Whether you’re sitting quietly on your couch watching a good movie or happily enjoying lunch on the terrace, there are always unwanted guests who come to ruin your peace of mind. Do you see who we’re talking about? Flies, of course. What a calamity these flying insects are! No matter how much you shoo them away, they never give up. Well, there’s no need to torture yourself any longer, we have a good solution to get rid of this scourge. Tell yourself that with the right bait you’ll be able to catch them and finally regain your peace of mind. Come on, it’s time to act!
How to attract flies to a bottle?
Ingredients
- A plastic water bottle
- a sweet liquid
The liquid will serve to attract flies like a magnet. They will smell the bait, fly towards the bottle to get in, and once inside, they will not be able to get out. It is quite silly, but to get rid of unwanted flies, this trap works wonders. Take notes!
Step 1. Mark a cutting line.
Draw a line around a plastic water bottle (1.5 liters) with a permanent marker, just below the tapered neck.
Step 2. Cut off the top of the bottle.
Use a sharp knife with a serrated blade to cut along the scored line at the top of the bottle. Preferably do this on a cutting board so as not to damage your kitchen counter or table surface.
Step 3. Make the fly trap
Remove the cap, twist the top of the bottle and slide it into the bottom of the container (as shown in the picture). It will act as a funnel to complete the fly trap.
For your information
It is best to remove the plug first, otherwise the flies will not be able to access the hole that will give way to their feast… Then, if you prefer, you can close it to prevent them from finding their way out.
Step 4. Prepare the recipe and bait the trap.
Now that you understand the principle, remove the “funnel” from the bottle so you can place the bait. So, know that flies like decaying organic matter. To lay their eggs, for example, rotten meat is an excellent choice to attract them. Obviously, to choose from, it would be easier to do it outside. On the other hand, for a trap inside the house, there is no shortage of bait ideas: slightly overripe fruit, a 50/50 mix of water and sugar, water mixed with honey, fruit juice, maple syrup for a stickier solution… Even fruit-flavored dishwashing liquid will work. As a bonus, this method is also great for catching wasps that are also highly attracted to sweets.
For your information
If you are using this homemade fly trap outdoors, feel free to add a little vinegar to the mix. This will also come in handy for keeping bees and mosquitoes away!
Step 5. Make a lid for the fly trap
Do you prefer a hanging trap? In this case, use a hole punch to punch two small holes on opposite sides of the top of the bottle. Make sure they go through both parts of the trap. Then thread a piece of wire through the holes, embed the ends, and your homemade fly trap is ready to hang.
For your information
If you notice small gaps between the edges where the “funnel” sits at the bottom of the plastic bottle, try covering them with tape to prevent the most malicious flies from escaping.
Where should you place the fly trap to make it most effective?
Although they bother us all year round, there are certain times when flies arrive in droves, especially when temperatures rise. You should know that they have many hatching cycles each season. Therefore, it would be wiser to set up your trap when the first flying insects appear, thus avoiding a potential invasion. And for good reason – you will catch most of them before they have a chance to lay eggs. Naturally, if you live in warm regions, near animal enclosures or pastures, the presence of flies is almost constant. So arm yourself accordingly!
Wondering how to maintain your homemade fly trap? It’s simple. After you’ve caught a good number of flies, you’ll simply need to empty the bottle periodically and repeat the operation. And, if you decide to set up an outdoor trap with meat or animal droppings (chicken droppings, rabbit pellets), you’ll need to get rid of any larvae you find in your trap. Then rinse the bottle thoroughly with warm water or simply make a new trap.
Frequently Asked Questions
What baits work best for a homemade fly trap?
If you are constantly bothered by flies outside, prepare a well-designed trap with expired meat (an irresistible treat for flies!) and sugary ingredients to attract fruit flies. For example, mix leftover meat (the older, the better!) with sugar or honey. As for traps inside the house, you can use ripe fruit or honey as you wish. And while you’re at it, to keep bees away from your trap, add a little apple cider vinegar.
Why do some people add dishwashing liquid to the mix?
In most cases, the inverted bottle cap does not allow flies to get out easily. But to be even safer, some people accentuate the trap by adding a few drops of dishwashing liquid to the solution. In fact, the smell of sugar and vinegar will attract flies, while the soap will change the texture of the liquid and drown the insects.
Why is my house invaded by so many flies?
There is no mystery: during the warm season, flies come out of hibernation. And this is also the time when we open windows and doors most readily. From then on, they happily invite themselves into our homes in search of food. The environment only needs to be warm and humid for them to find happiness there. Also note that they are particularly attracted to ripe food and decaying waste in the trash. These are ideal breeding situations for flies that can lay up to 150 eggs at a time! Of course, an ultra-clean house with impeccable hygiene is not at all attractive to these little creatures. Word to the wise…
