Hogarth's Pest Control specializes in all types of industries, residential and commercial. Cluster flies are members of the blowfly family. They are dull-gray with black markings and have golden-yellow hairs on the thorax, giving the appearance of a golden sheen. If you crush cluster flies they may smell sweet, like honey! They are larger and slower than the average housefly that you spend the summer swatting away. Cluster flies enter homes in the fall months searching for a warm place to overwinter. They crawl through attics, faulty ridge vents, behind siding, and wall voids; clustering together around windows when the weather warms up. They will not reproduce in your home, they simply remain put as a means to stay warm until they are able to go back outside. The flies will then lay their eggs in soil rich with earthworms to provide food for the growing larvae. These flies are not vectors for disease or dangerous to human health but can become a major nuisance in a home or business. Any cracks and holes left unsealed during the construction process can be an entry point for cluster flies. Therefore, performing proper exclusion is the best way to prevent cluster flies from entering a structure. Once the flies are inside, control is difficult, and results are often disappointing. Avoid killing them in inaccessible voids because the dead flies can attract beetles. Vacuuming, sticky traps, and light traps can remove wandering flies. If you believe to be experiencing an issue with cluster flies, please give us a call. We have been keeping Northern Michigan homes fly-free for 25 years!