Fruit Fly Swarm Outside

[R.O.S.S.I]

Hi all, I've never seen this happen before but i've noticed over the past week that there have been hundreds of what look like fruit flys crawling over my windows in my bedroom. I thought it was just a one off last week but have checked this week and it looks like they are increasing in numbers.

If i look further out of the window onto the balcony there are literally thousands of them flying around the balcony and on the roof of the building. Is this a common thing for this time of year or has my apartment been hexxed?

It's pretty grim, like something out of a horror film.

 

[R.O.S.S.I]

Have you checked on your neighbours recently...

There is probably something nearby which is rotting and attracting them and they are probably breeding from it too.

It must be on the roof then as there is nothing on my balcony.
They aren't normal house flies though, they are little ones. Bigger than fruit flies now come to think of it.

 

[R.O.S.S.I]

Are they carrion flies?

No, more like a gnat.

 

[R.O.S.S.I]

We have them in our office at the moment. Receptionist has put a saucer of apple cider vinegar out with a drop of fairy liquid in it. Perhaps they are suicidal but it works a treat, loads of them flocking there to their death.

I do that with fruity flies when they are in doors and it works a treat. The issue is I dont think these are fruit flies and they are outdoors at probably 100x the volume.

Are you sure they're fruit flies?

It sounds like you might have cluster flies:

cluster flies uk - Google Search

Fairly common this year and love crawling into gaps in uPVC windows and the like.

I spotted some in our windows this year - quite surprising when you open the window!

You know all those bin strikes we have this year, where we left our food and rubbish hanging out for twice as long as normal in the hot weather............?

They aren't fruit flies I don't think, they are slightly bigger but nowhere near as big as cluster flies either.
Its hard to get a good picture of them as they are so small and my camera on my phone doesnt pick them up well.

There are noticably less of them this morning but they are starting to "Wake up" now i think as it gets warmer. Its sunny out and the sun will be beaming down right onto the roof so im expecting it to get gradually worse through the day.

I managed to nip out very early this morn when there weren't as many about and spray around the balcony with a fly spray but most of it got lost in the wind so don't it will have done much