In spring and summer, they grace us with their presence again – flies. Of course, the insects do us no harm, and unlike wasps or hornets, there is no need to fear them. However, the more annoying specimens can certainly be a nuisance.
Flies are a good half-centimeter in size, black to brownish-gray, and also extremely agile and true masters of evasion. They fly here and there, land on our noses or our beloved food. There are hardly any insects more annoying than the dear flies. Their sheer numbers alone can often drive us up the wall. But what can you do about flies? Some people simply use a fly swatter. While this method is not particularly animal-friendly and, above all, hunting flies can be quite time-consuming, it is definitely effective.
Flies multiply rapidly
Even if it is not necessarily essential information, it is still good to know: a fly can turn into a real plague. Once the fly has found its way into your home, the insect lays eggs about five to six times during its short, three-week life. five to six times. In total, up to 1000 eggs can be produced – the offspring are preferably laid in food, excrement, compost, and, of course, in the trash, where the brood has time to hatch.
How can I avoid fly infestations in my house?
Flies love food. For example, rotten fruit and vegetables are an absolute favorite spot for these little insects. But fruit juice, food scraps on the table, and all sorts of other things we consume daily also magically attract flies. Therefore, make sure to always cover your food well, dispose of old fruit and vegetables as quickly as possible, and wash dishes promptly.
Can flies also transmit diseases?
Unfortunately, yes. Since the little buzzers also like to land on animal feces to lay their eggs or just lounge around, they pick up germs there and transmit them to humans and other animals. Furthermore, it seems like a pretty disgusting idea to us to catch a fly on our cheese sandwich if it has previously wallowed in animal excrement.
How can I effectively combat flies?
Unfortunately, despite all precautions, you can never really prevent flies from appearing in your house or apartment. But you can get rid of them as quickly as possible. With scents, a fly swatter, or a fly trap, you can get the situation under control quite quickly.
The fly traps
If you want to avoid fly swatters, you will certainly be able to make friends with a fly trap. You can easily make these yourself. Here are a few instructions:
Sweetener trap:
- 5-10 sweetener tablets
- a little sugar
- a small bowl
- 50ml water
The sweetener tablets are placed in the bowl together with the sugar and water, stirred, and set up in a suitable place. This enticing mixture magnetically attracts flies – they can hardly resist the sweetness and quite often drown in the cocktail.
Fruit juice trap:
- 100ml fruit juice
- 5ml vinegar
- 50ml water
- a few drops of dish soap
This brew achieves equally good results – here, the surface tension is quite low. If the fly wants to taste the delicious soup, it goes straight under.
Repelling flies
Plant in spring tomatoes, peppermint or Lavender on your balcony or terrace. Flies really don't like that!
Getting rid of flies in the house
If many flies are buzzing around in the house or apartment, then simply create a draft; the insects don't like that at all. If that doesn't help, then place a few shallow plates with laurel oil. Flies don't like that.
Keeping flies away from the trash can
Spray out the trash can with water from the garden hose, let it dry in the sun, and then sprinkle some dry soap powder over it. Flies really don't like that.
Photo by Janine, meinhaushalt.at
Also read: Getting rid of annoying fruit flies
