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please please can any one help with my problem. went to finish shuting van down for the winter opened door and loads of flies flew out! there were millions ( may be slightly less) OF THEM DEAD AND ALIVE. only got this van in aug. noticed a few around, so when i shut up i put a sticky fly catcher up and give it a good spray as i shut the door, but after only 3 weeks it was horrid. please any tips at all??? they make me feel ill. i got mouth balls around for winter and give a good spray again but i dred the thought of what i will find next time. joan  

If you can get power to your van you could try the electronic fly zappers you get in resturants. (You might even be able to get them in 12 volt). I know some who use them for midges etc.

One of our local (Cental Scotland) pest control companies should be able to advise -Feather & Fur located in Larbert. If you need a tel no give me a  shout and I will dig it out.

The obvious thing to look for is the source ie a dead mouse or bird that has found it's way in or some food that has fallen down a crevice somewhere.

Look under tha van too, the flies may be hatching close to a vent.

If you can leave the windows open to cool the van interior, flies need warmth to stay active.

Hope you sort it soon

link for feather & fur

http://www.thebestof.co.uk/falkirk/pest%20control/1/the_best_of.aspx

Hi,

Not wanting things to be worse for you, but if you  have lots of flys then that means you have maggots too. No smoke without fire sort of thing. It is possible that they will die when the weather turns colder.

As mentioned before they must be feeding off something rotting somewhere, check the back of the fire or heater, or where the most warmth is. Fortunately when the problems found it should be the end of it for you.

Hope you get it sorted.

Noffy

Hi,

May I ask you to look a little closer at one of the dead flies.  If it has hairs on its abdomen it will be a cluster fly (pollenia rudis) a very common fly invading property at this time of the year, simply to overwinter.  I find it unusual that they have chosen your caravan though.  They usually infest the same loft spaces year after year.  Perhaps you could let me know if it is stored in a barn or something similar?

These flies are NOT associated with anything dead in your caravan, you would definitely smell a dead rodent.  It would also be unlikely for houseflies/blowflies to be alive and breeding at this time of the year.

I would advise you to contact a local, reputable pest control company to treat the flies.  An approximate cost for this would be £30-£50.

If I can help further, please let me know.

Darren (IMPACT Environmental - Professional Pest Control) 

The flies overwinter whereever they can.  They like to get in behind the windows and will congretate round the rooflights.  Another favourite place is underneath a sun canopy (carastor type) if its not windy...if the wind gets up and the canopy moves it crushes them or they drop out....

Its a short sharp learning curve with flies and winter....in fact you only open a window or roof vent the once....never do it again, especially when 5lbs of sleeping flies drop down on to your upholstery.....and then gradually come to life as they warm up......

urgggghhhhhhhhh

Jenny

The flies can be treated around Oct/Nov and sometimes again around March, if this is repeated the numbers will gradually reduce but it can take some time.

There is no way of preventing the flies from entering as they will often enter between roof tiles. 

 hi dazwilliams  the caravan is in the open all the time every one of the answers has made my skin crawl .i hope it is not something dead as we not using till next year execpt for checking every so often and re spraying with fly killer! thanks one and all

  joan x

Hi

we had a similar problem with an old sited van we used to lock up when we left and the next week we would arrive open the door to be greeted with a swarm of flies there would also be a carpet of dead flies on the floor and seats

before we left again full clean fly-spray, fly-killers spotless

next time after only a week same thing

we blocked all the vents sealed the windows but could we stop them could we flip

there were two other vans in the field (right scruffy chavs) who were never bothered

in the end we sold the van

end of problem

we don't know if they were cluster flies but we called them greenbottles, like bluebottles but green you see!!

good luck

Frank & Ann

(if you don't shift them give us a buzz!!!!)