A plague of flies has descended on the village. Residents speak of “life becoming hell”
In the village of Bettws, near Bridgend in south Wales, swarms of flies have made life hell for residents, and as the Guardian reports, some have had enough and are calling for a move.
A plague of flies in a Welsh village has left residents in despair, with people living in Bettws cancelling invitations to friends and, in some cases, even considering leaving the village permanently.
Fly plague in Welsh village
As the Welsh explain, thousands of flies prevent them from functioning normally. They are unable to simply eat their meals, because the insects soon cover all food. In an interview with the Guardian, it was emphasized that the situation is already affecting the mental health of some people.
Local authorities have enlisted the help of wildlife officials to try to determine the cause of the fly invasion and have asked them to suggest solutions to keep the flies away from human habitation.
Flies in Bettws. “Refrain from speculation”
Bridgend County Councillor Martyn Jones said he had received “numerous calls and emails about residents having to deal with large numbers of flies in the past week”, urging people to refrain from speculating, mainly on social media, about the cause of the flies.
He stressed that once officials have identified the source of the plague, “appropriate action will be taken.” Hayley Laaser, 42, from Bettws, told reporters that people are at their wits’ end. “We’ve just got flies everywhere and it’s really taking its toll on us,” she explained.
Bettws Flies Plague, Residents Flee
“We’ve tried mosquito nets, sticky traps, closing doors and windows permanently, but nothing works. There are so many insects that it’s embarrassing to invite someone into our home. We don’t know what to do,” she said. “There are literally thousands of them and sometimes people think we’re exaggerating, but you have to see it to believe it,” she added.
“You can’t open a window or a door without them flying in and you can’t cook a meal at home because the flies will get all over it,” she complained, noting that flies are a common sight in Bettws, but “this year it’s 10 times worse.”
Some villagers have decided to spend the night in a hotel or even move. Melanie Simons from the local club stressed that the number of annoying insects is having a negative impact on local businesses. “We haven’t been able to serve food in the pub for the last few days because of the number of flies. Even feeding the dog is difficult because they come flying in after a while,” she said.
