Hi everyone, long time member but possibly my first time posting. I was wondering if anyone can identify the fly I have posted a picture of. They are small, at first I assumed they were fruit flies because of how small they were, but i'm not sure. I don't think they are drain flies because I have never seen any come out of any of our drains. To me they almost look like regular houseflies, only a lot smaller. The problem started awhile back but it was not many so we weren't too concerned about it. We just killed them when we could. The numbers have grown greatly so it appears they are breeding, and it seems when the weather recently got warmer the population really exploded quickly. When it first started they were hanging out mostly in the kitchen and bathroom but now they are in every room throughout the house. I have taken to vacuuming them up several times a day but no matter how many I vacuum, there are always more. We are trying to avoid calling in a pest control expert because it is an expense we don't need right now. I have no idea where they could possibly be breeding. I figured the first step was to identify what type of fly they really are and then if anyone has any suggestions on how to deal with the problem I would be eternally grateful! Thanks in advance. Just wanted to post some additional information on their behavior, which doesn't match what I have learned about fruit fly's in the research I have done. First, we almost NEVER have fruit in the house, and if we do it's in the refrigerator. The thing is they seem to hang out in areas where there is no food at all. Just chilling on the bedroom wall. I know they are eating something, but I never see them eating, and we make every effort not to leave stuff out for them to eat.

[left]Hi. I'm hoping someone can help us. We have a rather large & completely out of control rat problem in our old 1921 house. We've spent hundreds on pest control services, baits, snap traps, & even electronic devices. All have failed. They avoid the baits even when mixed with enticing snacks. They electronic devices don't work at all. Snap traps worked for exactly 2 days then never again, even when moved. They're in the walls, the attic, under the bottom cabinets. Every time we find holes & repair them they chew new holes or just chew through our repairs. I've tried peppermint oil, various plants, etc. I've counted at least a dozen but I'm sure there are more. They're bold. They'll stand & look right at us or run up to us. And they get into everything. We've put all our pet foods in plastic containers that they've just eaten through. I put things up high like the top of the fridge, but they just find a way to climb. Please help! They're destroying my house, torturing my pets, & driving us crazy. [/left]