http://www.care2.com/greenliving/no-fly-zones-green-pest-strips.html
No Fly Zones: Green Pest Strips
By Melissa Breyer, Producer, Care2 Green Living
Summer brings the sweet ambience of dragonflies, butterflies, and fireflies—as well as infestations of houseflies, cluster flies, and bottle flies. While we’re happy to have the former flitter through the garden, an invasion of flies in the home should be quickly nixed. Find out how to make your home less attractive to the buzzing squadrons and if all else fails, try these homemade, non-toxic fly strips.
What is it with the flies? Where do they come from? What do they want? And why won’t they just go away?! The answers depend on the type of fly, but in general there are a number of small adjustments you can make to greatly decrease their presence in your home.
The first thing to know is that flies lay their eggs in their food; which is always an organic material. Eradicate access to moist organic material and you can see a 90 percent reduction in your fly population. Make sure your trash cans have tightly fitting lids—also make sure to drain food waste, you can even wrap food scraps in newspaper or used paper bags before tossing it in the trash. Doing this helps to dry out the waste—flies require moisture for breeding. If you have a compost container in your kitchen make sure it is also tightly covered and transfer compost contents outside daily.
Preventing flies from entering the house is, obviously, important as well. Check that your window screens fit tightly and repair holes and tears. Don’t leave doors open unless they also have a barrier—either a screen door or a beaded curtain.
Taking these measures will greatly diminish a fly community —but some situations call for more drastic initiatives. Although fly strips certainly don’t win any awards for their charm, they can be effective. Since conventional pesticides and pesticide-impregnated hanging strips are toxic and should be avoided, we have an alternative recipe that is safe and effective.
All Natural Homemade Fly Strips
1. Combine equal parts honey, sugar and water in a saucepan.
2. Boil the mixture, stirring occasionally, until thick.
3. Remove from heat and let cool
4. Cut strips of brown packing tape, punch a hole on one end and loop a piece of string through the hole.
5. Dip the strips in the thick honey mixture and hang outside to dry, about 30 minutes.
6. Hang the strip in the area of worst infestation, and replace often.
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25 comments
add your comment »HELP: I live near a dairy farm and I have a terrible problem with flies. what is the plastic bag filled with water all about? I'll try anything.
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I have a huge problem with earwigs in my garden, I know everything has to eat but they are destroying the vegetable garden and seem to love roses. We feed a lot of wild birds; have squirrels who think they live here and my own pets so insecticide is totally out of the question. If anyone out there has any suggestions I would love to hear about it. Need help. By the way the fly deterrent is a wonderful idea thanks.
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I have heard about the baggie of water to keep flies away before and am glad to see it posted here. How on earth do I hang it from the inside of my window screen?
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Help - I read here about apple cider traps for fruit flies but I didn't see how to make them. I am pretty sure that's what I have - I have 2 birds and they are just attracted to my cockatto's cage like crazy no matter how often I clean it plus now they are in my kitchen and various places in the house. I can't shake them - after I get rid of them they reappear in a few days with a vengence. Any suggestions would be appreciated!
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about the baggie of water--nope it's closed & hung with a string... this is pretty common here in tucson, especially at outdoor mexican places. i once argued with a friend that it made no sense & he urged me to try it. i have no idea why, but it did seem to keep flies away! i'd forgotten about it, but i think i'll give it a try again. i have a mosquito problem & have no idea where they're breeding. if it works for them, i'll hang one over my bed!!
ginger
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I don't understand the baggie of water? Is it open to drown the flies or does the reflection keep them from coming in?
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RE:killing living creatures-Linda Schwab. would you rather eat maggot laden food? yummy. flys are filthy dirty things that spread bacteria and disease. only thing they are good for is frog food.
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I live near the Colville Indian Reservation, and one of my friends from there told me his Grandmother hangs a zip-loc baggie of water on the inside of each window screen, and she has no problem with flies or mosquitoes!
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My sister who lives in Germany said she had a bad problem with ants in her cupboards, until she put Epsom Salts along the back of her counters and cupboard shelves. No more ants!
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I haven't been able to locate a place to purchase diatomaceous earth - most places have the solutions for pools, or am I thinking of the wrong thing?
Anne H.
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