Ask A Scientist© Zoology Archive

status     other
age        60s

Question - On 7/1 I noticed a few flies flying near my kitchen window;
upon closer ivestigation I seen 50 or 60 swarmed up in the corner of the
window pane. They were on that window and the two above my kitchen sink,
and in the living room windows. I sprayed till gone. They were not
flying, they were just huddled there. It was 89 degrees on that day, it
was mid-afternoon. All the doors were closed, windows closed and
screened, no foodstuff laying around, a/c was running. We live in
Tuscaloosa, Alabama.Please see if you can figure this out. It was very
unnerving. Thanking you in advance.

They were most likey a form of fly "Domsticus horribilus" which bloom on
certain warm days usually after a spell of cooler days. They are NOT the
same as the typical green house fly. They are attracted to light which is
why they were on your window. I clever and effective way to exterminate
them is to suck them up into a vacuum cleaner (avoiding insecticide is
good).

Peter Faletra
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