how do you get rid of...

[shirlthegirl43]

... those irritating little black compost flies? I sowed seeds a week ago and the blooming flies were in the seed compost

Is there a spray or something I can get to kill them? I am having a birthday party on Saturday and I don't want the flies around for that

[matthew2riches]

If they're bad, you could try a few of those bug bombs ?

[piskieinboots]

Turn it into a party game for any children attending - give them all catapults and tell them 'highest scorer gets a chocolate bun'

[Jeanied]

Didn't two sheds once post that she caught them on spilled almond oil? I'll try out my searching skills ... back later.

[Florence Fennel]

Talking of TS - she's not been around for a few days, hope she's ok.

[Jeanied]

Ooh, yes, well noticed FF, I hope she is OK too. I found the post (using the rather excellent search function! - hers is no 12. Funnily enough I found some almond oil when rooting around in the cupboard for cold cure!

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...your-tips.html

[shirlthegirl43]

If they're bad, you could try a few of those bug bombs ?

They are in the house - don't fancy setting off bug bombs as Madmax has asthma and I would risk getting rid of him too

Turn it into a party game for any children attending - give them all catapults and tell them 'highest scorer gets a chocolate bun'

No kids Piskie - well lots of big kids like me

Ooh, yes, well noticed FF, I hope she is OK too. I found the post (using the rather excellent search function! - hers is no 12. Funnily enough I found some almond oil when rooting around in the cupboard for cold cure!

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...your-tips.html

Thanks for the link - off out to try and find fly papers (can't stand the smell of almonds)

[shirlthegirl43]

Well, I went to the garden centre and bought some sticky yellow paper things. I also recalled fishing a fly out of my wineglass last evening so decided to try a comparison. To date we have 2 flies on the sticky paper and loads that died happy!!

[Shadylane]

I had loads of em on over wintering chilli plants. I would hoover them up every few days but by holding off with the watering they did eventually die off. Just get the odd one now and then. Someone (sorry can't remember who) suggested putting a layer of sand on the surface of the soil. It stops the freshly hatched ones from getting out and they die in the soil.

[Liza]

Talking of TS - she's not been around for a few days, hope she's ok.

Was thinking exact same thing

[organic]

If they are anything like the flies that are the bane of bartenders lives (and the reason they have to clean every inch of the bar so often) - keeping things clean and dry will be a bit help.

It's my understanding that they go for sugary things, particularly damp sugary things. So take on the bartender view that "wet is dirty" and their numbers should drop off naturally.

Your wineglass experiment kinda confirms that too. When you said you'd put out a glass of wine I fully expected it to get more than the sticky paper.