usually appear in late fall or early winter and again on warm, sunny days in early spring. They buzz around the home and gather in large numbers at windows, often in rooms that are not regularly used. The cluster fly is a little larger than the common housefly and moves sluggishly.

It can be recognised by the short, golden coloured hairs on its thorax, the part of the body to which the legs and wings are attached. The larvae, or maggots, of cluster flies develop as parasites in the bodies of earthworms. The adult flies emerge in late summer and early autumn and seek protected places to spend the winter. In many cases, this is within the walls, attics and basements of homes.
"

Thought that might cheer you up...and of course,

"Adult cluster flies move to protected places to hibernate (overwinter) when the days shorten in mid-August. Flies cluster on the warm sides of buildings in late summer during the day. As the sun goes down and temperatures cool, flies crawl into the building through cracks, especially under eaves, gaps in siding, etc. Large numbers may group together (cluster) in attics, unused rooms, wall voids, basements, tree holes and other darkened sites. They are attracted to light, light-colored siding and structures on lawns and pastures inhabited by earthworms. They enter rooms through sash-cord openings, cracks in windowsills or baseboards, loose-fitting vinyl or aluminum siding, and other small openings. They become active whenever temperatures rise above 54 degrees F indoors from early autumn to mid-spring, especially around windows with sunlight. "

and just when you thought you could get rid of them;

"Both cluster and face flies, which normally live outdoors, are difficult to control after they have gained entrance into homes and other structures. They often hibernate in wall voids and other inaccessible places. It is important to prevent fly entry by using caulking compound or other suitable material to fill all cracks and openings near windows, doors, electrical outlets, switchboxes, vents, etc., especially on the south side of the buildings, where these flies most commonly enter. Seal holes, cracks and splits in siding, especially up under eave troughs and along the roof"

You may have to figure where they are coming from and seal it up, o use some insecticide of soem sort. It took us a while to clear them, as they seem to come back every now and then, but we did in teh end.

The first thought was there was something dead under the floorboards, but it seems they are quite common.

Hope that cheers you up :-)
 
Crikey, looks like Martyn has looked them ok! /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

My immediate thought was cluster fly or even flies that cluster which include various colours of bottle as in green and blue. Autumn flies also get into cracks like window frames etc. Also lace wings and ladybirds.

So really the first question is what type of fly you have? If it's a blow fly then something may have died on your boat, the fully loaded holding tank is not a silly idea as there would be access through the breather / overflow. If it was a result of a dead rodent or bird, then the problem is over now as they've already cleaned up the offending carcus.

Post a picture with something in view like a coin for scale and I can probably tell you what type of fly you have.

If a cluster fly' (Pollenia rudis) then these normally return to buildings each year and they are an agricultural event, they are not dirty just creepy. Even Prince Edward's house gets them each year! /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif They will cluster behind South facing surfaces for max warmth and if that's what you have, it will be because the boat was laid up at the wrong time in the wrong place and you may not get it again.

Usually houses with large grounds or estates that have been developed from open fields or with fields next to them are at greatest risk. But don't worry about being infested, should be a one off, short term problem. That would have cleared on its own as the weather warms up.

Good luck for the weekend outing. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
Thanks Roger - I actually only found out about them a couple of years ago, when I couldnt figure why there were always 50-100 flies in the one room in this house. I think your explanation was better :-)
 
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