Help! I have a plague of houseflies.

[Wannabefree]

Weird, I have Muscovies and flies They must not be too hungry

 

[Denim Deb]

We just clipped their wings. We don't get chummy with them, and they don't scratch us. Kevin holds them, I clip the flight feathers each year after they grow back.

They've been the best thing.

I didn't read the post above this one, and was wondering why you were clipping the fly's wings.

 

[savingdogs]

Mine are too fat to fly so they don't need their wings clipped, but they are too fat to catch the flies unless they come real close.

 

[sunsaver]

Thanks for all the tips ya'll. The flies seem to be fewer now. They are all different types and sizes, and i think it's just something environmental. We've had the longest spring ever here. It's usually nice for 2 weeks, then blazing hot with high humidity. It's been cool and dry for 3 months. Very weird. Also, there are almost no other pest bugs around. No squash bugs, no hornworms, no cabbage loopers, no fleas, no ticks. I'll take the flies, if it just stays this way! Also, my yearly invasion of pantry months never appeared this year. oh yeah yeah!

 

[savingdogs]

maybe they were caused by weather. we have a lot of mosquitos already this year. I don't know which is worse!

 

[Denim Deb]

It's too late to do this now, but for next year, you could try putting up both purple martin and blue bird houses, that is, if you haven't already.

 

[Wifezilla]

I have a pond so we buy feeder rosy minnows and toss those in. They live on mosquito larvae.

 

[sunsaver]

A martin houses sound like a good idea and a fun project. Every year they try to nest in my stove pipe chimney. But what about all of my berries? I'm constantly shooing away jays and cardinals. Fortunately, Monkeygirl, likes to sleep under the blueberry bushes. But i have to guard the blackberries in person, if i want to eat any. Help! i have a plague of birds!

 

[Denim Deb]

Purple martins will leave your berries alone-they're insect eaters.

As for the other birds, grow some sunflowers and leave them for the birds. Hopefully, that will save your berry bushes.