From the Files of this is Terrifying: Dear PoP – Cluster Fly Invasion

Photo by flickr user xeroxdocuprint

“Dear PoP,

My house was invaded by flies yesterday! I promptly cleaned my kitchen (it was pretty messy) and started swatting. I eventually gave up, there were like a hundred. Later that night my friend and I turned off all the house lights except in the sun room. The flies congregated there and we blasted them with raid (I am embarrassed to admit that was actually pretty fun, and yes I know not to breath it in). After marveling at our manliness and surveying the countless contorted bodies of our enemies strewn about the floor, we high-fived and finished off a twelve pack on my front porch. But when I went to vacuum up the carcasses this morning there were a hundred more.

Long story short I looked it up and they are called cluster flies. They look exactly like house flies but are slightly bigger and much more lethargic. They emerge from the ground in the early fall and try to hibernate in your house (according to the internet). Cluster flies are not really disease carriers and don’t lay eggs in your house. They just like to be in your house.

Are these things common to DC? If so does anyone know how to get rid of them? My searching says that prevention is the best method; don’t let them into your house. But I kinda missed that boat…”

Yikes! Anyone else deal with this menace before?