I have maggotts!
Discussion
Got back from holiday 3 days ago and my mum mentions that whilst I was away the plumbing under the sink had come away and flooded the kitchen. She had already dried it up etc as it had happened days ago so I just got under the sink and put it all back together again (making a better job than the plumber though...)
Fast forward to today and my GF picks up a pile of washing next to the washing machine (waiting to go in) and finds about 20 or so maggotts wriggling about in the washing! The washing machine is right next to the sink.
We hoovered all the floors of the house and found one or two hidden under the table. (about 4-5 meters from the sink) In the corners of the kitchen were, from researching on the internet, what looked like the cocoons they go into before becoming flys too. All this was hoovered up with the maggotts.
On the internet it says that damp and rotting food attract them so the bin and cat food tray have gone outside and washing is banned from infront of the machine for now.
What other things can I try? I have not pulled the wooden bottom off of the sink yet...bit worried about what I will find, But what chemicals and such can I use, or do, to get the feckers out of my house?
Fast forward to today and my GF picks up a pile of washing next to the washing machine (waiting to go in) and finds about 20 or so maggotts wriggling about in the washing! The washing machine is right next to the sink.
We hoovered all the floors of the house and found one or two hidden under the table. (about 4-5 meters from the sink) In the corners of the kitchen were, from researching on the internet, what looked like the cocoons they go into before becoming flys too. All this was hoovered up with the maggotts.
On the internet it says that damp and rotting food attract them so the bin and cat food tray have gone outside and washing is banned from infront of the machine for now.
What other things can I try? I have not pulled the wooden bottom off of the sink yet...bit worried about what I will find, But what chemicals and such can I use, or do, to get the feckers out of my house?
Edited by ymwoods on Friday 23 July 06:18
Drowning them is the best way. Dunno how you'll manage this if they're indoors but good luck.
I was under seige in the back of my home once with hundreds of maggots intent on coming through the backdoor. It was a bloody nightmare - I was pi$$ed and could see all these maggots stampeding towards the house while I had a fag out the back. Aerosols didn't work so I turned to PH and the answer was drowning. Bucket loads of water later, calm returned. One of the most surreal nights I've ever experienced.
I was under seige in the back of my home once with hundreds of maggots intent on coming through the backdoor. It was a bloody nightmare - I was pi$$ed and could see all these maggots stampeding towards the house while I had a fag out the back. Aerosols didn't work so I turned to PH and the answer was drowning. Bucket loads of water later, calm returned. One of the most surreal nights I've ever experienced.
Flies lay their eggs on anything that's rotting (moist + warm) or faeces.Which means your kitchen
hygene regime needs to be seriously updated.
Bucket,mop,hot water and Domestos everything.And get the kitten to toilet outside asap.
My guess is the source is the litter tray...
hygene regime needs to be seriously updated.
Bucket,mop,hot water and Domestos everything.And get the kitten to toilet outside asap.
My guess is the source is the litter tray...
Edited by goldblum on Friday 23 July 12:02
I'm no expert but I'd be surprised if the damp attracted the flies in the first place (to lay their eggs which turn into maggots). There must have been a source of 'nourishment' such as the cat litter suggested above, the faulty plumbing may not have helped but the timing may have been coincidence.
Anyway, so does Silverstone
Anyway, so does Silverstone
Thanks for the advice guys, really appreciated.
I have pulled out the washer and all the furniture etc downstairs and found one or two small (but dead looking) maggotts along with about another 10 cocoons in total so nothing near the amount we found yesterday!
I tried to get under the sink which has a wooden bottom to it but so far have found no way to pull the panels apart enough to see inside without breaking the wood up so I think I am just going to cut a small hole at the back to look inside and then, depending on what I discover, decide if the cupboard needs to get ripped out or not.
Going to do the same to upstairs tommorrow aswell...just to be sure
I have also just ordered a pack of ten of those fly catcher things (sticky paper that makes the flies stick to them) so if and when any little feckers hatch they wont be laying anything else.
I have pulled out the washer and all the furniture etc downstairs and found one or two small (but dead looking) maggotts along with about another 10 cocoons in total so nothing near the amount we found yesterday!
I tried to get under the sink which has a wooden bottom to it but so far have found no way to pull the panels apart enough to see inside without breaking the wood up so I think I am just going to cut a small hole at the back to look inside and then, depending on what I discover, decide if the cupboard needs to get ripped out or not.
Going to do the same to upstairs tommorrow aswell...just to be sure
I have also just ordered a pack of ten of those fly catcher things (sticky paper that makes the flies stick to them) so if and when any little feckers hatch they wont be laying anything else.
Neil H said:
As long as it's now dry and clean they will stop propagating, if you found cocoons it suggests that they were in the process of turning into flies. Any that you miss will do the same in a matter of days. Might be an idea to pull the washer out and check behind it for rotten food.
This.Make sure you've found the source of any "food" for them (damp alone wouldn't do it IMO), get rid of it and within a few days your problem will likely have gone.
Flies *love* cat food. Don't leave it down too long (even if the mog's not eaten it all), clean the food tray properly every time you swap food and make sure you clean around the area where the cat eats.
I guess, if it was the bottle trap that failed under your sink, there could have been odds and ends of food in there that attracted the flies. But if your ma cleaned up would think this unlikely.
Get Vapona etc too - helps avoid getting flies in the house in the first place.
Murph7355 said:
Flies *love* cat food. Don't leave it down too long (even if the mog's not eaten it all), clean the food tray properly every time you swap food and make sure you clean around the area where the cat eats.
I guess, if it was the bottle trap that failed under your sink, there could have been odds and ends of food in there that attracted the flies. But if your ma cleaned up would think this unlikely.
We do ussualy keep the cat food tray down with food in it or not (depending on if it was eaten) and only cleaning it out the next time we put food down (the cat is fussy and once food has been down for more than 45 mins it wont eat it anyway) Not had a problem before now, but I think that we will be be cleaning it out as soon as we know the cat will not eat it anymore.I guess, if it was the bottle trap that failed under your sink, there could have been odds and ends of food in there that attracted the flies. But if your ma cleaned up would think this unlikely.
The bin was inside too and as its a big one we don't change the bin for a few days so we could have had some food in this too, the bin now lives outside the back door from now on thoug,h so this should not be a problem anymore. Furthermore somewhere on the internet it suggested tieing food in plastic bags so that the smell could not escape, I am going to take up this practice too.
The sink plumbing did indeed drop bits of food out when it came apart but it was cleaned up as soon as it happened so I am assuming that it was the cat food (or bin) plus the moisture from the sink that brought this about so hopefully, with all the sources eliminated, I will not be seeing anymore!
Gassing Station | Homes, Gardens and DIY | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff