Intrusive and annoying flies - they wake up in the spring and it seems that they immediately fill everything around. There are quite a few different means to combat them: from chemicals to homemade traps. We won’t touch on the first ones today, but we’ll talk about how to get rid of flies using folk remedies.
Where do flies come from in the house?
Spring is coming. The air temperature rises above 10 - 12°C, and flies that hid in cracks or other places in the house during the onset of cold weather begin to awaken from their winter hibernation. With the onset of warmth, they leave their shelter in search of food.
Due to the grid vision, flies do not see a transparent obstacle (window glass), so it is quite difficult for them to fly back out. The insects remain in the house and begin to breed.
The fly can lay its eggs on food, animal excrement, in trash cans, etc. Thus, there are more and more of them. Their eggs end up in human food, causing severe poisoning. In addition, their paws can carry deadly diseases such as typhoid, cholera, anthrax or tuberculosis. Flies cannot be controlled. As soon as they sit down on food once, pathogenic microbes immediately begin to spread. To avoid this, you should never leave open food, and after eating you must put leftovers in the refrigerator.
In addition, flies can be brought into the house along with spoiled food. Most often this happens among summer residents. During the harvesting process, you may come across a slightly spoiled fruit, where flies like to lay eggs. A person brings it into the house and in the warmth of the masonry, full-fledged representatives of this buzzing family very quickly appear.
There are especially many flies near large landfills, compost heaps and outdoor toilets. If human housing is located near these places, the presence of insects in the house is guaranteed. In this case, it is much more difficult to fight them. Keeping animals in the yard can bring the same inconvenience.
Mosquito nets are a salvation from these insects in private homes and cottages. Moreover, they should be not only on the windows, but also on the entrance doors.
These insects can also enter apartments through ventilation ducts and garbage chutes.
The real boom in the appearance of flies occurs in late August - early September. When it gets cold outside, insects flock to a person’s home in search of warmth, where they also lay eggs and go into suspended animation until spring. This is repeated year after year.
In order to facilitate the fight against them, it is necessary, first of all, to take all necessary preventive measures to ensure that there are as few representatives of these insects as possible and getting rid of them is not difficult.
If you are worried about fruit flies
It happens that fruit pests appear indoors or on a personal plot. Current methods for dealing with flies in the country:
- Smoking. Grind the camphor. Heat in a frying pan. Wait until there is light smoke. Carry the container around the rooms. Smoke insects without harm to your health.
- Matches and potassium permanganate. Dilute a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Treat the leaves of indoor plants if flies hover near them. Or stick a sulfur match down into the pot with the soil of each flower. This will help kill the larvae in the soil.
Advice! Midges cannot tolerate the aroma of garlic. Grind one head into a pulp and place it in settlement areas. Cold is another simple and effective method of solving the problem of how to get rid of onion fly or fruit fly larvae. If guests bother you even in winter, then open the windows wide for a few hours. Expel me.
Preventing the appearance of flies in the house
So, to avoid the appearance of flies in the house , you must adhere to preventive measures:
- maintain cleanliness, especially in the kitchen (crumbs and leftover food on the table, garbage, dirty dishes, spoiled food, high humidity - all this attracts flies and contributes to an increase in their numbers);
- food waste must be placed in a trash can , which must be closed and emptied frequently ;
- storage should be organized in closed containers and/or in the refrigerator ;
- regular cleaning of the house, dry and wet ;
- , toilet and sink drains must be clean and wiped dry.
There are additional preventive measures for owners of dachas and private houses
- monitor the cleanliness of outdoor toilets;
- pay special attention paddocks and sheds for keeping livestock and poultry (if any);
- avoid locating landfills and compost heaps near the house ;
- Particular attention should be paid to places where water may stagnate.
One of the effective means of preventing insects from entering your home is a variety of mosquito nets. They should not be neglected, especially in the warm season.
It has been noted that flies cannot tolerate the strong smell and presence of certain plants. So, if you plant wormwood, elderberry or bird cherry under your windows in a private house, you can forget about insects. These plants repel flies.
Geranium, tomato leaves and wormwood have the same properties. The first one can be planted on a windowsill for preventive purposes, and the leaves of tomato and wormwood in the form of a bouquet can be placed in a vase. Such plants, even when dried, have repellent properties.
If insects do get into your home, there are a huge number of ways to get rid of flies in the house. Moreover, it is worth starting the fight against them as early as possible in order to avoid their reproduction.
Cloves and tansy
The aroma of cloves is unpleasant to insects. To keep them away from human habitation, measure out 5 g of cloves, add 250 ml of water, put on fire, boil and simmer on low flame for 15 minutes. Disconnect, cool and strain. Add 50 ml of Triple Cologne to the decoction and pour the liquid into a spray bottle. Spray window frames, window sills, entrance doors, work surfaces with the product and wipe with a dry cloth. The pungent smell quickly drives flies out of the house and prevents them from flying in from the street.
Tansy emits an odor reminiscent of camphor, which is unbearable for mosquitoes and flies. The repellent plant is a popular folk remedy for insects. To repel them, chop up dried flowers. Coat strips of paper with glue and sprinkle with tansy powder. Dry the paper and hang it near the window, balcony and front door.
Traditional methods of getting rid of flies
Traditional methods of fighting flies have long proven themselves and, despite the huge variety of modern chemicals, they are perceived as safer for humans, and therefore do not lose their popularity.
There are several ways to influence these insects:
- fighting flies using odors;
- poisons;
- traps.
No. 1. Repellent odors
Flies cannot tolerate strong odors. They have a very subtle and well-developed sense of smell. Therefore, even if you use a product with an unpleasant odor, but in a small concentration, a person will not hear it, and it will repel flies. You can choose pleasant smells and at the same time fly-repellent aromas :
- Essential oils with a pungent odor ( mint, citrus, laurel, eucalyptus, clove, lavender, peppermint, etc. are widely used . Most often they use an aroma lamp with their use. The smell disperses throughout the room, covering even the most inaccessible corners and evicts those annoying guests . You can also lubricate window and door frames with these oils.
- Clove itself, like its essential oil, has a strong odor. Therefore, you just need to pour it into a small container and leave it on the table.
- Action carnations enhances lemon. Therefore it is possible stick a few buds carnations V half lemon, and such an improvised fragrance will protect the room from insects.
- Kerosene and turpentine . Despite the fact that these odors are also unpleasant for humans, in small quantities people do not notice it, and it will repel flies. It is recommended to add a small amount of these products to the water when washing windows and floors to prevent the appearance of insects and create additional protection.
- Onions in large quantities can also irritate humans. But if there is a slight problem with flies, then you can use it, also lubricating window and door openings.
- Alcohol and vodka repel flies. It is enough to spray them in the room.
- bay leaves , either dry or fresh. Therefore, to get rid of flies, place the leaves of this seasoning in several places. By the way, it will help get rid of rodents and small midges.
- Lavender in pots will not only repel flies, but will also serve as a wonderful decoration for your home.
- Mint copes excellently not only with flies and other insects, but also with rodents. Fresh or dry plants are laid out around the apartment.
- Basil can be planted in a garden plot or used in dried form, having first placed it in a sachet.
- An original way to combat insects is tansy .
- Sagebrush Not only flies, but also other insects do not like it.
- Paradoxically, tomatoes are one of the most effective weapons in the war against flies. However, it is necessary to use not the fruits, but the tops of this plant. You can spread the crushed plant around the house, or plant seedlings and place them on the windowsills.
- Geranium is considered another protector of the home .
It is worth noting that some odors (for example, apple cider vinegar) attract insects, so they are better used to create traps.
Remember that odors can cause severe allergic reactions. Therefore, before using any product, be sure to check it so as not to harm yourself and your loved ones.
No. 2. Fly traps
This method of fighting insects is the most favorite because you can clearly see how many flies are caught in the “net” . Their essence is that flies fly to some kind of bait and fall into the so-called trap, from which they cannot get out.
There are three main types of traps:
- trap-jar or bottle;
- sticky trap;
- electric shock trap.
All traps are easy to make yourself .
Trap jar
There are several types of this trap, but the principle is the same: bait the bottom of a jar or bottle , and the neck is reduced in diameter . Thus, when a fly reacts to the bait and flies into the container, is unable to fly out of there .
Let's consider several designs :
- IN glass container (can or bottle) inserted paper funnel cone down. On bottom pouring bait.
- From plastic bottle cut off top, turns over and put it back neck down.
- On neck banks with bait stretches food film, wherein is being done some holes. The principle of operation is the same as with cones: once inside, fly get out Not Maybe.
As for baits , there are a huge variety of them:
- Sugar syrup with vinegar . This is one of the most popular baits. The insect flies onto the syrup, and if the vinegar does not kill it on the spot, it causes severe poisoning, and the fly dies, even if it manages to get out.
- A mixture of water with sugar , honey and yeast .
- Spoiled foods (for example, meat). This bait is convenient because nothing spills .
- Jam.
Sticky traps
You can easily make very popular Velcro tape from scrap materials . For its base you will need thick paper that does not get wet. Strips are cut out of it , covered a sticky composition and hung in places where insects accumulate.
As a sticky component you can use:
- thick sugar syrup . It is excellent both as bait and as a viscous substance for holding flies;
- double sided tape . It is good only for small midges, but it cannot keep large insects;
- sticky mixture (Castor oil (2 tbsp) and liquid rosinol (1 tbsp). These ingredients are mixed in a steam bath and a few drops of jam are added to attract flies. Such compound Very effective, but castor oil and liquid rosin may not always be at hand.
If for some reason it is inappropriate the tape indoors , you can take a glass smear it a sticky composition on the outside , and put a flashlight inside for bait. Not only flies will flock to the light, but also mosquitoes, small midges, and other insects and stick. The only inconvenience is that if you leave such a bait on the table, you can easily stick to it yourself.
Electric shock trap
Another method of fighting flies, based on attracting insects to light source .
The light bulb is wrapped aluminum wire connected to a source of electricity . Thus, the flies fly towards the light and, when they fall within the range of the electric current, die .
In order to make such a trap, you will need :
- energy saving light bulb;
- AA battery;
- aluminum wire;
- high voltage module;
- insulating tape;
- hot melt adhesive.
When choosing a light bulb for a trap, opt for a twisted cone design. It will be easier to work with her. So, we disassemble the light bulb so that we are left with the body and fluorescent tubes on a plastic base. We make 2 holes in the plastic and thread the wire through it and wrap the light bulb on both sides.
There are 2 wires inside the base of the lamp. We take one of them and wind it with the end of the wire. This leaves us with 2 contacts. We connect the high-voltage module to the battery via a switch. We make a hole in the case and insert a switch button into it. We hide the wires and the high-voltage module. Modular wires are soldered to the battery and secured with electrical tape. The module, in turn, is also strengthened in the housing with hot-melt adhesive.
Now you can insert the light bulb into the housing so that the lamp contacts coincide with the module contacts. We screw in the light bulb and that’s it - the trap is ready. Just turn on the switch and use it.
This method of getting rid of flies is very effective , but has some disadvantages : firstly, the shocker must be kept out of the reach of children and pets; secondly, its service life depends on the battery. As soon as it fails, you will have to disassemble the structure and resolder the wiring to a new battery.
No. 3. Flytrap plants
Nowadays, it has become popular to have exotic plants and animals in your homes. Some of these plants are carnivorous . They can also be considered as fly traps. An example of this is the succulent Pinguicula gigantea . This type of plant catches small flies on its sticky leaves.
Another flower from the genus Dionaea is the Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula). This flower came to us from the Atlantic coast of the USA. Its brightly colored leaves serve as a bait for insects. As soon as its victim touches the sensitive hairs on the surface of the plant, the leaves instantly slam shut and the digestion process begins.
Such plants will cope well with flies in the house, but when the insects run out, you will have to feed them with meat pieces.
Homemade traps
A good folk remedy for flies is homemade traps.
- For bait, mix heated castor oil, rosin and natural honey in the same ratio in a plate.
- Prepare long strips of thick, light-colored paper. Apply a thick layer of bait with a brush and spread the paper on the windowsills.
- Flies will be attracted by the delicious smell of food. They will fly to the trap to feed and get stuck in the sticky mass.
- Do not forget to throw out the trap with dead insects and put in new sheets of paper.
If you don’t want to spoil the appearance of the room with unaesthetic sticky strips, use other methods. Take a 1.5 liter plastic bottle. Cut off its neck. Pour 100 ml of warm water into the bottom and dissolve a spoonful of sugar or honey in it. Turn the neck over and insert it into the bottle. The fly will smell the sweet smell, crawl into the narrow neck and will not be able to get back out.
Fill a pint jar halfway with apple cider vinegar. Close the lid by making 3-4 wide holes in it. Place the container in a room where flies live. Insects will flock to the smell, penetrate through the hole and remain trapped.
No. 4. Poisons
A fairly effective poison can easily be made at home from improvised means To do this you will need simple ingredients. Let's look at a few recipes :
- A mixture is prepared (1 g of saccharin per 10 g of honey). Paper is impregnated with this composition, which is then dried and laid out on the windowsill and in places where flies accumulate. After laying out, the paper is soaked in a small amount of water.
- Pieces of bread are dipped into small containers with a specially prepared composition: milk (3 tbsp), formaldehyde (0.5 tsp) and soda (5 tsp) and placed near the windows.
- Black pepper is famous for its destructive properties for flies. The following recipe is based on this: black pepper is added to milk, and paper is soaked in this composition. These traps are placed throughout the house. Instead of milk, you can use sweet water.
Essential oils
Good home remedies for flies are essential oils. Their use does not harm children, animals and does not have a negative impact on the environment.
Houseflies hate the smell:
- bay leaf;
- anise;
- cedar;
- carnations;
- juniper;
- tangerine
Use oils separately, adding 5 drops per liter of water, or combine with each other, mixing in the same proportion. Wipe window frames, doors, tables, kitchen cabinets with fragrant water daily and use floor cleaning liquid.
To drive flies out of your home, add 2 drops each of laurel, lavender and eucalyptus oils into a half-liter pan filled with water. Boil the liquid for a quarter of an hour. During this time, the apartment will be filled with a specific aroma that repels insects. Open the window, the flies will quickly fly out into the fresh air.
