How Can I Get Rid Of Flies On My Patio

How To Get Rid Of Flies On The Patio

The weather is warming up, and the patio is luring you outdoors. What better time to call the family and friends together and get outside for an outdoor grill? There is only one thing spoiling the idea. Flies. They buzz around your face and land on your food, forcing you to swish them away repeatedly with your hands. Here, youll find out how to get rid of flies on the patio!

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.

Getting Rid Of Flies On Your Patio

Ahhhh, spring. Once April arrives, warm weather returns and the sun makes its glorious presence known. Its like an instant hit of serotonin. Goodbye, seasonal depression! Ill see you next year . This time of year, I absolutely love to be outside and enjoying my patio, with a cool drink in hand. The only thing that could ruin the pure bliss of these moments would be a bunch of annoying bugs or something. Ohwait. Its fly season, yall. Even though spring is pure joy, this does mean that these annoying critters are flourishing in this warm weather, too. Flies seem to love hanging out around the exterior of my home and patio this time of year, and man, that can be mighty frustrating.

So, why are there flies on my patio, you may ask? I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but flies tend to be attracted to dirty places. These pests look for dirty places, especially near garbage to lay their eggs. If you routinely eat or drink on your patio and dont make a habit to thoroughly clean away your crumbs or residue, youre inviting flies to invade your sacred chilling space. Additionally, if you have pets and they make it a habit of relieving themselves near your patio, that could attract flies to your patio, as well.

Fortunately, there are many solutions to your fly problem so you can claim victory once more over your outdoor domain!

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What Do You Put In A Fruit Fly Trap

Typical fruit fly traps include: A small jar filled with 3 ounces of unfiltered apple cider vinegar and covered with a thick layer of cling film. There should be a small hole in the center of the plastic wrap and it shouldn’t be bigger than the tip of a pen.

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Tip #: Bring Out The Spice Rack

Its clear by now that the kitchen are a feast for flies. Bet you didnt know you could find so many fly killers in there as well! Weve already discussed some common kitchen repellents white vinegar makes an excellent base.

Among your herbs and spices, weve mentioned garlic, basil, and most kinds of pepper. Here are a few more herbs you can plant to get rid of garden flies: bay leaf, cloves, mint, rosemary, woodruff, and tansy. These plants keep flies away, and are bothersome to other bugs too!

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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 .

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• TIKI Brand 57-Inch Luau Bamboo Torches, 4 Pack, $19 at

How To Get Rid Of Flies Outside Your Home

Once you know how to get rid of house flies inside, its time to learn how to keep flies out of your house by heading outside. Just like you minimize your homes appeal to flies, you can also make your backyard less attractive to them. Whether you want to create a defensive barrier to keep flies from entering your home or fly control to enjoy outdoor spaces more, here is what keeps flies away outside.

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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.

Extremely Easy Ways To Keep Flies Away Outside

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Summer is finally here! And if youre 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. Its not raining, the sun is shining, and we try to spend as much time as possible outside. But when the flies are continually lurking, its 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.

Untilbzzzz.bzzzthe flies found us.

Between swatting them away, and unsuccessfully convincing my two year old that it wasnt a beejust an annoying fly.dinner went from relaxing to tense and stressful.

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What Kind Of Flies Are On My Patio

Even though many flies behave similarly, many different fly species may be infecting your patio area. Typically, homeowners tend to experience fungus gnats that adore outdoor plants, fruit flies that just cant get enough of rotting food youve left behind, or the common housefly that just loves all things dirty and smelly.

According to the Amateur Entomologists Society, there are approximately 100,000 known species of flies throughout the world. Even though flies have a short lifespan , females can lay up to 900 eggs during that time. Yikes!

No matter what kind of fly situation youve got on your hands, they are all super annoying. Fortunately, any of these flies can be treated and prevented in similar ways, which involves cleaning and removing food and breeding sources, as well as purchasing fly control products.

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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.

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Essential Oils To Repel Flies

Citronella Oil Another traditional fly repellent using citronella oil can be made by combining four ounces of mineral oil and thirty drops of citronella oil. Shake the ingredients together and then add two ounces of soap flakes. Mix the ingredients together and put them in a spray bottle. It can be used to repel flies, mosquitoes, fleas, and other insects .

Peppermint Oil A simple oil-repellent can be made by combining peppermint oil with either water or carrier oil. We recommend using a spray bottle for this recipe. Add ten drops of peppermint essential oil to two ounces of water or carrier oil such as coconut oil, jojoba, almond, or grapeseed. Shake the ingredients together and then apply to your skin or to surfaces that will be exposed to flies.

Clove Oil A simple mixture of 5 drops of clove oil with 2 ounces of water can provide a natural fly repellent as well. Add the drops of clove oil to the water and use them in a spray bottle if possible. Shake before each application to keep the ingredients mixed together.

Cedar Oil One of the most traditional oils used to repel flies outdoors is cedar oil. It can also be combined with other essential oils such as lemon eucalyptus, clove oil, lemongrass oil, and citronella. Cedarwood chips or cedar oil-repellent mats can be used to repel flies and other insects in your yard. Simply add a few drops of cedar oil to the chips or mats for an extra repellent effect.

Flea And Tick Collars

Once your dogs, and if need be, your cats, have been properly washed and rubbed down, you can think about putting a flea collar on them to protect them from flies.

Other flea and tick preventative methods, such as drops or internal medicine, arent known to have any effects on flies.

People think of flea collars for cats and dogs and never consider that they might repel other bugs as well, but most of them do. They repel and kill them due to the action of the active ingredients.

The active ingredients on these collars in imidacloprid and flumethrin. Both are well-known insecticides that will kill flies as well as fleas and ticks.

Collars that use pyrethroids will be effective at repelling flies since pyrethroids naturally have repellent properties to them. Its part of their action, whether in an insect spray or on a flea collar.

Follow the directions on the collar and it will provide your pet with protection from pests of all sorts.

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Tip #1: Bring On The Fly Paper

Flypaper comprises sticky paper infused with a sweet scent. Some people call it a fly strip, fly ribbon, fly tape, or fly catcher. Its a good solution for indoor flies. And you can leave some by the kitchen window or stick a few pieces under the lid and on the rims of your wheelie bins. If flypaper seems too mean, buy a re-usable box trap, baited bag trap, or no-fumes fly tape.

But did you know flypaper can be organic too? No, its not made form quick-rotting paper. Organic flypaper is found on the leaves of carnivorous plants like butterworts and Australian catapulting flypaper traps. Its probably where we got the idea to kill flies with sticky paper.

What Is The Best Lavender Plant To Keep Flies Away

The French variety is probably easier to store, but the English variety is tastier and more effective at fighting flies. You can find Hidcote English lavender plants in the Amazon. It is a great candidate for repelling flies in your home.

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Does Bleach Kill Fruit Flies In Pipes

Since bleach doesn’t coat the pipes, it doesn’t kill flies. Also, undiluted bleach is bad for pipes and environmentally friendly. Instead, try purchasing a daily sewer cleaner from your local grocery store, which will remove all mud, grime and bioaccumulation. It’s bioaccumulation that pushes fruit flies down your drains.

What Is Natural Remedy For Flies

This is a very interesting and very effective way to get rid of flies. Try apple cider vinegar to catch fruit flies. This home remedy is especially effective at killing fruit flies, as they are attracted to the smell of what is fermenting.

Plants that keep flies awayWhat kind of plants can I plant in my yard to repel flies? However, lemongrass is the common name for plants in the Cymbopogon family, which includes lemongrass. You can grow this plant in open ground or in well-draining pots and beds in sunny locations. Other herbs that are great for repelling flies include:What can I put on my patio to keep flies away?Some People Use a Bar of Soap This viral Facebook post show

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Technique 0: Identify And Inspect The Flies

The common housefly that we often find around the home is the Musca Domestic. You will see them zipping through an open door, buzzing in front of your nose, and making a feast out of your barbecues in the patio.

You need to identify and inspect the flies first thoroughly. It will assist you in eradicating them with the least effort. You can follow these steps-

Once you know which fly type is dominating your patio, you can prepare for the fly control procedure .

But before that, take an ardent look at the typical characteristics of the familiar flies around our home. It would help you identify them with ease.

Use Citrus Peel Or Citrus Oils To Repel House Flies

Many commercial cleaners and bug repellents use citrus oils and kitchen herbs to clean and repel insects naturally. The pleasant smell we enjoy makes an appealing air freshener but is a repellent for house flies.

Use a citrus oil spray in fly-infested areas and clean with citrus cleaners. You can also repel house flies by putting out a bowl of orange or lemon peels. Stir the peels or rub them occasionally to release the oils.

We cover using citrus oils and citronella in our what repels mosquitoes tips in more detail. However, if you have a fruit fly infestation, avoid using citrus oils. Fruit flies are attracted to citrus.

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