How to Keep Flies Away

Spring has arrived and so have the flies!

Not only are Flies one of the most annoying pests in Australia, they are also a major carrier of disease. They are known to transfer more than 100 pathogens that can result in illness, including cholera, typhoid, tuberculosis, and dysentery. They collect those pathogens on their legs and mouths when feeding on rubbish, faeces and other decaying material.

There are some things you can do in and around your home to help reduce
the number of flies that visit you, such as:

• Covering compost heaps and digging in any manure used on gardens 
• Keeping rubbish covered
• Keeping food covered 
• Ensuring kitchen & dining work surfaces are kept clear & tidy 
• If you have pets ensuring mess is cleared up and food bowls are not left out

Natural pyrethrums are derived from chrysanthemum flowers and are commonly used to kill or repel flies. These sprays can be used along with  fly screens to help keep flies out of your home. Flies however are at their most annoying when we want to enjoy the great outdoors. They especially like to turn up as the uninvited guests to our camping trips, picnics and outdoor BBQs, making it more difficult for us to keep them at bay.

There are a number of theories out there of easy household hacks that people have reported successful in keeping flies away. Here are some that we have found, that you may be interested in testing out this fly season to see if the actually work!
 

Lemon Stuffed with Cloves
This technique is said to work well to repel flies for both indoor and outdoor situations.  All you need to do is to place whole cloves in a half lemon. Add as many of the cloves as you can fit into the flesh. Place the lemon half in a bowl, and let it do its job.  If you plan on having a barbecue or picnic outside in your garden, be sure to set this up at least 30 minutes prior to sitting out there.

Coins in Water
Add water along with a few coins to a zip lock bag and hang around tents, alfresco areas,  doorways, windows and other areas where flies are a problem. Scientists claim that the water & coins work to reflect light in many different directions, which interferes with the flies’ vision.

Flies have compound eyes with approximately 8,000 lenses in each eye. This gives flies excellent vision in all directions at once. Stray light reflections caused by the bag of water & coins can be confusing and cause problems with the flies vision. They leave the area to get relief.

You can also added coins to glasses of water to create the same effect.

Use a Vinegar or Wine trap 
Fruit flies are attracted to fermentation products and fruit products like wine and vinegar. You can create a simple trap using leftover wine or apple cider vinegar as bait.

Check out some easy to make Vinegar and Wine Trap designs here.

Make a Trap with Sugar Water
Use any of the trap forms above with sugar water instead of vinegar or wine. The adage says that you can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. And it is true for some flies.

Which bait is best depends on the type of fly you are dealing with. Try both and see which works best for you.

Fragrant Herbs as a Repellent
Flies are said to be naturally repelled by certain plants for example lavender, Bay Leaf, Mint, Rosemary & Basil. So why not try adding some of these in and around your alfresco area.

Essential Oils 
Essential oils can provide some amazing health benefits but some can also help to repel flies!

Lavender, Geranium, Lemongrass, Rosemary & Peppermint are all said to work amazingly to repel this annoying pest.

If you’ve had success with any  household hacks used to repel flies, or need some pest control advice for your home, feel free us through our Contact Us page. 

Thank you for reading and good luck with staying fly free this spring! 

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