Flies cluster in warm spots as cold returns

Karen Youso - McClatchy Newspapers

MODESTO, Calif. -- Even though I keep my patio door and windows closed, flies get into the house at this time of year. They sit on the sunny southwest window and then die. It is quite unpleasant. How do they get in and what can I do about it?

It sounds as though you are describing cluster flies. They are parasites in earthworms during the summer. In fall, they fly to buildings to seek any small spaces or cracks by which they can get inside for the winter.

They often find their way into wall voids and other cavities, particularly on the south and west sides of structures, where it's warmest. Eventually they can emerge into homes through small spaces, such as around light fixtures.

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There are two steps to take when trying to keep fall nuisance invaders out, from Jeff Hahn, entomologist with University of Minnesota Extension:

Seal as many potential entry spaces as possible around the entire building. Check especially around windows, doors and fascia boards. Examine areas where different materials meet, such as brick and wood. Also be sure to inspect areas where utility lines enter homes. You can't make a home completely “insect-proof,” but sealing cracks and spaces will minimize the number of cluster flies that get inside.

Consider supplementing these efforts with an insecticide barrier around the outside of your home. Again, concentrate your efforts around windows and doors. Use an insecticide labeled for the exterior of buildings or hire an experienced pest management company for the job.

I purchase filtered drinking water in plastic gallon jugs (like milk jugs) from a local grocery store, where they are refilled. How often and how should the jugs be cleaned? For example, should I use dishwashing liquid and then rinse out the jug thoroughly?

Cleaning before every fill-up makes sense. Simply use dishwashing detergent and hot water. Because antibacterial cleaners are so heavily promoted, it's easy to forget that cleaning with detergent and water is very effective.

What should be done to sanitize a house to prevent the flu from being passed around?

The CDC recommends:

Everybody in the house should clean their hands with soap and water frequently, including after every contact with the sick person or the person's room or bathroom.

Use paper towels for drying hands, or dedicate cloth towels to each person in the household. (Different colored towels for each person, for example.)

Keep surfaces (especially bedside tables, surfaces in the bathroom, and toys for children) clean by wiping them down with a household disinfectant according to directions on the product label. Don't forget doorknobs, drawer pulls and other items that a sick person might touch.

Wash linens, eating utensils and dishes used by the sick person thoroughly, but they don't need to be cleaned separately.

Wash linens and tumble dry on a hot setting. Avoid “hugging” laundry before washing it to prevent contaminating yourself. Clean your hands with soap and water right after handling dirty laundry. If soap and water are unavailable, use an alcohol-based hand rub.

Eating utensils should be washed in a dishwasher or by hand with warm water and soap.