Cluster flies and house flies are easily confused, however they are quite different. Being able to identify whether you have a cluster fly or house fly problem is important for effective control.

5 differences between cluster flies and house flies

As you can see cluster flies and house flies have some clear tell tale signs that sets them apart, in particular where they are found and their behaviour.

 

	Cluster Fly	House Fly
Appearance	Less metallic. Yellowish looking around thorax and legs.	Distinctly grey. Featuring black stripes along their bodies.
Movement	Sluggish	Frantic and fast
Wings	Overlapped when resting	Separate when resting
Commonly Found	Lofts, windows, or other upper levels of your home	Kitchen or other living areas.
Behaviour	Found in clusters, together	Often found alone

How to identify a cluster fly

In general cluster flies are slightly larger and darker than your common housefly and tend to move more sluggishly.

Adults grow to be 3/8th in length.

The appearance of a cluster fly sets it apart from a housefly because it is not metallic in appearance, but instead has yellowish-gold hairs on its thorax and legs.

You can also identify a cluster fly through where they hide in the winter period. They tend to appear in heaviest concentrations in late autumn and early winter, seeking out warm locations to live during the winter period.

Common places for cluster flies to hide are in homes, sheds, between cracks in rocks or underneath a dead or dying tree.

In the Spring, they emerge from these hiding places and can be found clustering around flowers or fruit, hence the name.

How to identify a house fly

House flies are more common than cluster flies and grow between 5-7mm in length.

They feature reddish eyes and their thorax bears narrow black stripes and has a distinct sharp upward bend in its fourth longitudinal wing vein.

You will also notice that the housefly is inactive at night and can be found resting in ceilings, beams, overhead wires and shrubs.

Less commonly known, houseflies are limited to a 100% liquid diet and require a source of water to survive indoors whereas cluster flies don’t require such a diet.

As mentioned above, when trying to decide what type of fly you have, look closely at the wings as these flies will keep their wings separate.

Conclusion

Cluster flies and house flies are pests which can cause big alarm for households so should not be ignored. We recommend following the above guide to identify the type of fly infestation you have before choosing your products for best results.