"Our homes have been invaded by swarms of flies - they crawl over us in our sleep"
- 10 months ago
Residents of a posh Regency town say their homes have been invaded by swarms of flies that crawl over them at night.
People living in the Heathcote area of Leamington Spa, Warks., are too scared to open their windows or enjoy their gardens.
Fed-up locals blame a combination of scorching temperatures and the eco-campaign 'No Mow May' for the clouds of flies buzzing around the bustling suburb.
Others say fortnightly food waste collections have fuelled the number of bugs breeding.
Mum-of-four Di Drinkwater, 59, said: "They are everywhere at the moment and it turns my stomach.
"We bought two electric zappers and lavender candles but it doesn't make any difference, every room you go in they are there.
"I think there are several causes of the influx of flies this year, from climate change, letting lawns and gardens grow and leaving food scraps out in bins.
"There's nothing much we can do about it but we're just having to try and live with them."
Helen Clatworthy, 41, said: “It’s horrendous and it just keeps getting worse and worse.
“They’re all over the house. There at least 30 in each room and it doesn’t matter how clean you keep your house.
“It’s horrid, and particularly unhygienic when cooking and trying to prepare food.
“They’ve been crawling over us in our sleep too and that’s after hours of vacuuming them up in the evenings, closing windows and doors and even running lavender which apparently they don’t like in humidifiers to try and disperse them.
“I work from home and they crawl over my hands and laptop screen constantly throughout the day.
"We've started putting up nets so they don't come through that, but they always find their way don't they."
Mum-of-two Philippa Ryan, 30, said she was convinced she knew where the flies were coming from.
She said: “The flies started becoming a real problem six to eight weeks ago which was the middle of May.
“At the time, people around the country were being encouraged to let their lawns and gardens grow as part of No Mow May.
“I was always against this from the start because tall grass is an ideal place to lay their larvae.
“It can’t be a coincidence that since then, the fly population has exploded.
"I'm dreading the next hot spell because I just know the flies will be all over the house and we won't be able to open the windows. Summer will be hell."
Disgusted residents have taken to social media to share their experiences and get tips on how to battle the pests.
One said: “I bought a fly catcher and put it in my kitchen and six hours later it was full.”
People living in the Heathcote area of Leamington Spa, Warks., are too scared to open their windows or enjoy their gardens.
Fed-up locals blame a combination of scorching temperatures and the eco-campaign 'No Mow May' for the clouds of flies buzzing around the bustling suburb.
Others say fortnightly food waste collections have fuelled the number of bugs breeding.
Mum-of-four Di Drinkwater, 59, said: "They are everywhere at the moment and it turns my stomach.
"We bought two electric zappers and lavender candles but it doesn't make any difference, every room you go in they are there.
"I think there are several causes of the influx of flies this year, from climate change, letting lawns and gardens grow and leaving food scraps out in bins.
"There's nothing much we can do about it but we're just having to try and live with them."
Helen Clatworthy, 41, said: “It’s horrendous and it just keeps getting worse and worse.
“They’re all over the house. There at least 30 in each room and it doesn’t matter how clean you keep your house.
“It’s horrid, and particularly unhygienic when cooking and trying to prepare food.
“They’ve been crawling over us in our sleep too and that’s after hours of vacuuming them up in the evenings, closing windows and doors and even running lavender which apparently they don’t like in humidifiers to try and disperse them.
“I work from home and they crawl over my hands and laptop screen constantly throughout the day.
"We've started putting up nets so they don't come through that, but they always find their way don't they."
Mum-of-two Philippa Ryan, 30, said she was convinced she knew where the flies were coming from.
She said: “The flies started becoming a real problem six to eight weeks ago which was the middle of May.
“At the time, people around the country were being encouraged to let their lawns and gardens grow as part of No Mow May.
“I was always against this from the start because tall grass is an ideal place to lay their larvae.
“It can’t be a coincidence that since then, the fly population has exploded.
"I'm dreading the next hot spell because I just know the flies will be all over the house and we won't be able to open the windows. Summer will be hell."
Disgusted residents have taken to social media to share their experiences and get tips on how to battle the pests.
One said: “I bought a fly catcher and put it in my kitchen and six hours later it was full.”