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  • 1.  House Flies, Oh My!

    Posted 12-17-2020 11:12

    Hello All, 

    I'm curious to hear if anyone has had issues with extremely large numbers of house flies in their galleries where there are objects both in cases and out in the open. Other than ensuring the building has a good seal (weather stripping/door sweeps, etc.), regular trash removal, and cleaning routine what have you done to mitigate the issue? Our maintenance supervisor is looking into light traps but I've been asked to research all options. We've mentioned to the executive team that chemical spraying is not an option where objects are on display unless someone here has a safe suggestion. This is a year round issue for us. 

    Looking forward to hearing your thoughts. 



    ------------------------------
    Diana Welsh
    Collections Manager
    Indian Museum of North America at Crazy Horse Memorial
    Crazy Horse SD
    ------------------------------


  • 2.  RE: House Flies, Oh My!

    Posted 12-17-2020 17:21
    Ditto - we have been slammed this year. First by moth-millers, now by flies ... I am tired of sweeping up dead bodies.

    K.Beaufort, Barton Co Historical Society




  • 3.  RE: House Flies, Oh My!

    Posted 12-18-2020 09:24

    Ditto, ditto! How odd.

     

    I have been noticing accumulations of dead flies in our general collection stacks located under vents. I just assumed this was the result of building closure and low staffing (less maintenance etc) ie flies have always come through the vents but are no longer being swept up as regularly.  Now I am beginning to wonder.

     

    I know this isn't the result of foot traffic, because we have had very little this year. I am going to talk to our building maintenance folks about putting screens over all of the sites of air intake around the building. That and a lot of vacuuming and keeping my eyes on the areas that have shown the most accumulation. I am wondering if extreme temperature and humidity fluctuations are partially responsible.

     

    By the way, what I am noticing are dead flies. I have not noticed any living flies in the library.

     

    Is there an entomologist out there?

     

    Susie Cobbledick

    Book Conservator

    Missouri Botanical Garden Library




    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: House Flies, Oh My!

    Posted 12-18-2020 10:30

    Hi Diana,

    These are cluster flies and they depend on earthworms to propagate. Search for Cluster Fly control and you will get some tips. I have battled them in my old house in Vermont as well a few of the buildings at the Shelburne Museum over the years. Here are the best control measures in order of effectiveness:

    1. Seal the buildings, especially around windows. Use foam electrical outlet gaskets, caulk holes for wires leading to ceiling lights and ceiling molding. Cluster flies usually come down from the attic and are worst on the upper floors, so begin sealing from the top floors down. Forget about trying to seal the attic against cluster flies as they can get in through the required attic venting. Be persistent. Seal a bit each more year (maybe one room each year) and you will eventually get rid of them or at least reduce their level in the collection rooms.

    2. Vacuum them up daily for the few weeks in the fall that they are the worst.

    3. Hang flypaper

    4. Open windows preferably at the top )or bottom if not possible) for a few hours in the early afternoon on warm fall days. Flies congregate on windows and will leave to the warmer outside. Close them before leaving work in the late afternoon or more will come in.

    5. The OUTSIDE of the building can be sprayed with pyrethrin, especially south walls.

    6. This is from one of the better pest control sites:   How to Get Rid of Cluster Flies (Naturally and Effectively)



    ------------------------------
    Richard Kerschner
    Principal
    Kerschner Museum Conservation Services
    Ferrisburgh VT
    (802) 236-5564
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: House Flies, Oh My!

    Posted 12-18-2020 09:24

    Hi Diana,

    These are potentially cluster flies- I've seen an uptick in them this year in my house, unfortunately (yuck!).  If it is any consolation, cluster flies are not a signifier of any dead animals/trash/etc as normal house flies would be.  They are parasitic animals that prey on earthworms and indicate that you have great soil around your property.  Small consolation but I'm telling myself it makes me feel better!  They find their way inside structures and then can emerge when the heat comes on, thinking that Spring has arrived. 

    You can consult with a pest management specialist in your area to confirm the species, check again to seal up cracks, and perhaps treat the soil around the property, instead of spraying anything inside where it may threaten collections. 



    ------------------------------
    Laura Resch
    Conservation and Environmental Technician
    Cleveland Museum of Art
    Shaker Heights OH
    (216) 707-6854
    lresch@clevelandart.org
    e-Editor, Collections Care Network
    ------------------------------



  • 6.  RE: House Flies, Oh My!

    Posted 12-18-2020 14:52

    Diana & all,

    It sounds like this is a very common problem! I have consulted an integrated pest management expert and will pass along any advice I get. In the meantime, looking at some of the resources on museumpests.net, especially Flies in Historic Sites and Museums and the Solutions page, may be useful to help you identify the type of fly you're dealing with and some options for treatment.

    Thanks,

    Rebecca



    ------------------------------
    Rebecca Smyrl
    Connecting to Collections Care Monitor
    Assistant Conservator for Special Collections
    UNC Chapel Hill Libraries
    Chapel Hill NC
    (919) 962-4250
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: House Flies, Oh My!

    Posted 12-18-2020 14:52

    Hi Diana, 

    It is possible what you have are cluster flies, rather than house flies. They tend to come in to buildings in large numbers and are drawn to warm areas, so you'll often find them in light fixtures.  Cluster flies lay eggs in the ground and the larvae feed off of earth worms.  They will use any tiny crevice in the building to gain access. While you could have pest professionals treat the exterior of your building with pesticides, these break down so quickly in sunlight that you would need to treat on a very frequent basis. The best course of action is to seal up the building as much as possible, as you mentioned, to prevent them from entering.  They are quite a nuisance and ultimately will die and become food for dermestids, so it is best to keep a regular cleaning schedule and suck them up in a vacuum, disposing of the bag after doing so.  For more info: Cluster Flies

    Penn State Extension remove preview
    Cluster Flies
    Homeowners are accustomed to swatting flies in the kitchen during the summer months. However, cluster flies make their debut in the autumn when they fly to the sunny sides of homes in search of protected over-wintering sites and may be found flying about inside, often in great numbers, throughout the winter.
    View this on Penn State Extension >

    .

    Good luck!



    ------------------------------
    Christina Cain
    Anthropology Collections Manager
    University of Colorado Museum of Natural History
    Boulder CO
    ------------------------------



  • 8.  RE: House Flies, Oh My!

    Posted 12-20-2020 10:45

    Thank you for the quick responses. I took a closer look at the flies and I would agree that we do indeed have cluster flies. I am relaying the information you all provided to our Executive Management team so that I can hopefully get these suggestions in the works.

     

    Much appreciated!

     

    Diana Welsh

    Collections Manager

    The Indian Museum of North America®

    Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation®

    12151 Avenue of the Chiefs

    Crazy Horse, SD 57730-8900

    605-673-4681  Ext. 256

    diana.welsh@crazyhorse.org

    www.crazyhorsememorial.org

     

    "Never Forget Your Dreams®" - Korczak Ziolkowski

     




    Original Message


  • 9.  RE: House Flies, Oh My!

    Posted 12-20-2020 11:55
    Lots of flies indicate that your building is poorly sealed. If you are heating or cooling your building, this means you are also spending more than you need to on energy. Therefore, working to seal the building against the flies will also save money.

    Sometimes those who hold the purse strings respond better to options to improve collections care if they save money, or can be shown that their cost can be offset by energy savings. We need to use every tool at our disposal to advance collections care. Local power companies or energy efficiency efforts offer building energy audits to identify and fund tightening of buildings, and such efforts will also at least reduce insect problems. The folks conducting these audits can recommend firms that are experts on sealing old buildings. It is surprising what energy sealing experts with a foam can and caulking gun can accomplish in a few hours.

    Of course, protect any collections in rooms where such work is being conducted and monitor the work of those not used to working around collections.


    Original Message


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