Nothing is worse than having guests over for an outdoor party in the backyard only to attempt to relax and enjoy the food while being swarmed by flies and other flying insects.
Here is a list of methods you can use to keep the flies away from your party so that you can enjoy yourself without interruption.
Ways To Keep Flies Away From Your Food
1. Reduce The Breeding Environment
Eliminating fly breeding grounds is one of the first steps in fly problem prevention. Flies lay their eggs in rotting organic matter, such as animal carcasses, decaying vegetation, and food scraps, where the larvae can feed and grow into adult flies. If you maintain a garden, be sure to harvest it as soon as possible or move it away from your patio and yard.
While compost heaps are good for the environment, they are also likely to be fly breeding grounds because of the amount of decaying vegetation they contain. Even though properly managed compost piles produce heat that discourages flies and reduces their chances of survival, you might still encounter a fly problem in the area around your compost pile. As a physical barrier and to trap more heat to deter flies, a black plastic barrier placed over your compost pile is one option.
By cleaning up after your pets, you can also limit the breeding environment that is available. Flies are drawn to fresh animal waste, which can also serve as a habitat for fly larvae. Cleaning up after your pets on a regular basis, especially dogs and horses, can eliminate the habitat and food source for flies.
2. Use Electric Fans In Your Dining Room
The small size of flies makes it easier for them to avoid a fly swatter, but it also keeps them from flying in a strong wind. Electric fans can be placed around your dining area to establish a no-fly zone around your food. If you have a covered patio or porch, you can also install an overhead ceiling fan to achieve the same result.
An excellent non-chemical method of control that helps keep flies off your food while also keeping you cool in the hot summer months is the use of electric fans. You can also use an electric fly swatter to kill individual flies if you prefer a more direct method.
3. Cover Food And Eliminate Trash
When eating outside, food will be exposed, and open containers and food scraps will attract flies. By covering foods when you’re not serving or eating them and putting trash in bins far from the event, you can reduce the appeal of your barbecue. Fruits, sauces, and desserts that are high in sugar should be avoided at all costs because they will draw flies.
Simple, common-sense steps can help you and your guests feel less bothered by flies, such as covering food and getting rid of the trash. Additionally, it could stop flies from settling on your food and possibly contaminating it with the disease.
4. Wash Your Garbage And Recycling Cans
Since garbage is one of the biggest attractants of flies, the trash cans you use to store your garbage will also draw them. Even though most people don’t consider their empty trash cans to be a source of these bothersome insects, the leftover odors and garbage can still draw flies. An infestation near your home could result in flies bothering you while you’re eating outside because many people keep their trash cans there.
You can hose off your recycling and trash cans to get rid of the flies that are bothering them. Lay the empty bins on their sides and rinse out the interior to remove any debris that may have leaked. To avoid littering your yard and nearby storm drains, just be careful to gather any trash. You can purchase or rent a power washer to thoroughly clean a particularly messy can.
Make sure the rinse water from your trash cans doesn’t run off into the grass or soil nearby when you wash them because flies can thrive in soil that is rich in organic matter. Even though this may be a messy task, if you regularly use this advice, you’ll immediately notice a difference in the smell near your garbage cans and experience fewer flies. Additionally, you can prevent flies by tying your garbage bags tightly, making sure the lid of your trash can is fastened tightly, keeping your trash cans away from your house, and routinely emptying the cans.
5. Mind The Drinks
Consider your drinks as you enjoy your picnic as this will also aid in the eradication of flies. Flies hunt for sugar sources, and they are drawn to the carbon dioxide produced by the fermentation of rotting fruits and vegetables. A sweet, carbonated beverage of any kind is unfortunately included in this attraction when you have a picnic outside. When you’re not pouring soda, beer, or wine, close any open containers to help reduce the number of bothersome flies. Additionally, make sure to clean up any sticky spills right away from your outdoor table.
6. Treat Your Doorways And Window Frames
A natural essential oil spray or an insecticide with pyrethrin as an ingredient can be used to treat your doorways and window frames to deter flies.
If you’re hosting the party on your porch close to the house entrance, you can treat the doorways and window frames with Use natural fly repellents or insecticides with pyrethrin as a main ingredient to keep flies away from the party’s food.
Common house flies, gnats, and other insects can be controlled with the help of the chrysanthemum flower product pyrethrin. Like a silent killer, it won’t leave any evidence—at least not on your doors or windows.
The product in the image below, ‘Mosquito Magician’, is made from a blend of essential oils, including Rosemary, Lemongrass, Cedarwood, Geraniol, Citronella, and Garlic Oil are some examples.
It lasts up to two weeks and can be used outside around the house, garden, patio, and swimming pool.
Simply combine 4 oz with 1 gallon of water and use a pump sprayer, fogger, or even a professional backpack sprayer to spray it around.
7. Set Up Fly Traps
You might want to set up an impenetrable flytrap rather than shooing flies away. Sticky traps don’t smell bad and don’t require any effort from you. These traps lure nearby flies to a sticky pad using pheromones, which keeps them there and prevents them from escaping.
8. Ultrasonic Pest Repeller
It’s very simple to use electronic and ultrasonic insect repellents; all you have to do is plug them into a power outlet and they immediately start keeping flies and other insects at bay.
Ultrasonic pest repellers are a simple plug-in-and-go type system, some with electromagnetic and ultrasonic wave technology. No chemicals are needed; the waves will scare the pests away by disrupting their nervous system.
They are usually simple to use; all you need to do is plug them into a wall socket. Because they don’t make any noise, you can use them both inside and outside (in a covered, dry area like a patio).
They are effective for flies as well as other insects and rodents.
These are a good choice for deterring flies from food because they are non-toxic, environmentally friendly, and humane.
9. Use A Fly Swatter
It’s hard not to go a little crazy with a fly swatter – but they are very effective as a last resort to keep flies away from your food…
The fly swatter is always there to “take care” of those flies once and for all if all else fails.
Probably a last resort, given that you don’t want dead flies littering your party table, but you can pick up electrified swatters these days to make sure that you never miss a shot.
Why Get Rid Of Flies?
If houseflies come into contact with your food, they could be harmful. To feed on soiled fluids and decaying organic matter, flies enjoy visiting places like sewers and garbage dumps. Wherever they land, they defecate and regurgitate, which spreads bacteria. To protect yourself and everyone in your home from the health risks that these pests pose, it is imperative that you seek the assistance of professionals in NEA pest control.
The spread of 65 deadly diseases to humans is caused by flies. These include leprosy, cholera, dysentery, typhoid fever, and poliomyelitis.
Conclusion
Here are our recommendations for keeping flies away from your food. You and your guests can enjoy your food and surroundings with the aforementioned precautions while keeping the flies at bay. To effectively get rid of flies, you might need to speak with fly control specialists if your home has shown signs of a fly infestation. Request a consultation from Greencare right away!
