We all can agree that get rid of flies is compulsory, we don’t want any of them to spread diseases. It is good to keep them away from home, but getting rid of them outside can be quite tricky. This is why I am here to hand you some tricks to get rid of flies from your outdoor space. So we are going to focus on outdoor fly control today so that you can eat peacefully when you are outside. I have some useful tips that you can do to get rid of flies outdoor, feel free to take a look.
Contents
Getting Rid of Flies in General
1. Cleanup
If you don’t want flies to come around your lawn or yard, clean the space frequently or regularly. Remove debris such as dead plants, grass clippings, leaf litter, and other rubbish from the ground. Those are the items that provide shelters for flies to hide and breed. Some of those can also retain moisture and water that can be favorable for those flies to survive. Once your lawn and yard are clean, flies won’t want to come either.
2. Deal With Trash
When you have trash bins outside, select the ones with a proper or tight-fitting lid. This is to make sure that flies cannot get in to breed or hide among the trash in the yard. Even better, you should remove the trash as frequently as possible. And if you have a meal outside, make sure to throw them away instead of putting them in the bin. The food may decompose or rot, and they may attract flies to come to the lawn or yard even more. Keep your trash bins as clean as possible, and that will play a part to control the flies.
3. Eliminate Food Source & Moisture
These two factors are among the most common things that attract flies to your patio or yard. This is why you should eliminate those two to get rid of the pesky flies. There are many food sources that attract flies because these pests will land on anything they can eat. From small crumbs to spills, they all can get the attention of the flies. This is why you should always remove any food from the ground after you finish eating outside. To eliminate moisture, you can do so by keeping the gutters clean and remove standing water. Make sure that there are no areas that moisture can build up to that the flies cannot gather.
4. Fly-Repelling Plants
Plants with strong scents like basil, lavender, mint, and rosemary can effectively keep the flies at bay. Flies don’t like those scents, and having these plants around can help to deter them from visiting your home. You can either plant them in pots or on the ground, in places where flies are common. Because those plants emit their scents right away, you will also get to the results fast too. This method also works for indoor use, especially in the kitchens. Plant a small pot of either of the plants above, and place them by the window. Then flies won’t dare to come into your kitchen ever again.
5. Mow The Lawn
Tall grass does not only gather moisture but also hides dead animals that can attract flies to come. To avoid that from happening, it is compulsory to regularly mow the lawn to keep the clean and neat. This also means flies have nowhere to hide or lay their eggs in, and they won’t stay in your yard. You should keep your lawn and clean, and then you won’t have to worry a single thing about flies again.
6. Remove Pet’s Waste
For those who have pets who do their potty outside, make sure to clean up after them right away. There are certain fly species that feed and breed on decaying matter such as pet droppings. Don’t let the waste sit too long outside because flies detect those things fast. Just make sure to clean up after your pets right away, and that also helps to get rid of flies outdoor too.
7. Use Venus Flytrap
Sometimes you don’t have all the time in the world to do things to control flies outdoor. One of the best ways to get rid of flies is having a Venus flytrap. It is a plant that attracts and feeds on flies and other insects that fall for its trap. You just have them sitting in the pot outside, and they will make a living by attracting insects to eat. Venus flytraps are easy to care for, and they are quite useful to have around. If you don’t mind having one at home, there is no reason not to get them.
Common Outdoor Flies
Not all flies that you see are the same, and this is why it is important to be able to identify them. There are some common outdoor flies in different areas that you might come across. I will only list down the ones that are likely to see when you go out, and those include:
- Blow Flies: are probably the most common ones that you see, the ones with metallic blue-green bodies. They feed on decaying meat and lay eggs on decaying matter. The blow flies are likely to hang out near dead animals, meat scraps, and wet garbage.
- Cluster Flies: have short golden hair on their gray-checkered body. Sometimes they enter homes to look for warm spots to overwinter, but they lay eggs in earthworm burrows in your lawn.
- Flesh Flies: look like house flies but are generally larger. These flies often stay around animal feces, dead animals, and meat waste.
- Fruit Flies: are brown and black in color, and they lay eggs in rotting fruits and vegetables. You are likely to see them flying and landing on decomposing fruit, mops, rags, vegetables, etc.
- House Flies: have 4 black stripes on their gray bodies, they feed and lay eggs on rotting food. You will see them around animal feces, compost piles, dumpsters, food, and garbage.
- Phorid Flies: look similar to a fruit fly, and they escape by running rapidly across the surface rather than flying. If you have a garden, you are likely to see them around decomposing plants. They are also common around decomposing animals and garbage.
Getting Rid Of Flies On The Patio
It is utterly irritating when the flies keep buzzing around while you try to relax outside on the patio. This happens one too many times, and there are solutions to stop all these annoying moments. There are a few simple tips that you can follow to get rid of flies on the patio for you to try. Feel free to take a look and see which one that you like the most.
1. Candles
Similar to growing fly-repelling plants, some candles have the same effects that you might find interesting. Choose the ones with strong scents like citronella or lemongrass, and light them near the patio where you sit. The scents from the candles will repel flies and even mosquitos from coming close to you. At the same time, you will be able to relax outside and enjoy the natural breeze and sun too. So simple yet so effective, you really should give it a try.
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2. Fan
This is probably one of the easiest methods that you can do to get rid of flies from the deck or patio. Simply install an oscillating fan near your bench or other areas that you want to sit. The strong breeze from the fan will keep the flies away because they can’t compete with the fan. You can either set up the fan on the ceiling or get the portable ones that you can use around the house. This method is also great for outdoor barbecue since the fan can keep the flies off the table. It might make the food cold fast, but at least it is better than having those flies on the food.
3. Fly Strips
If there are too many flies for the 2 methods above to control, this is the final straw. Fly strips can come in two different forms: a repellent and a trap. The repellent option requires you to soak it with scented oils that flies hate like clove, eucalyptus, lemongrass, or rosemary. Then hang or tie the strip to the railings or tree branches so that the wind can carry the scent. This is a great option that covers a larger scale to keep flies away. Another way is to get rid of them forever by using sticky strips with a sweet scent to attract them. Once the flies land on the strips, they will stick there without being able to break free.
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How To Keep Flies Away From Food At An Outdoor Party
If you cannot get rid of flies on time for your outdoor parties, don’t worry. There are still a few tricks that you can apply to make sure that no flies can ruin the party. In order to prevent flies outdoor, you might want to go for extreme methods such as repellents and sprays. I also recommend using traps because they can help to prevent flies from getting too close to your food. You will find several ways on how to keep flies away from outdoor food, feel free to pick your favorites.
1. Clover Fly Repellent
For those who haven’t heard of clover fly repellent, you have to try this method because it works wonders. This way is ideal for outdoor picnics and other outdoor parties in general that you can do. Simply stick some cloves into lemon or lime slices, and put them on the table. The special thing about this method is that it simply keeps the flies away from your food and tables. This is because flies don’t like the strong smell that it emits, and it is an easy and simple trick.
2. Fly Repellent Spray
A spray may come in handy before the party if you want to keep the flies away. One of the home remedies that you can easily mix is by using dish soap, vinegar, and water. Mix these 3 ingredients in a spray bottle, and spray the solution around the areas outdoor. The pungent smell from the vinegar will keep flies and other insects out while dish soap prolongs the effectiveness. Here is another recipe and how to make your fly repellent spray that you might like.
3. Paper Trap
Many people like this method because cleanup is easier since you can throw away everything afterward. For this method, you will need a piece of thick paper and some sticky and sweet substances to attract flies. There are many options that you can choose from such as honey, jam, syrup, and more. Simply hang the paper to a high area like a tree branch so that the flies can focus their attention on it. You can DIY this trap or you can also buy them online, and the video below is how to do it.
4. Wine Bottle Fly Trap
Take an almost empty wine bottle and leave about an inch of wine inside. Then find a large piece of paper and wrap it into a small cone shape with a tiny hole. What you have to do is put some mango slices or other fruits into the wine bottle. The flies will follow the sweet aroma of the fruits just to die inside from the wine intoxication. And since the hole of the paper is too small, they can easily get in but getting out is impossible.
Conclusion
I understand that some methods above are harsh because they can kill the flies. However, these pests do not provide any benefits to us at all. Instead, they transmit diseases and irritates us without their buzzing and landing on our food. You can also get rid of flies by using chemical substances, but it may affect the environment or your health. Let’s just stick to the natural ways first because they work well most of the time.