How To Get Rid Of Flies Outside
This article was co-authored by Kevin Carrillo. Kevin Carrillo is a Pest Control Specialist and the Senior Project Manager for MMPC, a pest control service and certified Minority-owned Business Enterprise based in the New York City area. MMPC is certified by the industrys leading codes and practices, including the National Pest Management Association , QualityPro, GreenPro, and The New York Pest Management Association . MMPC’s work has been featured in CNN, NPR, and ABC News.wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. This article has 31 testimonials from our readers, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 1,424,718 times.
The average female fly has a lifespan of about 1 month, but in that time she can lay about 500 eggs. Obviously, even a handful of female flies around your patio could translate into thousands of flies in a very short time. Because flies feed on garbage and feces, they transmit diseases, so you should do all you can to keep their population to a minimum.
Make Your Own Flypaper
You can make homemade fly paper from a brown paper bag or kraft paper and corn syrup. It is easy but takes a while since the paper needs to soak and dry.
How to Make Flypaper
Cut a brown paper bag into 2-inch wide strips. Bring equal parts corn syrup and water to a boil, stirring constantly.Remove the mixture from the heat and add the paper strips. Soak the paper in the syrup for four hours or more.
Remove the paper and hang them to dry for two to three hours. Hang them with thread or string in fly-infested areas.
Did It Keep Flies Away From Food
With the 13 methods Ive listed above, you should be able to keep flies away from food or at least deal with them quickly if they do swoop in.
If youve got any other tried and tested methods of keeping flies away from your outdoor party, let us know about them in the comments below!
This article was originally published in October 2019 and updated in August 2021.
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Home Remedies To Get Rid Of Outdoor Flies
Flowers and herbs are natural fly repellants. Try planting basil, bay leaves, catnip, lavender, and . Or, use a mixture of vinegar and dish soap as a natural trap. Pour the mixture into a cup, cover it tightly with plastic wrap and poke holes large enough for the flies to enter. You can also mix cayenne pepper with water in a spray bottle to spritz around your outdoor spaces.
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.
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The Story Behind The Penny Fly Trick
I wish I hadnt promised that Id never mention bugs on my blog again, because last weekend a friend gave me a tip that just BLEW MY MIND. And it had to do with repelling flies with three things you have on hand RIGHT NOW. So if you dont want to know, Ill understand simply cover your ears and say lalalala until the post is over. But for the rest of you, read on to learn my friends trick for how to keep your next outdoor party fly-free!
One of my college BFFs came for a visit recently and after sitting down for a nice dinner on the deck we started to get bombarded with that pesky summer staple FLIES.
Dont you know the fly trick? college BFF
What fly trick? me
The pennies in the cup fly trick. college BFF
Id heard rumors of people using plastic baggies filled with water and pennies to repel flies in their home but hadnt thought to take the action outdoors. So I followed her directions and filled up three glasses with water and a few pennies , placed them around the food, and watched. We watched the flies come to land, see the water, and turn around and ZOOM AWAY.
Thats how I heard about it, and now I am thrilled to share this hack with you!
Identify And Eliminate Feed Sources And Breeding Areas
Any rotting organic matter, including plants or animals, combined with a small amount of moisture, will naturally become a haven for flies to feed and lay eggs, which will quickly hatch into maggots and very quickly will mature into more flies. Therefore, long-term fly control requires you to identify and eliminate these sources of food and moisture.
If youve ever visited a farm, or lived on or near one, youll realize that grasslands or barns with animal manure are a haven for flies. But similar problems can exist even around an urban home if pet manure, compost piles, or even piles of dead leaves or brushes are allowed to decompose.
Fly activity will be most apparent on warm summer days. Look for small swarms of flies, they will locate where flies are feeding and laying eggs. House flies can complete their life cycle in as little as a week, so any wet organic matter and feces should be cleared and scavenged at least twice a week to break the breeding cycle.
Clean up or change any locations where flies are seen living and breeding, and any places that attract them to eat:
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Threats That Come With An Outdoor Fly Infestation
Even though flies do not bite humans, that does not mean they do not pose threats. For example, because flies feed on many types of filthy matter and human food, they can pick up disease-causing organisms. Each time a fly comes into contact with food or people, it can spread these disease-causing organisms.
Use Citronella As A Bug Repellent
Whether city dwellers or country folk, most consumers have used citronella candles in their outdoor space. These are an easy and affordable option, and while these candles arent nearly as powerful as bug zappers or insecticides, they are a more atmospheric option that fits seamlessly with your outdoor decor.
This set of ornate soy wax citronella candles sold at Amazon burns with notes of the green citrus and fresh clean fragrance. Each has a burning time of 26-30 hours. For maximum and widespread citronella power, try buying a large pack of citronella tea light candles.
Another, much more natural, citronella option is to stock your outdoor space with citronella plants, whether you have a few of the annuals in pots, or plant them around your patio.
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Tips To Keep Bugs Away From Your Patio
Entertaining friends and family on your patio can be a great way to spend a summer evening until pests start to show up. Warm bodies and cold drinks can attract mosquitoes, ants, and other unwanted guests. But there are a few simple ways to keep bugs away from a patio and help you enjoy the outdoors without enduring any unpleasant interruptions.
Using Traditional Spray Pesticides
Chemical control should not be used unless all other methods have failed because flies have become resistant to many insecticides. This has steadily made fly populations more difficult to control with such chemicals. The winds and air patterns also make these sprays difficult to control in outdoor locations.
That said, a proper fogger insecticide can be an effective temporary measure to repel flies and stinging insets if applied an hour or so before a picnic or outdoor gathering.
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Extremely Easy Ways To Keep Flies Away Outside
Mar 21, 2021·
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Summer is finally here! And if you’re anything like me, you want to be able to sit outside and enjoy a nice picnic in the park or a BBQ in your backyard . Keep reading for fifteen simple and useful tips on how to keep flies away outside.
Here in the Pacific Northwest, summer is the absolute best time of year. It’s not raining, the sun is shining, and we try to spend as much time as possible outside. But when the flies are continually lurking, it’s hard to enjoy the beautiful weather over a meal.
Last weekend we sat down for a BBQ dinner on the patio. The table was set, the kids were happy, food was ready. And the view was amazing. What could be better than this? It was so relaxing and peaceful.
Until…bzzzz….bzzz…the flies found us.
Between swatting them away, and unsuccessfully convincing my two year old that it wasn’t a bee…just an annoying fly….dinner went from relaxing to tense and stressful.
How To Get Rid Of Flies Outside Step By Step
There are many ways to get rid of outdoor flies, starting with eliminating their food source and other materials that might attract them. You can also use products and other remedies to treat your yard and other areas where your children and pets spend time.
- Step 1: Clean up your patio or porch area: Tidy outdoor living spaces, remove pet waste, and seal up garbage cans. If there is any rotten wood, take it to the dump.
- Step 2: Spray fly bait: Every 30 days, scatter fly bait on and around your patio and porch, as well as other areas where you see flies. Note: Follow directions carefully. Its toxic to humans and pets, so do not use where you are serving food, or somewhere your fur baby can find it.
- Step 3: Use sticky fly traps: Hang sticky fly traps on tree limbs, from birdhouses or in other areas where flies are swarming.
- Step 4: Spray insecticide: Before using any insecticide, be sure your children and pets are away from the area.
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To Use This Method Mix About An Inch Of Apple Cider Vinegar And A Few Drops Of Dish Soap In A Tall Glass
Consider using common garden plants to repel flies. It was so simple to hang up, and i dont have to rely on the kids to keep the door shut. Here are 6 simple tips to prevent food borne illnesses. Deter flies, mosquitoes, moths and other airborne bugs by lighting some tiki torches and placing them along the perimeter of your garden. Lure flies away from your bin. This will also reduce the number of fruit flies. You cant just stick on on a pole and put it in the yard. To keep flies from breeding in your dogs business, either bury it immediately or use a pooper scooper and plastic bag to remove and seal the feces. An industrial air fan is recommended as they have a stronger engine and throw air from longer distance. Strong herbs such as lavender, mint and bay leaf can be planted in window boxes to discourage flies from entering windows. Also reduce the amount of mulch and manure used as fertilizer in the garden. Put the saucer far from your patiothe flies can congregate there while you enjoy your meal in peace. To keep the flies outside of the house, we use this awesome screen.
You Can Learn How To Keep Flies Away With A Bar Of Irish Spring According To A Viral Facebook Post
Summer is officially here, which means warm weather, picnic spreads and weekends spent at the grill. However, it also means an increase in some of our not-so-favorite pests, particularly the ones that like to buzz around our snacks.
Its annoying to have to swat away bugs, especially when youre eating. No one wants to see a fly walking across their slice of watermelon! Fortunately, deterring flying pests is probably easier than you think. Here are a handful of secret weapons to pull out in the fight against bugs.
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Do You Know How To Get Rid Of Flies In Backyard Patios
Its summertime and my family loves to grill out. But we have a problem with flies. They bother us a lot. It happens at both my sisters house and mine. Do you know how to get rid of flies in backyard patios?
Judy McQueen, Schaumburg, IL
Flies are a problem, both indoors and outside. Inside your house, you can make sure you use screens so its easier to keep them away. But outdoors is another matter.
If you want to know how to get rid of flies outside in your backyard and patio, I have some tips for you. Youve probably already guessed that the flies, just like wasps, are attracted to your food.
Getting rid of the food would cut down on these pests. But since your family enjoys eating outside in the summer, well need another way to repel flies.
You can hang up flypaper or a UV light, also known as a bug zapper. Theres even a way to make your own flypaper at home with sugar and corn syrup. Its cheap and it works. But more on that in a moment.
Besides these fly traps, you can also plant basil around your yard. Its a natural fly repellent, as well as how to keep roaches away. Or on each table where your family eats, set out an apple with cloves in it. The scent of the apple and cloves deters flies and also keeps cats out of youryard btw. Cinnamon works the same way.
These home remedies also deter flies, making it hard for them to land on your food or on you.
I hope you find the perfect way to get rid of flies in your yard. Have a nice summer.
Joan
Natural Ways To Get Rid Of Flies
While Ive always found that the Sterno trick works REALLY well and super fast, you might need another option if youre in a pinch.
Here are a few other all-natural ways to use organic material and items you have around the house to get rid of a fly infestation
- Use spices and herbs such as rosemary, citronella, cinnamon, basil, lavender, and mint as part of your table decor to help keep the flies at bay. Its a double bonus that natural citronella torches and candles will also help to keep mosquitos away, too.
- Fill a clear glass with water and drop 4 to 5 old pennies inside. It seems really strange, but it works! Turns out that adult flies are afraid of bugs bigger than them and will be turned away by this.
- Just like the water glass idea, you can fill clear bags with water and several pennies to hang away from the table setting to reach the same effect.
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Best Way To Get Rid Of Flies In The Chicken Coop
The strong breeze should be enough to keep the flies at bay or at the very least keep them away from your hangout space and push them to the fringes of your yard. Sticky traps are an easy solution to get rid of some of the flies you might have to hang around your backyard. mix it with the spoon to get the salt off the bottom of the bowl. Likewise, you can plant the popular carnivorous venus flytrap in your yard. If your yard has either of these things, mosquitoes will be tempted to visit and will likely prey upon you and your loved ones in the meantime. How to eliminate cluster flies in businesses? The deer flies dive bombed his eyes and circled his head. Fly predators are the unique blend of fly parasites proven effective since 1976. Follow this guide and use the recommended products, and we guarantee 100% control of black flies. Get rid of ants, spiders, mice, roaches, or pretty much any other bugs/pests in your home. An elevated coop might be trickier. Dispose of kitchen scraps and other organic waste properly. What attracts flies into your home or surroundings?
Types of fly treatment what are natural fly repellents? Natural fly repellent you can make in your kitchen really. Flies are attracted to any strong smell, which often comes from trash or food left outside. These buzzing nuisances can be found worldwide and are known for spreading. Visit a store, buy one of your choices, and spray around the areas where black fly activities are high.
What Is A Fly
By the scientific definition, a “fly” is any insect in the Diptera order of insects, identified by the presence of only a single pair of operational wings, rather than the two pairs found in many other insects. By definition, mosquitoes are a type of fly, but when we think of the pesky fly that can make summer living unpleasant, it is the ordinary housefly , the 3/8-in-long buzzing insect with the bulging eyes, that we usually picture. Less commonly, we may be combatting the much larger horse-fly or the black fly , both of which can inflict painful bites.
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