Ugh Flies (House flies)

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Seiryu

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So on Wednesday I drove from Michigan to Ohio, for a Cedar Point trip with a few friends and I came back Thursday night. I had my friend (also my neighbor) checking on all the animals for me while I was gone.

I came home to find probably hundreds of house flies on my big bay window. I am thinking he accidentally left the door open too long when picking weeds/grasses for Thor, but no idea.

I put up 3 sticky fly traps (all I had at the time). I have caught maybe 10 so far and I've swatted over 50 I am sure at this point. The fly traps were a couple of months old. Would it be best to get some newer traps? Maybe the smell/stickiness isn't what it's supposed to be? I have read these things are usually great. They are definitely great at catching moths.

I searched some things here and all I really saw were suggestions on the smaller flies, like fruits. Do those suggestions also apply to house flies? Or any other suggestions (that won't harm Thor), would be great.

I really have no idea how to get rid of these, there's so many. I will probably take my vacuum today and suck up all I can that are sitting on the window too. And so far, I don't see any tiny gaps anywhere the flies are coming through. It's definitely coming from the 2nd living room though for sure. I have my house split in two right now. I have the kitchen/living room blocked off from my cats by using a bi-fold door. And I see no flies in the rest of the house.

I am also worried about the flies laying eggs in the coconut coir substrate. I have seen many sitting on the substrate and even with me trying to "shoo" them away, they won't fly away. If the eggs hatch, can they do harm to Thor?
 

Itort

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Thor would probably welcome the treat. I would hang fly strips over attractent (tort pen) and that takes care of problem. If problem continues look into fly trap (this a jar you bait and flies go in and can't exit and die).
 

Terry Allan Hall

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Another option is a toad...there's one in each of my outside tortoise enclosures and any flies quickly become toad chow.

Inside, a 10-gallon tank'll work fine, and toads make interesting pets, in their own right! :cool:
 

Terry Allan Hall

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chairman said:
What kind of toads do you use for this task?

Texas toads (Bufo speciosus), but I'd guess any native variety would do.

Bufo_speciosusL.jpg
 
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