Saturday 29 June 2013

Outdoor fly problem...old method for reducing flies.

Flies are a real problem living here in the campo in Spain. Everyone complains that you can't eat outside in the Summer without the flies swarming your food. We thought that all the vegetation in the garden, when we first bought the house, was the problem, so we set about changing the garden, removing weeds and trees too close to the house. We re-planted more trees that we removed but in a place away from the house.
The following year the flies were less but still unbearable when sitting out on the terrace. Trying to eat out there was just a no no. Something had to be done!
One of our Spanish friends told us that his parents used to make fly catchers. They used to use bottles with 4 holes in the top, half filled with water. In the water you place a small piece of raw meat and hang the bottles outside. As the meat goes off the flies are attracted to it. They crawl in through the small hole and cannot get out again. They then drown in the water trying to get to the meat! We thought about this. We were sure the bottles would stink to high heaven, but we were game to give it a go. If it meant we would get our terrace back it had to be worth a try!
We set about making 2 bottles. We used the plastic pop bottles and put 4 holes in the top with a hot stick from the bar-b-que but you would get away with using a soldering iron. Make sure you do this outside as melting plastic fumes are poisonous. The 4 holes have to be big enough for the flies to get in but small enough so that they can't find their way out!

We added a little water and dropped in a little raw chicken. We then hung them out on the terrace. Within 2 days the bottles were swarming and there was no smell with them.

We have since made about 20 more bottles and hung them out on the terrace posts on the outside. We have also placed them around the garden too. They work brilliantly and now we can sit on the terrace without a swarm of flies annoying us!

14 comments:

  1. We did this,they work but found they seemed to draw more flies. Never actually solved problem, and are gross. Spraying patio furniture and floor with 1/2 water, 1/2 pine sol mix helps clear area faster but needs redone every few hours as it fades.

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    1. When hanging fly traps; put them away from where you are so that it draws them there, not where you are. I put mine in the back of the yard.

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  2. Personally I like the old-fashion round fly strips. Just drop them in a plastic bag when full

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    1. Wouldn't hummingbirds also get caught on these?

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    2. We don't have humming birds here in Spain

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  3. I think the trick with these bottles is to have them away from where you are sitting... So they draw the flies away. We use them every year around our fence posts

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  4. We do this in Florida with soda and meat instead of water and meat.
    It attracts mosquitoes! No more bug bites!

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    1. Woo hoo! Like your version!

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    2. What type of soda do you use to attract mosquitoes?

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    3. Great idea. 👍

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  5. It seems very simple to make in Indonesia; I'll propose it to my friends.

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  6. Awesome thank you. I am super allergic to mosquitoes. Theh are super bad. I use vicks vaporub on my skin it works better than deet and it is safer

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