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They're Doing My Head In!

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Moorea7 | 11:52 Mon 03rd Jul 2023 | Home & Garden
26 Answers
Recently, only in kitchen, I noticed a few very tiny insects flying about (only pinhead size) but over the weekend, they seem to have multiplied and seem to settle only on wood or around the food waste caddy. It's driving me insane. Anyone like to hazard a guess as to what they might be? I use fly spray but ? whether it does much good as more and more appear.
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are they fruit flies?
14:52 Mon 03rd Jul 2023
Do you live near a sewerage plant or a farm that's been muck spreading?
Thunderbugs. They will disappear as quickly as they appear.
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No Barry.

Lankeela. Could be as it has been humid, thundery weather.
Never been troubled by these before.
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Lankeela. I have been looking at pictures of the thunderbugs on Internet and I don't think they are what I mentioned. The insects I see are so so very small, just a speck.
Could they be fruit flies?
Do you live near cornfields?
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MargoTester. Don't think so.

Tilly2. No - live in town but there are trees nearby.
Have you got old bags of flour in the house?
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No Barry - any flour has been purchased recently.

They are so very small - if one lands on the table, it doesn't even look like an insect, just a spot.
https://leafyplace.com/small-flying-bugs-in-house/
This might help you identify them
//Biting midges
Biting midges are very small flies, usually no larger than 1/32 of an inch. People may also call them no-see-ums, punkies, or gnats.

They do not transmit disease but can cause small, itchy bites.//

https://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/uk-world-news/tiny-flies-in-your-home-13942944
//Analysts say their apparent recent influx is partly down to an increase in kitchen compost bins used to recycle food scraps.//

Are they definitely flying or are they jumping/quickly hopping around. There have been reports of fleas here, even in households with no pets.
A friend had an invasion, coming down the chimney and hopping on the carpet. He used a flea spray and vacuumed everywhere. It took a few days to eradicate them
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Jazzgirl. They fly and seem to like landing on wood in preference to worktops, fridge, etc.

MargoTester. Thanks. They are so small that it is difficult to tell and, of course, the pics are enlarged.

Retrocop. Interesting news from Coventry paper. So I am not the only one! I feel I keep a clean kitchen but do have a waste food caddy and maybe this has to stay outdoors?

Will see how things go - will try the vinegar thing and keep spraying.
Maybe need to go Ground Control to Pest Control!



If they are seriously doing your head in to that extent you could consider this. I know it says for outside use but that is because when they fill up with flies over a period of time the smell of rotting bug does pong a bit. I have two and they are really effective. I have used them in our kitchen in the summer with no problem if you empty them when they start to pong.

https://www.argos.co.uk/product/7571109
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Retrocop. Thanks. That might be the answer. Have never had this problem in the three years I have lived here and always had a waste food caddy which gets emptied regularly.
are they fruit flies?

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Tora Tora Tora. Thank you for that video. I have previously said to other posters that they do not seem to be fruit flies but now I wonder?
The only fruits in my dish at the moment are oranges and satsumas and the flies don't seem interested in them. However, before going with Retrocop's suggestion, I will try the red wine vinegar/or other as pictured in the video. I used to put peppermint oil + washing up
liquid on outside areas to kill off ants.
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Tora Tora Tora. If you seee this, I think the idea in the video you sent might be working - hooray! Did as instructed and put a couple of strawberries beside the glass - this morning quite a number of the little beasts beside it and, hopefully, in it.
great you can award me BA if you like.
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Tora. Actually was just about to!!

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