Guest Author - Lori Phillips
Summer flies are more than pesky. They spread dangerous bacteria, too. Flies feed and lay eggs upon rotting flesh and animal feces, and they transport germs wherever they land. Some homes seem to draw flies especially during the hot summer season. Mine was one, but no more.
Here are ways to get rid of them:
Remove source of attraction
*Immediately clean up animal feces by bagging securely and disposing it far away from the human-populated areas of your home and yard.
*Wash pet dishes after feeding.
*Rinse outdoor pet areas frequently. Urine and gland odor from animals attract flies.
*Clean out litter boxes daily.
*Run food garbage down the disposal; never dump in the trashcan.
*Double-bag food waste or other refuse that cannot go down the disposal, like meat bones and diapers.
*Keep a tight lid on trashcans and stick a deodorizer under the lid.
*Rinse cans and bottles before placing into the recycle bin.
*Run a half of a lemon with a half cup of baking soda in your kitchen disposal to remove fly-attracting odors and food debris.
*Keep foods covered and refrigerated and no dirty dishes left in the sink.
* Put up screens in windows and doors. Be sure screens are tight and free of tears.
*Try to keep the indoors cooler than the outdoor temperature.
*Keep carpets clean.
*Eliminate bare dirt spaces in yard. Grow groundcover or grass.
*Search for dead rodents or other animals on your property.
Other Tips for Repelling Flies
*Keep air flowing in dead-air zones of your patio and home with oscillating fans.
*Use natural predators to control fly population. Encourage the presence of garden frogs with a small pond with moving water. Put up bird feeders to attract birds who also will feed on flies and gnats. Don’t kill harmless outdoor spiders.
*Fly traps draw flies away from your home when you place them in distant locations of the yard.
*Biological repellants work. Fly predators are tiny insects that feed upon fly eggs and larvae. You need to release them monthly around the perimeters of your yard and stables but they are very effective.
*Try professional strength fly repellants that horse owners use in barns and stables where there feces constantly draws flies.
*Keep plants that repel flies naturally. When planted in quantity, some species like eucalyptus, flowering elder bush, lavender, basil and peppermint tend to repel flies.
*Citronella candles and products with eucalyptus oil also deter flies. Do not put citronella oil directly onto human or animal skin as a repellent.
Gimmicks That Don’t Work
*Water-filled clear plastic bags. The claim is that flies don’t like to buzz near them because the water distortion wigs out their optical system. I read so many testimonies about this “trick” but I have had zero success with this myself.
*Fly puree. Grinding up dead flies and setting this puree where you don’t want flies is another baseless, tried-and-failed method.
Use Caution when Using These Fly Killers
*Aerosol bug sprays. Miniscule droplets of toxic insecticide settle on furniture, countertops and carpeting. Read the label to check for indoor toxicity.
*Spiders. If spiders continuously spin webs in the corners of your home, it’s a sign that your indoor fly and bug population is getting out of control. Some spiders are poisonous, like the brown recluse and the black widow.
Flies may play a role in the nutrient cycle when their larvae (maggots) decompose matter, but because of their bacteria-carrying tendencies it is important to control flies near human-populated areas.
