Ugh! Flies! Like tax time, they come around despite no one ever setting out a welcome mat. The summer of 2018 was especially bad. The convergence of smoke-filled skies and a prolific fly population foiled many plans for dining alfresco—and anything else alfresco.
As a University of Idaho advanced Master Gardener and advanced Master Food Safety Advisor I heard from many of you. No matter the time of day, it was difficult to garden, without being run off by particularly pesky house flies.
Not to be subdued by this irritating insect, I decided to research the best ways to control the situation, but didn’t have much luck finding the best method on-line.
I made my way to my local D&B, where I found myself a little overwhelmed in the “insect abatement” aisle. There’s A LOT of firepower here. I decided I’d test four of the most popular outdoor flytraps.
I settled on the Revenge No Escape 10” Fly Stick (2 pack), the Rescue “just add water” Fly Trap, the Lure-Fly (fly tape) and a two foot long Fly Stik.
I have seen the Fly Tape prevalently used in the livestock barns at the Western Idaho Fair. If the 4H kids use ‘em, they’ve got to work, RIGHT?
I got home and deployed all four control methods. For the first 48 hour period, and much to the chagrin of my family, I hung them directly outside our back patio door.
Then, I dispersed them around our property.
While they all worked to some degree, on my near half-acre backyard, there was a clear winner. I was really surprised. This one control method touts no poisons, no insecticide vapors, no hazardous chemicals and it’s safe for indoors and outside.
My clear winner is the Fly Stik. There are little pictures of houseflies covering the bright orange Fly Stik, along with a SUPER STICKY coating. The flies zip in to visit one of their cute (?) counterparts and they don’t zip out. (Kind of a macabre way to do-in an insect.)
If you can’t put up with them until October (when we usually get our first frost), this control method may be a solution. I wish you happy evenings on your patio, with nary a pest.