Large flies everywhere

[Batterseadog]

I am being plagued by large black flies everywhere in the house and garden. They are slow and many are dead and dying. What's going on?
I keep my home spotless and no food or any such attraction is around.
A friend said she was having the same thing, is it a seasonal or weather condition?
I am frantically going round hoovering them and disinfecting everywhere I see they have been. YUK!

[woofgang]

I bet they are not flies but ants. At this time of year the males and queens fly (especially when the weather is warm and humid. The males (of whom there are thousands) mate the queens and then die or just die anyway and the queens go back underground to produce the next generation. If you do and image search on google for winged ants there are loads of images

[cruella]

Have to agree with woofgang,
Probably flying ants.
telephine your local Council and ask to be put through to the Environmental Health department.
They will come out and spray but they may charge you.

[anjunagirl]

I've also got very large blue-bottle type flies, but they are only in one place, outside a certain window where there's several pots with various plants. I've put slug pellets there and wonder if the flies are after the dead slugs/snails.

[Kazzarooney]

I think I have them too. They are not bluebottles but about the same size, and they are black. The are not skittish and do not fly away. one landed on my shoulder and I had a doolally fit ! have found a few dead on kitchen floor. I live in Bexleyheath Kent, where are you?

[Batterseadog]

Yes Kaz, these are definately flys and not flying ants (which are probably due very soon). They are slow and do not seem bothered by anything shooing them off. They sit on my window sills like they are sunbathing. I'm in Epping Forest, Essex but have not seen them like this before. Maybe its climate change, they remind me of being abroad somewhere hot where they don't move very fast. Hopefully its a phase and they will go soon. Thanks all replies anyway.

[chris77]

There has been a massive increase in fly numbers since alternative weekly collections were introduced. I live in the Amber valley and now every time we eat out there are flies in each and every restaurant we visit. One even landed on my food last week. Same in Mac Donalds. Costa Coffee at Watford gap was terrible. God help us if we have a really hot summer.