The best time to get the grill out and have the perfect barbecue Sunday is during the warm summer months. The warm summer months are heavenly!
Just one little problem – Flies! Everywhere!
These uninvited guests are not only annoying but also bring unwanted diseases with them. Fortunately, we have the solution for your little (but vexing) problem. While it is not humanly possible to completely get rid of these buggers, they can be kept at bay for the most part.
To help you deal with the problem, we’ve put together a few tips and tricks you can consider to get rid of flies on your patio. Throughout this post, we’ll cover:
- The Causes of Outdoor Flies
- How to Check for Flies in Your Surrounding
- 6 Brilliant Tips to Consider to Get Rid Of Flies On Your Patio Instantly
Let’s dive in.
The Causes Of Outdoors Flies
Houseflies, in most parts of the USA, are most active during the peak summer months of April through October. The speedy reproduction rate of typical houseflies will cause a population boom overnight, and as a result, you’ll see a sudden swarm of flies during the warmest days.
Besides being unbearably annoying, they are also carriers of diseases such as cholera, typhoid, dysentery, etc., which can be quite harmful to your health if infected.
How to Check for Flies in Your Surrounding
Before we get into the section detailing tricks to get rid of flies, it is important to know where to find them and what are the areas where they hide the most.
Any organic waste pile, such as leaf piles, is a good hiding spot for flies. Organic wastes attract flies in large numbers as they act as potential food resources for flies.
Other shelters for flies and their eggs include food resources, dirty surfaces, sticky surfaces, food wastes, and pet wastes. Flies can also be found near lighting sources.
Now that you know where to find them let’s understand how to get rid of them.
6 Brilliant Tips to Consider to
Get Rid Of Flies On Your Patio Instantly
Getting rid of flies can be an arduous task and requires a gradual approach starting from the source of the flies. Ideally, two or three different methods could be combined to get the best results.
In this section, we have outlined proven tricks to help you get rid of flies from your patio. Whether it is just a part of the patio or the whole yard, these methods are fruitful in getting rid of flies outdoors:
- Eliminate all forms of waste
- Plug a fan
- Deal with bad odor
- Use old-school fly traps
- Use vodka (not for drinking)
- Use pests to fight pests
Eliminate All Forms Of Waste
As you might be aware from the previous section, nothing attracts flies more than waste, especially organic ones. Remove all forms of pileup, including raked leaves, and if you are growing a compost pit ensure it is clean and neatly maintained with the help of a compost bin. Waste should be separated as green and brown waste and disposed of accordingly.
Your trash should be carried out in a neat manner. Safeguard your garbage cans with secure lids. Ensure food waste is not disposed of anywhere in the outside area.
Plug a Fan
Oscillating fans are the best short-term solution. Similar to mosquitoes, flies do not do so well in strong breezes and winds. A powerful fan would not only give you relief from pesky flies but would also help in air circulation in your gazebo or patio area.
Fans are a great choice, especially if it is a small area that you need covering. With larger outdoor areas, fans can be combined with humidifiers to smartly get rid of all kinds of flies while maintaining good air quality.
Deal with Bad Odor
If there is one thing flies hate, it’s pleasant herbaceous smells.
Lighting scented candles, especially citronella-scented ones, can keep the space smelling heavenly while protecting the area from bugs and flies.
Similarly, if you like diffusing essential oils, sprinkle a few drops of oil around your patio. “Pine oil” is one of the best scents that help keep pests at bay. Be sure to do your research beforehand though, as some oils can be toxic to house pets (such as pine oil). Other scents such as peppermint, basil, pine, rosemary, rue, lavender, and eucalyptus are also disliked by flies.
Use Old School Fly Traps
Fly traps work amazingly well with fly infestations, especially with houseflies. Fly traps can be electronic or made at home. Both are equally effective in trapping flies.
To make a DIY fly trap, dissolve about 1/4th cup of sugar in one cup of water in a glass jar. Roll a stiff paper cone and dip it in the jar. Keep this jar in the corner where flies are visible the most. Replace the paper regularly.
Use Vodka (Not for Drinking)
The scent of liquor is repulsive to flies. To our advantage, an easy way to make them stay away is to simply fill sandwich bags with the cheapest liquor you can find, keep them open halfway and hang them around your patio. It would be advisable to use smaller pouches for easy handling.
This is an easy but assured hack to keep pests away!
Use Pests to Fight Pests
This might sound counterproductive, but the best way to keep annoying insects like flies and mosquitoes away is by attracting other insects that help your garden flourish.
Plant pollinator-friendly flowers and fauna to attract bees. If you can grow carnivorous plants in your zone, that could further help with your fly problem. Spiders, newts, and frogs also help eliminate unwanted insects without creating a nuisance to your garden.
Get Rid of Flies Today!
While you may have already tried our tips above, there are additional tips you could try to keep them far, far away.
First and foremost, keep your garden clean and trimmed. Ensure you don’t have water stagnation or dirt collection corners in any part of your landscape area.
If you have cobwebs in some corners of your patio, let them be. Spiders are great at keeping the insect population in check.
If all of this does not work, get professional help through a licensed pest controller to do the job for you.
We certainly hope this article was helpful in getting rid of circling flies.
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