From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

Bought a house, it's old, haven't moved in yet, work ongoing.

Anyway, the loft has been boarded by the previous owners, looks like a
proper job with extra joists etc and dormer windows. It's chipboard
flooring. I suspect they wanted to use it as a bedroom eventually, but divorce or something. No stairs and the wooden sash windows are not in
good condition[1].

About six weeks ago we had the loft treated for a minor wood boring
beetle infestation as recommended by the surveyor.

It all looked fine, then a couple of weeks ago I went up there and the flooring had been replaced with a giant Garibaldi biscuit. Probably over
1000 dead flies on the floor, a very small number twitching slightly.

So Henry to the rescue. But they keep coming back, not in such numbers
as at first, but still a hundred or so, and a higher proportion of
active flies. Also some very tiny flies on the window glass, possibly elsewhere but not visible. I have had the heating on low, but turned it
off today.

I don't think the previous owners had this problem, because IIRC the
flooring looked clean and squish free, and the surveyor, who was very thorough, didn't see any.

Advice online seems to be to block up any holes (difficult) and hoover
up the dead (cluster) flies, but seems to be referring to just a few,
not hundreds like today. I've left all the other windows in the house
closed because I'm not sure why these flies would just stick to the loft.

I'm guessing the flies are mostly dead because of the wood boring beetle treatment, but I don't know that.

So, suggestions, experience?

[1] There are uPVC windows in the garage meant for the loft which never
got installed. Yes, they're too big to fit through the loft hatch.
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From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

On 06/10/2025 17:12, Simon Simple wrote:

Bought a house, it's old, haven't moved in yet, work ongoing.

Anyway, the loft has been boarded by the previous owners, looks like a proper job with extra joists etc and dormer windows.-a It's chipboard flooring.-a I suspect they wanted to use it as a bedroom eventually, but divorce or something.-a No stairs and the wooden sash windows are not in good condition[1].

About six weeks ago we had the loft treated for a minor wood boring
beetle infestation as recommended by the surveyor.

It all looked fine, then a couple of weeks ago I went up there and the flooring had been replaced with a giant Garibaldi biscuit. Probably over 1000 dead flies on the floor, a very small number twitching slightly.

So Henry to the rescue.-a But they keep coming back, not in such numbers
as at first, but still a hundred or so, and a higher proportion of
active flies.-a Also some very tiny flies on the window glass, possibly elsewhere but not visible.-a I have had the heating on low, but turned it off today.

I don't think the previous owners had this problem, because IIRC the flooring looked clean and squish free, and the surveyor, who was very thorough, didn't see any.

Advice online seems to be to block up any holes (difficult) and hoover
up the dead (cluster) flies, but seems to be referring to just a few,
not hundreds like today.-a I've left all the other windows in the house closed because I'm not sure why these flies would just stick to the loft.

I'm guessing the flies are mostly dead because of the wood boring beetle treatment, but I don't know that.

So, suggestions, experience?

[1] There are uPVC windows in the garage meant for the loft which never
got installed.-a Yes, they're too big to fit through the loft hatch.

Look for the remains of a dead squirrel or similar under the boards.
John

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From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

On Tue, 07 Oct 2025 03:12:59 +1100, Simon Simple <nothanks@nottoday.co.uk> wrote:

Bought a house, it's old, haven't moved in yet, work ongoing.

Anyway, the loft has been boarded by the previous owners, looks like a proper job with extra joists etc and dormer windows. It's chipboard flooring. I suspect they wanted to use it as a bedroom eventually, but divorce or something. No stairs and the wooden sash windows are not in good condition[1].

About six weeks ago we had the loft treated for a minor wood boring
beetle infestation as recommended by the surveyor.

It all looked fine, then a couple of weeks ago I went up there and the flooring had been replaced with a giant Garibaldi biscuit. Probably over 1000 dead flies on the floor, a very small number twitching slightly.

So Henry to the rescue. But they keep coming back, not in such numbers
as at first, but still a hundred or so, and a higher proportion of
active flies. Also some very tiny flies on the window glass, possibly elsewhere but not visible. I have had the heating on low, but turned it off today.

I don't think the previous owners had this problem, because IIRC the flooring looked clean and squish free, and the surveyor, who was very thorough, didn't see any.

Advice online seems to be to block up any holes (difficult) and hoover
up the dead (cluster) flies, but seems to be referring to just a few,
not hundreds like today. I've left all the other windows in the house closed because I'm not sure why these flies would just stick to the loft.

I'm guessing the flies are mostly dead because of the wood boring beetle treatment, but I don't know that.

So, suggestions, experience?

[1] There are uPVC windows in the garage meant for the loft which never
got installed. Yes, they're too big to fit through the loft hatch.

The flys are due to the corpse that is under the chip board
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From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

On Mon, 6 Oct 2025 17:22:16 +0100, John R Walliker
<jrwalliker@gmail.com> wrote:

On 06/10/2025 17:12, Simon Simple wrote:

Bought a house, it's old, haven't moved in yet, work ongoing.

Anyway, the loft has been boarded by the previous owners, looks like a
proper job with extra joists etc and dormer windows.a It's chipboard
flooring.a I suspect they wanted to use it as a bedroom eventually, but
divorce or something.a No stairs and the wooden sash windows are not in
good condition[1].

About six weeks ago we had the loft treated for a minor wood boring
beetle infestation as recommended by the surveyor.

It all looked fine, then a couple of weeks ago I went up there and the
flooring had been replaced with a giant Garibaldi biscuit. Probably over
1000 dead flies on the floor, a very small number twitching slightly.

So Henry to the rescue.a But they keep coming back, not in such numbers
as at first, but still a hundred or so, and a higher proportion of
active flies.a Also some very tiny flies on the window glass, possibly
elsewhere but not visible.a I have had the heating on low, but turned it
off today.

I don't think the previous owners had this problem, because IIRC the
flooring looked clean and squish free, and the surveyor, who was very
thorough, didn't see any.

Advice online seems to be to block up any holes (difficult) and hoover
up the dead (cluster) flies, but seems to be referring to just a few,
not hundreds like today.a I've left all the other windows in the house
closed because I'm not sure why these flies would just stick to the loft.

I'm guessing the flies are mostly dead because of the wood boring beetle
treatment, but I don't know that.

So, suggestions, experience?

[1] There are uPVC windows in the garage meant for the loft which never
got installed.a Yes, they're too big to fit through the loft hatch.

Look for the remains of a dead squirrel or similar under the boards.
John

Used to work in a 19th Century 'gentleman's mansion,' a small one as
these things go, and there were always flies in the attic during the
winter. Think they got in during the summer and couldn't find their
way out. Don't know if the servants, who would have lived up there
originally, had that problem. In my time, of coourse, the windows were
never opened.
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From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

On Mon, 6 Oct 2025 17:12:59 +0100, Simon Simple
<nothanks@nottoday.co.uk> wrote:

Bought a house, it's old, haven't moved in yet, work ongoing.

Anyway, the loft has been boarded by the previous owners, looks like a >proper job with extra joists etc and dormer windows. It's chipboard >flooring. I suspect they wanted to use it as a bedroom eventually, but >divorce or something. No stairs and the wooden sash windows are not in
good condition[1].

About six weeks ago we had the loft treated for a minor wood boring
beetle infestation as recommended by the surveyor.

It all looked fine, then a couple of weeks ago I went up there and the >flooring had been replaced with a giant Garibaldi biscuit. Probably over >1000 dead flies on the floor, a very small number twitching slightly.

So Henry to the rescue. But they keep coming back, not in such numbers
as at first, but still a hundred or so, and a higher proportion of
active flies. Also some very tiny flies on the window glass, possibly >elsewhere but not visible. I have had the heating on low, but turned it
off today.

I don't think the previous owners had this problem, because IIRC the >flooring looked clean and squish free, and the surveyor, who was very >thorough, didn't see any.

Advice online seems to be to block up any holes (difficult) and hoover
up the dead (cluster) flies, but seems to be referring to just a few,
not hundreds like today. I've left all the other windows in the house >closed because I'm not sure why these flies would just stick to the loft.

I'm guessing the flies are mostly dead because of the wood boring beetle >treatment, but I don't know that.

So, suggestions, experience?

[1] There are uPVC windows in the garage meant for the loft which never
got installed. Yes, they're too big to fit through the loft hatch.

Erme - you haven't just bought Horbury Villa in Ladbroke Grove, west
London, by any chance?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/czrlj41jy7mo

Nick
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From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

On 06/10/2025 17:12, Simon Simple wrote:

Bought a house, it's old, haven't moved in yet, work ongoing.

Anyway, the loft has been boarded by the previous owners, looks like a proper job with extra joists etc and dormer windows.-a It's chipboard flooring.-a I suspect they wanted to use it as a bedroom eventually, but divorce or something.-a No stairs and the wooden sash windows are not in good condition[1].

About six weeks ago we had the loft treated for a minor wood boring
beetle infestation as recommended by the surveyor.

It all looked fine, then a couple of weeks ago I went up there and the flooring had been replaced with a giant Garibaldi biscuit. Probably over 1000 dead flies on the floor, a very small number twitching slightly.

My first guess would be dead rodent in the loft - could be a dead
squirrel of pigeon. I once had a dead pigeon in the loft followed by a
short period of flies and shortly afterwards hundreds of baby spiders abseiling down from the loft hatch.
--
mailto : news {at} admac {dot} myzen {dot} co {dot} uk
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From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

On Mon, 6 Oct 2025 20:41:55 +0100, alan_m <junk@admac.myzen.co.uk>
wrote:

On 06/10/2025 17:12, Simon Simple wrote:

Bought a house, it's old, haven't moved in yet, work ongoing.

Anyway, the loft has been boarded by the previous owners, looks like a
proper job with extra joists etc and dormer windows.a It's chipboard
flooring.a I suspect they wanted to use it as a bedroom eventually, but
divorce or something.a No stairs and the wooden sash windows are not in
good condition[1].

About six weeks ago we had the loft treated for a minor wood boring
beetle infestation as recommended by the surveyor.

It all looked fine, then a couple of weeks ago I went up there and the
flooring had been replaced with a giant Garibaldi biscuit. Probably over
1000 dead flies on the floor, a very small number twitching slightly.

My first guess would be dead rodent in the loft - could be a dead
squirrel of pigeon. I once had a dead pigeon in the loft followed by a >short period of flies and shortly afterwards hundreds of baby spiders >abseiling down from the loft hatch.

Your own, scaled-down version of The Royal Tournament!

Nick
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From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

On 06/10/2025 17:22, John R Walliker wrote:

On 06/10/2025 17:12, Simon Simple wrote:

Bought a house, it's old, haven't moved in yet, work ongoing.

Anyway, the loft has been boarded by the previous owners, looks like a
proper job with extra joists etc and dormer windows.-a It's chipboard
flooring.-a I suspect they wanted to use it as a bedroom eventually,
but divorce or something.-a No stairs and the wooden sash windows are
not in good condition[1].

About six weeks ago we had the loft treated for a minor wood boring
beetle infestation as recommended by the surveyor.

It all looked fine, then a couple of weeks ago I went up there and the
flooring had been replaced with a giant Garibaldi biscuit. Probably
over 1000 dead flies on the floor, a very small number twitching
slightly.

So Henry to the rescue.-a But they keep coming back, not in such
numbers as at first, but still a hundred or so, and a higher
proportion of active flies.-a Also some very tiny flies on the window
glass, possibly elsewhere but not visible.-a I have had the heating on
low, but turned it off today.

I don't think the previous owners had this problem, because IIRC the
flooring looked clean and squish free, and the surveyor, who was very
thorough, didn't see any.

Advice online seems to be to block up any holes (difficult) and hoover
up the dead (cluster) flies, but seems to be referring to just a few,
not hundreds like today.-a I've left all the other windows in the house
closed because I'm not sure why these flies would just stick to the loft.

I'm guessing the flies are mostly dead because of the wood boring
beetle treatment, but I don't know that.

So, suggestions, experience?

[1] There are uPVC windows in the garage meant for the loft which
never got installed.-a Yes, they're too big to fit through the loft hatch. >>

Look for the remains of a dead squirrel or similar under the boards.
John

Today there were almost no new flies, maybe none at all, maybe just a
few left from yesterday. I don't think there's a dead animal anywhere
but ascertaining that for sure would be impossible. I did look where I
could see, but that's not really very much. I'll see what there is
tomorrow.
--
SS



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