Updated: 04/22/2021 17:10:27
Expert: Anna Maslova
*Review of the best according to the editors of expertology.ru. About the selection criteria. This material is subjective in nature, does not constitute advertising and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before purchasing, consultation with a specialist is required.
It’s not for nothing that flies are called the most annoying insects. They are present in everyday life in apartments, offices, dachas, public spaces, and transport. Flies don't just bother you with their annoying buzzing. They pose a real threat to human health. Fertile insects lay up to 2000 eggs in a lifetime. Their intrusive presence is not so easy to get rid of.
There are many ways to fight
, including folk remedies. Natural repellents are based on the properties of plants to repel annoying swarms. But this method is not always relevant in an urban environment, and then more modern means come to the rescue. The simplest is a physical method of destruction. Using a fly swatter, you can fight insects in a closed space, but this does not give 100% results, since as soon as you open a door or window, the obsessive buzzing is heard again in the room.
Common method
– fight with sticky tape. Flies land on it, but cannot fly away and die. Insecticides are widely used. They are produced in the form of an aerosol, powder, spray, granules and are capable of destroying large concentrations of flies not only in closed but also in open spaces. The products are based on toxic or biologically active substances. Recently, electrical devices that either repel or neutralize insects have become very popular.
In our article we will introduce you to the best fly repellents of different principles of action. Their effectiveness has been proven in practice, as confirmed by numerous positive reviews. Experts have studied the characteristics and also recommend them for use.
Reasons for appearance
Why do flies fly into the house? Human housing is perfect for insects to live. Flies readily eat any food; food waste is suitable for them, even dirty dishes are enough. Used diapers are useful for flies, as well as any perishable organic matter - this is an ideal substrate for laying eggs.
An extremely unpleasant neighborhood is garbage cans located under the windows; they will definitely attract flies, and in this case you should definitely install window screens.
Outbuildings where pets live also always become centers of attraction for flies due to the abundance of food and the presence of excrement.
Why are flies dangerous in the house?
In addition to the unpleasant, annoying buzzing, flies are carriers of eggs of worms and other parasites, as well as many dangerous diseases: after contact with the secretions or waste of a sick person, bacteria and viruses remain viable for a long time on the legs of the fly’s body. By sitting on food, a housefly can transmit dangerous intestinal infections to a person (typhoid fever, dysentery, cholera), tuberculosis, polio, conjunctivitis and other diseases.
When fly larvae enter the intestines, they can infect human or animal tissues, causing parasitic diseases - myiases.
Types of midges
- Drosophila are small insects up to 3 mm in length. Not dangerous to humans. They love rotten vegetables and fruits most of all, so they are more often found in the kitchen and pantry.
- Sewer midges are dangerous midges for humans, carrying many infections and viruses on their legs. They like high humidity.
- Whiteflies parasitize houseplants, inhibiting their growth. They do not pose a danger to humans.
- Fungus gnats (sciarids) are carriers of fungal diseases. Sciarid larvae damage the root system of plants.
- Food moths are a frequent visitor to kitchens, destroying food supplies and spreading diseases.
Drosophila
Sewer fly
Whitefly
Fungus gnat
food moth
Reproduction and life cycle
During her life, the female fly lays eggs several times, their number is about 100 eggs per clutch. For laying eggs, flies prefer garbage heaps and pits with waste, but spoiled meat or fish carcass are also suitable.
After a few days, a larva, a maggot, develops from each egg. The larvae feed, extracting nutrients from the environment where the eggs were laid, and grow quickly. After some time, the larvae pupate and then develop into adults, which can again lay eggs. During its entire life, which usually lasts about a month, a fly can lay up to two thousand eggs.
How to get rid of flies in a private country house?
As you can see, even one fly can produce a large number of offspring in a short time. To prevent their appearance in a private home, you need to monitor cleanliness and hygiene as much as possible, and promptly dispose of food and other waste.
If harmful insects have already appeared in the house or near outbuildings, they urgently need to be dealt with in order to avoid an increase in the number of flies. There are many means of killing and repelling flies - these are folk remedies and modern insecticides, Velcro and solutions for fumigators, plants that are unpleasant for flies, poison and much more. We will take a closer look at different methods of controlling flies in a country house and evaluate their effectiveness.
Insect control devices
Modern technologies have come a long way. Special devices allow you to fight flies in environmentally friendly ways that are harmless to humans. They are durable and will last for many years. Let's take a look at the popular three devices.
- Ultrasonic repellers
When connected to power, the device produces a specific sound that is unpleasant for insects. Repels flies within a radius of 2 m. Can be used in a country house, hospital, apartment, or any room. The average cost is 550 rubles.
- Street traps
This device is indispensable for country houses where there are cesspools, village toilets and warehouses for storing fruit nearby. Outdoor traps attract insects inside the device, where they are drawn into a special container and die. Such devices cost from 1300 rubles and above.
- UV lamps
The work of this type of device is aimed at destroying insects attracted by ultraviolet light. Electrical discharges pass through the grid nearby, killing flies and other insects that fly up. A small lamp will cost about 800 rubles.
Effective means
The most reliable means for quickly controlling adult flies and their larvae are chemical insecticides. These products are practically not dangerous to humans, but a number of precautions must be observed when using them: when processing, use a respirator, eye protection, and avoid contact of substances with food. Almost all insecticidal products are dangerous for bees, therefore, if you have an apiary nearby, you need to approach the choice of a drug to combat flies more carefully so as not to harm beneficial insects.
Agita
A very effective means of killing flies in animal premises. Agita attracts flies thanks to pheromones, and kills insects thanks to the insecticides it contains. The insecticide is not dangerous for humans, but is toxic to fish and bees.
The drug solution is applied to walls, window frames, and ceilings. Animals, feeders and drinking bowls must be removed while the premises are being treated.
The drug is intended for professional use; persons suffering from allergic diseases should not work with the substance.
Get
A wonderful product that has proven highly effective in killing domestic insects, including flies, fleas and ants. Get is an active toxic substance, which is enclosed in capsules, which is why it poses virtually no danger to people and animals. The advantage of Get is that the product effectively acts on all forms of live flies - adult insects, larvae, and fly eggs are destroyed.
The method of application is as follows: the substance is diluted with water in the required proportion, sprayed in places where insects accumulate and reproduce. The effectiveness of the product is extremely high; a single use is enough, and you will get rid of flies for almost the entire season. The product is suitable for independent use, you just need to carefully read the instructions for use.
Alfatsin
Alfacin is perfect for controlling insects in residential areas. This insecticide is a concentrated emulsion for killing flies, ants, and other insects commonly found in the home. The duration of the drug is quite long - more than five weeks. Please note that Alfacin is intended for professional use.
Evil TED
This is a Russian-made product designed to exterminate flies and wasps. The area of application is very wide - from country houses to industrial premises and crowded places - restaurants, hotels. The product contains pheromones that attract flies and an insecticide to kill insects.
The drug solution should be applied to surfaces that can be washed later (for example, window sills), or to sheets of paper, which are then laid out in the room. The insecticide is effective for up to 8 weeks. Suitable for independent use.
Cucaracha emulsion concentrate
Cucaracha fly repellent contains two poisonous components and is effective when insects are eaten or come into contact with the body. The product has a sharp, specific odor and is suitable for independent use.
Fly Byte
Fly Byte is a poisonous bait for flies, intended for the destruction of adult flies in residential premises, used independently. The bait is laid out indoors on saucers or cardboards, the flies eat it and die. The drug must be placed in places inaccessible to children, animals and birds.
Minap 22
Minap 22 is an insecticidal agent in microcapsules intended for professional use. The drug does not change properties even when frozen. Destroys flies, as well as cockroaches, ants, fleas and other insects within 24 hours after spraying. Working with the drug requires compliance with all precautions.
Executioner
Executioner is a tool for independent use. Designed to kill adult flies and larvae, suitable for residential premises, can be applied to furniture and clothing. To combat larvae, their habitats are treated - cesspools, garbage heaps, etc.
Velcro
Velcro against flies works due to two factors: the tape is impregnated with an aromatic substance attractive to flies, which attracts flies. When an insect lands on a sticky surface, it sticks and cannot fly away. Adhesive tapes are hung indoors in the required quantity, at a convenient height. It is advisable not to hang Velcro over food preparation areas, as flies may come off the tape and fall down.
The disadvantage of adhesive tapes is that their appearance, a long strip covered in flies, does not look very attractive.
Fumigators
To get rid of flies, electrofumigators are suitable, which are a heating element on which a plate is placed, coated with a substance toxic to insects. The fumigator is plugged into a power outlet and acts on all insects entering the room for 12-24 hours. Theoretically, the concentration of the toxic drug is safe for humans, but if there are children, people with allergic diseases or the elderly in the room, caution should be exercised and the room should be ventilated after killing the insects.
If there are no electrical outlets, you can use coils impregnated with insecticide. The spiral is set on fire, then you need to blow out the flame and leave it to smolder on a non-flammable surface - the smoke released will destroy insects. The spiral is best used outdoors.
Calling a pest control service
If your home or local area is very heavily infested with flies, you can call a pest control service. Specialists will spray effective insecticides in all habitats and breeding areas of flies; in particular, they will be able to treat all deep crevices in a wooden house, which will help get rid of flies and their eggs for a long time.
During the work of pest control services, people and animals should not be in the treated area. The disadvantage of this method is its price and the need to leave the house for several days.
Crayons
Crayons are the cheapest and most common means of killing insects. The poisonous substances are pressed into white pencils that really resemble school chalk. Produced by many manufacturers.
Advantages and disadvantages
Advantages:
cheapness;
- no protective equipment is required during processing for humans;
- one chalk is enough to cover a large area;
- used to control many household pests.
Flaws:
- low efficiency;
- Some surfaces cannot be treated (for example, upholstered furniture).
Folk remedies
There is no need to discount the so-called “folk” means of combating these annoying insects. In fact, in many cases they are very effective, safe and easy to use, both in urban conditions and in the country.
Vodka
The most accessible folk remedy is ordinary vodka, the smell of which repels flies. The application method is simple - lock the room where the flies have accumulated, but leave them a place to exit, a window or a window. Spray vodka in the room and wait a while, the flies themselves will rush to escape.
Vacuum cleaner
There is another method that can be called the dual-use method - using a vacuum cleaner. You simply turn on this household appliance at maximum power and collect flies. Just remember to remove the brush attachment, this will make it easier for you to catch them. This way you can combine insect extermination and room cleaning. But remember that modern vacuum cleaners can fail due to catching insects.
Hazel lotion
The same dual-use product - just in a different form - is hazel lotion. Prepare a hazel decoction, approximately 100-120 grams, regular table vinegar in the same volume with the same amount of vinegar (apple or table), and eucalyptus essential oil, approximately 40-50 drops. Mix all these ingredients, pour the resulting mixture into a saucer and place it indoors. You will see the result very quickly. This lotion can also be used if you are outdoors. Just lubricate open areas of your body with it, and flies will fly around you.
Essential oils
Essential oils are often used in the fight against flies, which, by the way, are also included in many products sold in stores. The smell of lavender, peppermint and eucalyptus is especially successful in repelling insects, but clove essential oil is considered the most effective. Use these oils as flavorings by mixing them with citrus fruits such as lemon or orange.
Flower sachet
A very effective and inexpensive way to combat flies is a kitchen sachet. Just instead of aromatic herbs with a refreshing smell, place a fly repellent there - eucalyptus leaves, clover flowers, cloves and laurel. Place the resulting mixture in several bags and place it indoors.
Smells
Flies cannot tolerate strong odors, and this is what is used to combat them. Vodka, essential oils of lavender or eucalyptus, cloves or mint are sprayed in the premises.
To protect the kitchen from insects, it is enough to leave 15-20 clove buds in a small vase. You can also make a real flavoring: stick 4-6 clove buds into half a lemon and leave this decoration on the table for the whole day.
ADVICE! Essential oils of laurel and myrtle are used to lubricate door and window openings: this repels flies, and they are absolutely safe for humans.
Kerosene and turpentine also repel flies, but in small quantities their smell is invisible to humans. Experts advise adding a little kerosene to the water when washing floors and windows to create additional protection for your home.
Homemade Fly Traps (Instructions for Making)
It is not difficult to construct homemade traps; here you can use simple and available tools and materials that can be found in every country house and village house. The most popular and simplest trap is a bottle of liquid. You will need any unnecessary container (a glass or plastic bottle, of course, empty), and as a liquid you can use beer or plain tap water, slightly sweetened. If you want to turn the liquid into real bait, add a little honey, just a few drops. It is recommended to add milk to such traps, but this is an unnecessary measure.
It is best to leave such a trap indoors when you are not at home, and there is no need to isolate the interior - let them flock. Just don’t leave the windows open, you don’t need new visitors.
If the presence of flies has become completely unbearable, preventive measures do not help, and simple means of control do not bring results, you can then use a more radical method - make a special solution that will help destroy flies in the house and will serve as a repellent for quite a long time.
This poisonous trap contains chlorophos (less than a third of a teaspoon) and sugar (about half a teaspoon). Mix them, pour the resulting mixture onto a saucer and place it around the house.
Homemade poison for flies (recipes)
If you don't want to use industrial poisons, you can make your own fly poison. Below are four simple fly poison recipes.
- Mix three tablespoons of milk, sugar and soda, add formalin (half a teaspoon). Apply the solution to bread pieces or soak cardboard strips. Place in areas where flies appear.
- Pour apple cider vinegar into a jar and cover with a lid with holes 5-6 mm in diameter, the flies will crawl into the holes and die.
- Mix half a glass of milk, 40 grams of black pepper and sugar, use to impregnate paper or cardboard strips. You can also place black pepper separately - it is toxic to flies.
- Mix rosin with sunflower oil, soak cardboard strips or thick rope
Mechanical destruction methods
The simplest mechanical method of killing flies is to use a fly swatter, rolled up newspaper or a slipper. The effectiveness of this method depends on the number of insects and the speed of your reaction: it is not difficult to destroy one or two flies in this way, but if there is a cluster of insects, the method will not help much.
Mechanical methods include the use of screens on windows and doors to prevent insects from getting inside.
There are also electrical devices for killing flies: an electric fly swatter, which kills the insect with a discharge of current upon contact, and electric flashlight traps, which lure insects with light and kill them using an energized metal grid.
Ridding houseplants of midges
Various indoor plants are often targeted by midges. We wrote more about the destruction of midges on flowers in this article. Here are some effective ways:
- Water the soil in pots with a weak solution of potassium permanganate , but it should not be too concentrated, otherwise there is a risk of burns to the root system.
- Watering the soil with a water solution with added soap.
- Watering the soil with garlic solution. To prepare it, you will need to turn 3-4 medium-sized heads through a meat grinder and fill with a liter of clean water. The product settles for 4-5 days, after which it is used to treat the soil.
- Burying orange peels in the soil.
- Place matches in the pot so that the sulfur head is in contact with the soil during subsequent watering. Once the sulfur is completely washed off, new matches must be used.
- Place 2-3 garlic heads , cut into pieces, in a pot.
- Sprinkling the soil with wood ash is a comprehensive measure that not only removes insects, but also fertilizes the soil.
Sweet midge trap
Plants, herbs and flowers that repel flies
It is believed that the smell of some plants is unpleasant to flies. Among them:
Bird cherry : The smell of bird cherry flowers repels flies, but they should not be placed indoors as the aroma can cause headaches. It is better to use chopped or mashed leaves, which also contain active substances - phytoncides that repel flies.
Geranium : Geranium essential oil contains germicidal components and is also unpleasant to flies. Pots with a plant will not only decorate a balcony or house, but will also repel annoying flies.
Wormwood : the bitter and spicy aroma of wormwood is unpleasant not only to flies, but also to blood-sucking insects. It is not customary to grow wormwood in the house, but you can pick it and hang fragrant bunches in your rooms or in the attic - it is checked that there will be no flies.
Eucalyptus : Another popular remedy to help get rid of flies. Drops of eucalyptus essential oil can be applied to paper and placed around the house to control flies.
Mint : suitable not only for making a flavorful drink, but also unpleasant for harmful insects. Mint can be planted on the plot or in the house; its fresh smell will get rid of flies.
Basil : Delicious basil greens also have insect repellent properties. If you have basil growing, street flies will fly around it.
Tansy : This wild medicinal plant secretes substances that are toxic to flies and have a paralyzing effect.
Lavender : Lavender is widely known to be effective against moths, but this herb can also help get rid of flies.
Elderberry : The specific smell of elderberry flowers and leaves repels flies.
Tomato : The leaves of this plant can kill flies and aphids.
Sundew : Another name is the Venus flytrap, a predatory plant that catches and eats insects. In addition to protecting your home from annoying flies, you will have an excellent exotic window sill decoration; the sundew will not get lost among the other flowers.
