Ontario residents fed up with midge flies at Turner Basin

ONTARIO, Calif. (KABC) -- A mounting number of midge flies at an Ontario water basin are holding residents hostage.

"We are prisoners to the indoors," resident Janet Rabins said.

Rabins and her husband Rick Clevenger have been dealing with the insects for seven years.

"This door will be a canvas of midge flies. When the doorbell rings and we open our door, all the midge flies come with our guests," Rabins said.

Rabins blames the pest problem on the Turner Basin located behind her home. The basin is used to catch storm water and is part of a system that helps recharge ground water.

But it's also become a breeding ground for the midge flies, the couple says. They've been working with West Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District to contain the pests.

"Normally, it will be full of midge flies," Clevenger said of a fly catcher. "They obviously came out this morning and emptied it out. They are out here twice a week."

Because it's still early in the year, the fly population has not reached its peak, Rabins said.

"When it's really the worst during the day time is in the heat of the summer. So we are just beginning right now," Rabins said.

She fears it will soon get even worse. On Thursday, the Inland Empire Utilities Agency, which manages the basin, is set to release water into a newly expanded retention pond.

"They are filling up two new ones. They did not install any water cannons (and) have no program or process other than the chemicals to control the midge flies, which isn't working," Rabins said.

San Bernardino County Mosquito and Vector Control is in charge of monitoring the basins.

"The county actively monitors the basins for midge flies and treats the basins to control the fly population," San Bernardino County officials released in a statement.

Meanwhile, Rabins is thinking about taking drastic measures.

"We want to sell our home," Rabins said.