How to get rid of cluster flies in loft?

[PeedOftec]

My loft is an annual roost for cluster flies, thousands of them...

I could smoke bomb the whole loft, and/or use a slow release insecticide.

Does anyone know of a "bat friendly" way of getting rid of these flies as the above may be a bit harsh on any potential bats that may be living in my loft..

PS, not sure if this is the right forum so will post in other forums too, moderator please feel free to move the topic....

 

[WestmidsChippy]

Two options.

You could try talking whilst outside the house and see if they follow
or
save your bowel movements, create a duct and funnel it from your loft to outside down to your back garden and see if they will follow that

Remember to have a vent on such otherwise the roof will have stagnated air and thus timber decay

I don't know how to help you there sorry bud...

Are they being of any harm up there?

 

[PeedOftec]

What are you on Mr. Chippy?? LOL...

Whatever it is can I have some....

No, they aren't doing any harm up there, they told me they were just hanging around for spring whereupon they will evacuate the premises, go off into the garden and parasitise the local earthworm population, so other than some dropping dead around the loft, (by the hundreds), finding their way into the cold water tanks, (and eventually out of the taps!) emerging from behind the skirting boards, buzzing round the lights, falling into your plates of food as you eat, crawling over your face as you sleep, sharing the bath or the shower with you, dropping into the food as you cook, dumping all over the windows, no, they are not doing any harm.... but thanks for your input....



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[WestmidsChippy]

I think you require a few months in Africa if you think like that

I can't see the problem of them (traveling through the water system?), just means extra protein in your diet and a stronger immune system

If they are such a nuisance then just spray some fly killer up there now and then...

 

[PeedOftec]

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I think you require a few months in Africa if you think like that

I can't see the problem of them (traveling through the water system?), just means extra protein in your diet and a stronger immune system

If they are such a nuisance then just spray some fly killer up there now and then...

LOL.... been there, done that with the Africa thing and it was more than a few months..., wonder if you have?

Yes, the damned things get through every nook and cranny and DO travel through the water system. Now I don't mind particualarly being sat in the bath and when you turn the tap on an odd fly or two comes out to join you, (usually falls apart as it does) as I just pick the bits out... mind you other members of the family are not so accomodating and prefer to bathe alone.

Yes, I could go up into the loft now and blast the whole roof space with insecticide which will kill the lot but you missed the point of the post, I am looking particularly for a "bat friendly" insecticide to fog the loft with....
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[PeedOftec]

Sorry Mr. Moderator... won't post to more than one forum in future..

ladyLola, tahnks for your reply:-
Posted: Mon Nov 08, 2010 6:18 pm Post Subject:
Ok another try.
As you are worried about the bats and rightly so a "smoke" type of fumigation may not be ideal as is the case with a lot of insectasides.
You could try asking somebody like Rentokil who will probably be able to advise on a specfic product.
In the meantime , and this may sound daft but I've done it and it does work to reduce their numbers , you could try a vacuum. Using a vacuum cleaner such as a Henry type with a long nozzle simply suck the little beasties out of the air. If you only have one light on it will tend to attrach them and that's where they will meet their doom. Granted it will be unlikely to remove them all but what have you to lose?

I have seen vacuum's mentioned before to get rid of them and yes that works to get rid of the "clusters" of them but as you say, there are always some left.. After trawling the net for a few hours I think that one of those industrial "insecto-cuters" should do the job because as you rightly point out they are attracted to light...
Bats, it appears, are 6x more sensitive than any other animals to pesticides and insecticides. A certain woodworm treatment applied two years ago can kill a bat within 2 hours.... (can't remember the name of the chemical).

The trouble with cluster flies is they leave pheromones where they cluster that attracvts them back the following year, hence their prefernce for a particular property year after year...