Why has my compost bin got loads of little flies?

Question

new to composting house and garden waste.

on lifting bin lid get loads of little flies.

someone said the waste is "dry".

i do put Garott composting thingy on it.

Answer 1

well, it depends, what is in it? fungus might be growing in it, and flies lay their eggs in fungus, and anything gross, so they probably are just baby flies that hatched from a little bit ago, check to see, their might be more maggots in your compost.

Answer 2

You don't have the right mixture of green and brown, moist and dry stuff in that compost.  The compost hasn't been properly aerated.

Turn your compost over.  Add coffee grounds to the top.  Flies don't like coffee grounds.

Answer 3

Throw a little bit of garden dirt or forest dirt in there, along with a bit of dry grass. (straw)

Compost is actually fungus driven decomposition.

If you don't have the right type of fungus working in it you will never get the heat in it to kill the weed seeds or other diseases like nematode worms.

If the compost is wet soggy and foul smelling you have anaerobic bacteria working. Again, not a good thing.

If you are throwing just kitchen scraps into it it is likely too wet and you are just rotting fruits and veggies.

You would be better off burying it in an unused corner of your garden and letting the worms eat it.

Answer 4

They are attracted by the smell.

Answer 5

These are probably fruit flies, which commonly occur on rotting fruit and vegetables. A tight fitting lid will help to exclude them. Also, if you bury the vegetable waste as you add it, or keep it covered with damp newspaper, they are less likely to be a problem. Flies do not harm the compost, although they can be irritating

Answer 6

put some wee in it this helps the process