Pool Attracting Flies

deano6410 · Postby **deano6410** » Wed 06 Jun, 2007 04:36

We had our pool built this Feb, and we are looking to start swimming in it this weekend.

However, yesterday we noticed that there were hundreds of dead flies on the surface.

They were small, black bodies and small wings.

In the UK i believe they are called midgets. They also kinda look like baby house flies.

Anyway, we cleaned the pool for two hours and that collected them all from the surface. Only 15 mins later they surface was starting to fill up with more.

There are a lot of these flies in the air, and the water is clearly killing them, but it is pretty much un-swimmable with so many of them.

My thoughts/questions:

1) Could their be a nest in or near the pool? we have searched all around the pool, and we cant find anything.

2) Could they just be in the area, but are being attracted by the water?

3) Could the chlorine be attracting them?

4) Perhaps we need more chlorine? we are using the recommended amounts.

5) Is there anything we can add to the water to repel them?

6) perhaps they just have a short life span and will be gone in a week?

Your thoughts?

Dean

bonnie · Postby **bonnie** » Fri 08 May, 2009 14:34

I have the same problem. I upped the clorine level and put some shock in, but I don't know if it will help.
I also don't know what is causing it. Did you ever get any more information?

Thanks, Bonnie
Tucson AZ

donmc · Postby **donmc** » Mon 25 May, 2009 15:30

Bonnie, we also live in Tucson and for the last couple of weeks we've had lots of flies on the surface of our pool. Most are dead but some recover and fly away after I skim them out and dump them. Yesterday, I counted 178 flies in one skimming.

We have a saltwater pool and the chemicals are fine, so don't think that's the problem. I recall that we had a similar problem about 6 years ago, so it seems to be a seasonal/yearly variation. Hopefully, the problem will resolve itself soon.

jpelfrey · Postby **jpelfrey** » Wed 24 Jun, 2009 06:33

bonnie wrote:I have the same problem. I upped the clorine level and put some shock in, but I don't know if it will help.
I also don't know what is causing it. Did you ever get any more information?

Thanks, Bonnie
Tucson AZ

I thought these were flies in my pool also, but upon closer investigation, they are sweat bees in my pool, which is a salt water pool. I am hand skimming hundreds upon hundreds of these out a day. Then I find that they are not dead - only to fly back to the pool. It is taking the joy out of the pool. Any help?

dianemeraglia · Postby **dianemeraglia** » Fri 14 Aug, 2009 18:32

we are besides ourselves. We have called pool companies, landscapers and exterminators. No one has an answer. We have hundreds of them and they keep coming back almost immediately after we clean the top. First we thought it was the berry tree but we have been living here for over 20 years and this has not been a problem. I feel like closing the pool

Peng · Postby **Peng** » Tue 01 Sep, 2009 20:36

WOW, I have Amittyville horror in my swimming pool!!! Can't figure out where they're coming from either. I keep telling my husband when he gets home from work when he say's "what'd you do today?" My reply, well no soap operas and bon bons today dear, as I spent countless hours cleaning dead flies out of our beautiful pool in the the yard. I suggested perhaps a dead animal in the line somewhere. He insists there's way too much pressure going through the lines and that can't be why. I'm also beginning to think he thinks I'm nuts. After I asked him to go look and see for himself, he told me he didn't notice anything. HMM, time for new glasses dear!!

Mumof4 · Postby **Mumof4** » Tue 29 Jun, 2010 14:21

I've had this pool fly problem for weeks too. Gross!! I just brought a water sample to the pool company today. Everything tested fine except the phospate being high. They think this is the problem-- I purchased some chemical to lower the phosphate and added 1/4 of the bottle (3L $42.00!) then 3 cap fulls every week. They said when it gets really hot outside algae wants to grow in the water (my water is crystal clear) and flies and mosquetoes (sp?) know that and want to lay eggs in the water. Hopefully, this chemical will help. I feel like I'm swimming in an unsanitary pool!

Guest · Postby **Guest** » Thu 15 Jul, 2010 21:51

I've had the same problem. It's disgusting! So nice to know we aren't the only ones but I have no idea about what else to do. We even have an all around screened pool and they're still hundreds on the pool! Maybe it is the phosphate, but my water is too crystal clear. I'll try it anyways, I'm tired of those small black flies.

keithjackson · Postby **keithjackson** » Sun 18 Jul, 2010 16:45

deano6410 wrote:We had our pool built this Feb, and we are looking to start swimming in it this weekend.

However, yesterday we noticed that there were hundreds of dead flies on the surface.

They were small, black bodies and small wings.

In the UK i believe they are called midgets. They also kinda look like baby house flies.

Anyway, we cleaned the pool for two hours and that collected them all from the surface. Only 15 mins later they surface was starting to fill up with more.

There are a lot of these flies in the air, and the water is clearly killing them, but it is pretty much un-swimmable with so many of them.

My thoughts/questions: in the uk ,they are called midges.midgets are very small people!

1) Could their be a nest in or near the pool? we have searched all around the pool, and we cant find anything.

2) Could they just be in the area, but are being attracted by the water?

3) Could the chlorine be attracting them?

4) Perhaps we need more chlorine? we are using the recommended amounts.

5) Is there anything we can add to the water to repel them?

6) perhaps they just have a short life span and will be gone in a week?

Your thoughts?

Dean

keithjackson · Postby **keithjackson** » Sun 18 Jul, 2010 16:48

in the uk,they are called midges.midgets are very small people!

Guest · Postby **Guest** » Thu 29 Jul, 2010 17:02

Hello all, I have the same problem. Im from brooklyn New York, I never seen so many flies in previous years. it seems we all have the same trouble, same solutions. but nothing is working..can someone help !!

Adam Brooklyn N.Y. :shifty:

ATOM1965 · Postby **ATOM1965** » Thu 29 Jul, 2010 17:04

Hello all, I have the same problem. Im from brooklyn New York, I never seen so many flies in previous years. it seems we all have the same trouble, same solutions. but nothing is working..can someone help !!

Adam Brooklyn N.Y. :shifty:

Postby **floridapooltech** » Mon 02 Aug, 2010 15:45

Did it just rain? This usually has to do with a good rain storm, along with the high heat of spring/summer! Only thing you can do is skim them out of the pool then hope their friends decide not to enjoy your pool too! another option, is if it is going to rain, turn on the pump skimmer.

bugged · Postby **bugged** » Tue 03 Aug, 2010 00:22

We live in rural Ohio - we have had our pool for 3 years & have never experienced this- not only are the flies in the pool they are constantly landing on you- we had to call it quits the other evening it got so bad. Why doesn't anyone seem to know how to help??!! This started for us about 1 week ago. Up until then it was the sweat bees! Ouch!

aej6 · Postby **aej6** » Sun 29 Aug, 2010 17:45

Googled 'Flies in the pool" and landed here (no pun intended.)
SOO glad I'm not the only one!
Nightmare...have been skimming all day and can't take it any more.

-Boston-