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Fly Control

How to Win the War Against Flies

How to control your fly problem really depends on the size of the infestation. If it is just a few flies getting in now and then, it's a nuisance but you could probably just chase them with a rolled up magazine. Of course you want to be careful that they don't contaminate any food, it only takes one to do that. Also, if you own a food-based business such as a restaurant, it is not nice to see any flies. On the other hand, you could have a place overrun with flies, in which case you might want to consider calling out a professional to deal with the problem. Then, of course, there are all the states in between. Here are some fly control strategies for those relatively mild problems.

The Natural Way

Natural fly control strategies are available, one of which is also decorative and fascinating to watch, and the other is pretty creepy, or seems so to a lot of people. The first is the Venus fly trap which, as the name suggests, traps flies (although did you know
The common housefly is capable of travelling five miles in one day in its search of food?presumably does not come from Venus) and can be quite a sight to see. Probably the most appealing fly control solution in terms of appearance, although it is not going to really put a dent in any serious fly infestation on its own.

At the other end of the spectrum, probably the least appealing option in terms of appearance is to encourage, invite or let loose spiders into the affected area. Of course the more you let in, the more improved your fly problem will become, but unless you really like spiders you might end up having to send in birds to deal with the spiders, cats for the birds and so on... we know where this story ends. Fortunately then, we have other, non-natural fly control procedures as well.

The War Option

It seems strange to say, but flies can actually be quite dangerous. They can't kill you like a lion can kill you, and it's rare to see anyone running away from a fly (although certain species can bite, such as Sand flies, Horse flies and Autumn flies) but they can be like tiny bombers carrying biological weaponry. If you imagine some villain out there creating flies and sending them into your home or place of business, loaded up with diseases such as E.coli, gastroenteritis and dysentry to spread, then you might like to take the war approach to fly control.

If you consider fly control as a defensive war, protecting a piece of land (your home or business premises) then there are three things you want to do. First of all, you want to make sure the invading army does not come in, and secondly you want to kill any marauding troops who have managed to get past your defences. Thirdly, you want to eradicate any bases they may have set up to breed in order to build a bigger army from the inside.

did you know
Each eye belonging to a fly contains thousands of lenses?To achieve the first objective of limiting the number of flies you have so the numbers do not increase, there are some pretty obvious things you can do like keeping windows and doors shut as much as possible, or alternatively setting up screens so that you still allow air in. Make sure that any cracks are sealed, though; it's no good having a big wall and then having holes in it. Weather strips are good for that. You can also use a little trick of hanging up bags of water and entrances, which keeps flies away because the light reflecting off the water makes them think of spider's webs. Of course, this is only really an option when appearance is not a factor or if you are going for an eccentric look.

Once you have done your best to limit the amount of flies that you have to deal with to what is already present, it is time to start getting rid of them. Here it is best to combine a number of tactics, not just rely on one or two, in order to win the war as quickly as possible. One of the options is fly paper, and scotch tape or masking tape will work almost as well. If you want to be a little more proactive, you could make your own form of fly paper by making strips of paper, and it is best to cut them from a paper bag so they are not too flimsy but not too stiff, which can be a few feet long and a couple of inches wide, and then dipping them in a mixture of corn syrup and granulated sugar. Hang them up around food storage or preparation areas and the flies will be attracted to them and then not be able to escape, making it an excellent weapon against them.

There are also, of course, electric devices that work on the same principle of attracting flies to come to them and then killing them. You can also use insecticides and sprays, but they tend to smell bad and they can be harmful to young children. And for particularly annoying little buzzers, don't overlook the flyswatter or rolled up newspaper, although remember it is going to make a mess on your wall!

Know Your Enemy

There are many different varieties of fly, from the common house fly to bluebottles, fruit flies, vinegar flies, horse flies, and the list goes on. For each there will be an optimal strategy for dealing with them and if the general tactics suggested here do not work, then it is best to contact a professional who will know the best fly control strategies for your particular problem.

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