As soon as the sunny days arrive, flying insects make a comeback. And to get rid of flies, we quickly tend to rush to chemical-based insecticides. Still, it’s always nice to be able to turn to a non-toxic alternative for our beloved pets and ourselves. With the natural homemade insecticide, we can therefore combine a few plants of basil, peppermint, geranium, lavender or lemongrass or a few lemons studded with repellent cloves. And when the invasion is declared, nothing beats the classic and very effective fly trap to attract as many of them as possible in a minimum of time. But how to achieve it? Here are grandmother’s natural solutions.
1) Homemade fly paper
We’re more aesthetic than the sticky flytrap, but we’re hardly more effective! It attracts flies and never releases them again. To trap them in the same way at home, you will mainly need to replace the glue. To do this, head to the kitchen in search of liquid honey (50ml), water (50 ml) and sugar (50 g). You will also need cardstock as well as scissors and string.
To create your fly trap, heat your food over low heat, stirring regularly. After a few minutes, your mixture will ideally be creamy and smooth, but not too runny. While it’s heating, cut strips of paper 5 cm wide and 30 cm long. Drill a hole in it and pass the string through it to hang them. All that remains is to dip your strips in your sticky mixture and let them dry hanging over newspaper beforehang your fly tapes in strategic places ! Change them when they are covered with flies.
2) The fly trap with bait
Here, you will need to provide yourself with a container in which the flies can easily enter, but difficult to escape. And of course, you will slip at the bottom of the bottle or jar baits whose smells particularly attract them.
What container for your fly trap?
-You can opt for a glass bottle if you prefer zero waste.
-Otherwise, you can definitely use a plastic bottle. Simply cut off the top so you can place the neck down (like a funnel).
-Finally, there remains the solution of glass jar. Pour your bait into it then cover with plastic film securely attached with elastic or adhesive. Pierce the plastic wrap with a few holes to let the fly through.
What bait to use?
-Of red wine (flies like it as much as humans!)
-If you don’t want to waste wine, try red wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar
-A mixture of sugar or dishwashing liquid and heated cider vinegar
-50 g of brown sugar in 200 ml of lukewarm water, mixing well. Then let it cool and pour 1 g of baker’s yeast on the surface without mixing. After 3 or 4 days of fermentation, carbon dioxide will be released and attract flies. for the next two weeks.
-Or finally, the very strange, but effective mixture based on 50 cl of milk, 100 g of brown sugar and 50 g of ground pepper Allow to simmer for 10 minutes before pouring it into the chosen container.
The baits that we recommend here are liquid. So the flies will drown in it. If, however, you do not want to kill the flies, you can always replace the liquid bait with a solid bait: overripe fruit, etc. All you have to do is chase the flies attracted by this process away from your home.
How to avoid attracting flies at home to limit the use of the trap trick?
Maintain cleanliness of the house
The flies are attracted to food waste and debris as well as odors. Clean your home regularly, especially the kitchen and food preparation areas, to eliminate potential food sources for flies. This also applies to outdoor areas around your home, such as the courtyard, terrace and balcony, including food debris (food crumbs, stains, etc.) and waste that could attract them and therefore bring them closer to your interior. Additionally keep all food in airtight containers to prevent them from accessing it. Also make sure to seal food bags and cans tightly.
Additionally, clean up any sugary liquid or food spills immediately to avoid attracting them again. Be sure to also clean surfaces where flies might lay their eggs, such as sinks and counters. Finally, rotting plants as well as rotten fruits and vegetables can attract flies. Remove rotten fruits and vegetables regularly and clean houseplants to eliminate potential sources of odors and food for undesirables.
Don’t forget certain obligatory points that are sometimes forgotten
Empty and clean your trash cans regularly. Dirty and smelly trash cans are indeed a major source of attraction for flies and midges. In addition to emptying them often, also make sure they are well closed to prevent larvae from entering.
Furthermore, flies are attracted to humid environments. Make sure to ventilate your house properly to reduce humidity and use dehumidifiers if necessary to maintain appropriate humidity levels. Also be wary of stagnant water which attracts many undesirables. Be sure to repair water leaks and empty saucers under houseplants regularly to eliminate potential sources of standing water.
Protect the house from flies
Install mosquito nets on windows and doors to prevent flies from entering your home. In addition, it will also repel other harmful or unwanted insects (mosquitoes, tiger mosquitoes, hornets, etc.). As explained in the introduction, you can also use repellents to repel flies and limit the use of traps and chemical insecticides. Some natural repellentssuch as repellent plants or essential oils of lemongrass, peppermint or lavender, can indeed deter flies. You can place citronella candles or essential oil diffusers in your home to keep them away.