outdoor-fly-repellent

Outdoor Fly Repellent – Choosing One That Works

Here’s how you can use outdoor fly repellent – and top options that work.

Although some people might consider using sprays or other chemical insecticides for handling their fly problems, there are other remedies to consider. 

Suppose you are trying to eat one of your favorite snacks or are taking a nap on a warm, sunny day. Then all of a sudden, you hear a loud buzzing noise zip past your ears, and you start swatting the source as it goes after your food or maybe swirls around your pillow. Although flies have their place in our ecosystem as natural decomposers, many people think of them as a household nuisance.

Flies can be a problem outdoors, especially during hot summers. Besides being annoying pests that disrupt our activities, they can also carry and transmit bacteria or diseases after landing on your food.  

 

Outdoor Fly Repellent – When and Where Are Flies Most Active?

 

Most species of flies tend to be inactive during colder months and at night. Typically, they’re most active during the summer, peaking activity on humid mornings with temperatures in the high 80s. 

Location-wise, flies tend to thrive near places with food sources and moisture. These locations include garbage bins, damp compost, dog stools, and foods or drinks left out in the open. 

If you want to get rid of them as quickly as possible, it would be best to set up your outdoor repellent in areas where the infestations are most active. 

 

What Types of Outdoor Fly Repellent Can I Use? 

 

Since flies have a fast reproductive cycle, with female flies laying between 50 to 100 eggs at a time that hatch within 24 hours and reach adulthood within ten days, it would be wise to take action as soon as possible to prevent the infestation from escalating.

Depending on your resources and preferences, you can use several techniques for developing outdoor fly repellent to eliminate your fly infestations. 

Use Fly Spray

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One affordable solution that you might want to consider for your fly problem is using effective fly sprays. For the best results, consider using sprays that contain active ingredients, such as DEET, pyrethrins, and permethrin. 

Although these ingredients work well when driving flies away, they might be toxic to other animals or become harmful when inhaled.

Finding an alternative spray containing plant-based ingredients that repel or kill flies might be suitable for people who prefer products with fewer pollutants. 

 

Use Citronella

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Although this substance can’t kill outdoor flies, citronella works well as a fly repellent. Citronella is available as sprays, oils, and candles. You might want to keep in mind that some repellents contain odors that entice flies. 

It has a grassy or floral fragrance that overwhelms a fly’s senses as they seek sweet or rotting sustenance sources. If you leave them out as candles, it draws the flies away for as long as they stay lit. 

Although citronella works well when dealing with smaller swarms in smaller areas, it might not be suitable for getting rid of flies in multiple areas. This limited range requires you to stock up on numerous candles. Reapplying the spray onto visible surfaces every few hours might be a hassle to some people.

 

Use Cayenne Pepper

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Cayenne isn’t appealing to flies because it can suffocate them. You can spray doors, windows, and common areas with this spice to drive flies away. 

 

Make a DIY Trap

Making fly traps for your yard is another solution that many people consider when dealing with flies in the summer. Many types of DIY fly traps exist and are easy to make with items you can find around your home. 

 

Empty Soda Bottle Trap

After cutting the upper half of the soda bottle with a sharp knife, remove its bottle cap and flip it upside down when placing it inside the bottle’s lower half. If you keep the cap on, you should consider puncturing a hole that lets flies in but won’t let them escape.

Place rotting organic material or fruit with vinegar in the bottom as bait, and seal where the bottle edges meet. You can hang this trap by punching two holes at the top and adding a wire as a handle. 

 

Vinegar Trap 

After filling a bowl with white or apple cider vinegar, fruit, water, and dish soap, place a plastic wrap over it, secure it with a rubber band, and poke holes at its top for the flies to enter it. 

Once they attempt flying out after seeking the bait, the wrap prevents them from escaping, and they eventually drown in the trap’s liquid since they have no surface to stand on.

An open bowl of vinegar can also deter them.

 

Use Vodka

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Some people might use vodka as a method for repelling outdoor flies. Several scents don’t appeal to flies’ senses, and vodka is one of them. Its robust aroma is enough to drive them away.

One vodka repellent method that’s easy to make involves hanging small plastic bags with the liquid around your property. It would be best for you to fill these bags halfway and leave them partially open to let the vodka’s scent escape. 

Another alternative you can consider is using vodka in a homemade spray. After spraying the flies or surfaces, its aroma encourages them not to return.  

 

Use Homemade Flypaper

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Some people might not enjoy using flypaper due to the numerous chemicals they contain. Thankfully, you can make flypaper from supplies found in your home. This solution is ideal for people who want to spend less money when repelling flies.

Once you have your flypaper prepared, hang them in outdoor places where flies are most active. This sticky solution is excellent for catching many flies but requires cleanup and replacement as their catch rate increases.

 

Add Fly-Repelling Plants to Your Garden or Porch

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Another natural remedy you might want to consider when selecting an outdoor fly repellent is by adding specific plants to your garden or places with the most fly activity. 

This alternative might be ideal for people who don’t want to rely on chemical sprays or replace food or compost in their traps.

Some examples of plants that work best as natural outdoor fly repellent include:

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What About Carnivorous Plants?

Some homeowners might consider placing carnivorous plants outside to keep flies off their property. Pitcher plants have slippery leaves that cause flies to slip into after getting drawn in by the plant’s nectar, scent, or color lure and digests them in its deep cavity.

Venus flytraps can devour flies after they touch their sensitive trigger hairs. Most of them can withstand summer temperatures, making them ideal for keeping flies away. It typically takes a week to digest one fly, so it might be wise to get more than one for more effective results.

Outdoor Fly Repellent – Final Thoughts

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Finding the right outdoor fly repellent might be challenging for some homeowners, especially if they prefer using more natural solutions. While many pesticides and sprays work for the best immediate results, some might prefer using repellents with natural ingredients instead of active chemicals.

Homemade remedies can help you get rid of more flies on a limited budget. From plants to DIY traps, you can make your summer more bearable with the right tools for fending off pests.

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