Get Patio Plants To Keep Bugs Away
Nature has provided plants with a variety of natural defenses to repel insects, but theres no one perfect solution to using plants to keep bugs at bay. You would need to use fairly specific patio plants to keep bugs away, depending on the pests youre most concerned about. For example, ants avoid chrysanthemums, flies steer clear of basil, and moths are not fond of lavender.
To keep mosquitos away from your patio or deck, you can use:
- Rosemary
- Basil
- Citronella
Keep in mind, while a lemon scent can repel mosquitos, it might entice bees. That means a little planning is necessary. But with some thought, this can be a helpful, natural way to keep bugs away.
Change Your Outdoor Lighting
Bugs have eyesight that helps them better see shorter wavelengths of light. That includes blues, purples, and even ultraviolet light which is invisible to humans. However, their visual range does not include warmer colors, like red or orange.
Daylight white bulbs contain higher concentrations of blue light. If you want to keep bugs away from a patio at night, try swapping out cooler bulbs for warmer ones, especially yellow or sodium vapor bulbs. Dont use bulbs that are any brighter than you need because the intensity of the light can also be a pest magnet. Here are some outdoor lighting ideas to help get you inspired.
Summary Of The Top 5 Ways To Get Rid Of Flies
More Methods Here: Fly Control Techniques
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Why Are There So Many Flies Outside My House
Flies are active from spring through fall, with their peak activity during summer. Female flies generally lay more than 100 eggs after mating, and those eggs spawn into larvae in less than 8 hours if the weather is warm enough. Adult flies have a maximum life cycle of 3 months.
If you have a fly problem, you need to look for the breeding source. Find and remove what is attracting them to your home, both indoors and out. House flies are attracted to garbage and organic waste matter. They land on those things and then contaminate everything else they land on. So, get rid of the reason theyre hanging around, and youll know how to get rid of flies from your home.
How Do You Get Rid Of Flies Outside
You can get rid of flies outside with these six easy steps:
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Ways To Keep Mosquitoes Away From Your Backyard Party
Throwing a backyard party can be all fun and gamesthat is, until a swarm of blood-thirsty mosquitoes start dining on your guests.
Good weather and warm summer nights brings only one downside: the pests. Nothing can ruin a patio party like the nagging buzz of mosquitoes. If you plan on entertaining outdoors this summer, fear not. We went on bug patrol and came up with a list of easy ways to keep pesky mosquitoes from ruining your good time.
1. Citronella Candle SetThese chic candles are tougher than they look. They have a 50 hour burning time, plenty to protect your outdoor dinner parties all summer long.
2. Mosquito DunksWhile mosquito dunks dont actually repel mosquitoes, they can prevent them from invading your backyard to begin with. Place them in standing water like birdbaths and gutters to kill larvae for at least 30 days .
3. OFF! Clip-On Mosquito RepellentThe battery-operated fan emits mosquito repellant, providing up to 12 hours of protection. Itll even keep you cool on those sticky summer nights .
4. Badger Anti-Bug BalmBadgers all-natural balm protects skin from annoying pests, thanks to its blend of organic citronella, cedar, and lemon grass essential oils. Its completely free of DEET and other toxic ingredients, making it safe for the little ones to use .
- TIKI Brand Citronella Scented Torch Fuel, $19 at
- TIKI 6-Inch Molded Glass Table Torch, Red, Green & Blue , $16 at
- TIKI Brand 57-Inch Luau Bamboo Torches, 4 Pack, $19 at
Clean Garbage Cans Thoroughly And Frequently
This is by far the biggest attractor of flies. This is where flies will lay their eggs to hatch out into those nasty maggots that make all of us gag just a little. The most important thing you can do is keep your garbage cans clean. Hard Money Property says that cities with high humidity and populations such as Miami, Florida struggled with this. Outside garbage cans that have even a little bit of decaying matter in them will be enough to attract flies. Clean all garbage cans thoroughly and frequently.
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Technique 0: Prevent The Fly Return
Once you have successfully given the notorious flies a heave-ho, the last thing you wouldnt want is to see their back again on the patio or your outdoor space. So, discourage their return with the following steps.
Effective Ways To Get Rid Of Flies On A Patio
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Spending time outside is something that many of us look forward to when the weather begins to warm and the sun starts to stay out a lot longer. Hanging out on a patio offers a space where friends and family can convene, enjoy one anothers company, and set up seating areas with chairs and tables.
But there is one common issue that comes with hanging outside: flies. Flies are something that we can all unite in our hatred of. They buzz around annoyingly, getting in our faces, zipping by our ears, getting in our food, and laying their nasty eggs anywhere they can.
The latter can be particularly disgusting. Anyone who has ever had to deal with maggots knows how nasty and disgusting the sight of those wriggly little things is and no one should have to deal with that unsightly, disgusting scene.
While it may seem like flies are simply something to deal with they live outside, after all it isnt something that has to ruin your next outdoor gathering. There are a few things that you can do to help keep those nasty pests out of your face and off of your patio.
With that said, here are a few helpful tips that can keep your patio space free and clear so that you can enjoy your time there. When you have guests, they will be appreciative of not having to deal with flies buzzing around every which way.
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Tricks For Getting Rid Of Flies
Any type of outdoor food setting attracts flies in warm weather. Since we try to avoid pesticides as much as possible, especially around the table, we had to opt for another deterrent without being fly baits.
Naturally, I wasnt going to let fly lamps, light trap, or an ugly fly trap tape ruin my Article tablescape, so I put my Bahamas trick to good use in style!
Any guesses on what I used for this easy fly control trick? All you need is a single can of Sterno canned heat,a stick lighter, and a decorative candle vase if youre feeling fancy.
The flies are instantly deterred once you light the Sterno gel. Theyll stay away as long as the gel keeps burning, which is several hours.
Keep in mind that if you have a large gathering or an 8 person table like ours, youll need a to place can every few feet.
To dress it up, I removed the outside label and placed it inside a heat-safe decorative vase before lighting it.
Not only does this serve as decor for your tablescape, but its also a great way to make sure that no one happens to bump into the can of Sterno since it gets very hot to the touch.
All Sterno cans come with tight-fitting lids that you remove before lighting the gel, but be sure to save them so that you can reuse the canned heat for other outdoor dining occasions.
What Is The Best Outdoor Fly Repellent And Fly Killer
Pest Control Products
When choosing an insecticide its important to find one thats effective but also family-friendly. Thats why we love using natural plant essential oils in our Maggies Farm Simply Effective Pest Control products. Plants dont like flies and other bugs any more than you do. The natural oils they produce to protect themselves are effective at killing and repelling pests.
Our Home Bug Spray and Flying Insect Killer are both effective for spot-treatments. For personal protection against flies , try our Natural Insect Repellent.
For longer term, more thorough coverage, you can treat wider areas of your lawn with effective hose-end plant oil-based pest control products like our Maggies Farm Yard Bug Spray.
Find more information here:
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Treat Your Doorways And Window Frames
If youre hosting the party on your porch close to the house entrance, you can treat the doorways and window frames with Pyrethrin-based insecticides or other natural forms of repellent to discourage flies from food at the party.
Pyrethrin is a product made from the chrysanthemum flower and works against common house flies, gnats, and other insects too. Like a silent assassin, it wont leave any traces, at least, not on your doors or windows.
The product in the image below, Mosquito Magician, is made from a blend of essential oils, including Citronella, Garlic Oil, Rosemary, Lemongrass, Cedarwood, and Geraniol.
It can be used outdoors around the home, garden, patio, and pool, and lasts for up to 2 weeks.
You simply mix 4 oz in 1 gallon of water and spray it around with a pump sprayer, fogger, or even a commercial backpack sprayer.
Check For Standing Water
One of the most important thing to do your you and your family is perhaps to ensure theres no standing water around your house. Other than flies, standing water also attracts all sorts of pests including mosquitoes. Flip over unused buckets, cover up unused tires or other area that can possibly hold stagnant water from the rain.
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Use Camphor And Citronella:
This is a natural, proven and effective remedy to get rid of flies. All types of common flies dislike the smell of camphor or citronella smoke. For those who dont know what camphor and citronella are, heres a little insight for them.
These are oily aromatic fragrances. These are extracted from lemongrass of various kinds. People across the world love their aroma in the candles, whereas flies have developed an apathy for them.
So, you can light up a few of these aromatic candles around the patio. It will not only discourage the flies from staying around the courtyard but also fill the area with a pleasant aroma. Hence, it will create an enthralling ambient during the picnics, barbecue parties, or grilling time around the patio, along to keep flies away.
Use Citronella Candles And Torches
Some homeowners often overlook citronella as an option to keep pests away from their patio. Citronella candles and torches have a reputation for being effective at warding off mosquitos, but theyre also effective at discouraging flies and similar critters. In addition to filling the air with scents that discourage pests from bothering you, burning citronella can add natural ambient lighting to help illuminate your patio.
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Add Mint To Your Floral Arrangements To Keep Flies Away From Food
Flies dont like the smell of mint. One way to use mint as a fly repellent in your outdoor party is by adding mint leaves to the floral arrangements at your outdoor party. Mint leaves can tastefully be included in floral arrangements then strategically placed near the food. Make several floral arrangements place one mint floral arrangement on the buffet table and another mint floral arrangement as a centerpiece on the outdoor dinner table. The mint in these floral arrangements will keep flies away from the food at your outdoor party.
Vodka And Essential Oils
Mix one cup of vodka, two teaspoons of aloe vera juice, one teaspoon of lemon eucalyptus oil, half a teaspoon of essential oil blend. Pour the mixture into a spray bottle. Spray the infested area to repel flies outside.
Pros: No chemicals, easy to use, works great.
Cons: People with sensitive skin may get skin irritation after using it.
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Hang Plastic Bags With Water
Okay so this one is strange, and I haven’t tried it yet. But people swear it works. Just fill a couple plastic bags with water and hang them on your patio, or wherever you’re eating your meal. Supposedly the water in the bag freaks the flies out. I’ll update this when I try it. Sounds strange, but TOTALLY worth trying.
How To Get Rid Of Flies Preventative Measures
There are some general and basic principles that will help you get rid of most type of flies and keep them away from your house as well as outside:
1. Eliminating food source and breedinggrounds flies like to lay their eggs in or close to food sources so keep all fruit stored away and dont leave any source of food sitting out. When you eliminate food sources, the flies will stop breeding in that area and will quickly move somewhere else.
2. Sanitation flies are attracted to garbage, waste and drains, so keep your premises clean and dry . Dispose garbage on a regular basis, place it at a location quite away from your house and keep the garbage covered. To sanitize your drain mix equal parts of white vinegar and boiling water and pour down the drain daily and keep the area around the drain dry .
3.Dont over-water your plants as over watering is also a major cause of welcoming flies in your area as they love humidity.
4. Use window and door screens to keep the flies away while still enjoying the fresh air.
Flies can be a big problem, but that doesnt mean you have to break your natural lifestyle to make them disappear. These natural methods will help you to get rid of flies and will allow you to live a pest free life you might even catch more than flies!
Do you want to repel other insects from your house? Read my other articles in this subject:
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