[rkintn]

do the flies seem really bad this year?! I swear every time our front door is opened THOUSANDS of the annoying buggers come swarming in! Okay, maybe not thousands but alot! Anyway to get rid of them or deter them from coming in the house? Seems like I heard somewhere about hanging up baggies of water but I really don't remember....

 

[Jim S.]

Bad flies usually means an animal management problem to me...yours or a neighbor's.

That said, go buy some QuickBayt and kill them buggers.

http://www.bayerdvm.com/products/quick-bayt/quick-bayt.cfm

I have not used it personally, but many on HT have and I have heard glowing reports from others "in person."

 

[Oggie]

Can you use BlueStreak raccoon bait to kill flies?

 

[rkintn]

I live in town and there aren't any livestock type animals or really any animals around to speak of and I am pretty sure I don't want to be spraying chemicals all around the house or the kids..but thanks for the advice

 

[Windy in Kansas]

No problem at all with them where I live in Kansas. As a matter of fact I really hadn't even thought about flies until you mentioned them. We usually change out hanging fly strips during the spring and summer months and haven't renewed the ones from last year yet.

 

[RoseGarden]

They seem to be worse this year here, too, I think because it's been so rainy and wet and muddy. Seems they are always worse in wet weather.

I took to hanging those Tat brand sticky fly tapes up on the porches. They look awful but are not toxic, and it's kind of satisfying in a sick way to see all the disgusting buggers stuck to the tape, wiggling their little legs trying to get loose. They do catch a lot, although there are still some flying around but not as many as there would be if I didn't hang them.

 

[huzzyjr]

They are horrible at my house too. It has been raining almost daily for three month's.

 

[sheepish]

They are terrible around our farm this year, but they are also bad at our daughter's house in town. I think our weather has been perfect for them.

 

[jen74145]

Yeah, it was in the Dallas News a couple weeks ago; they're pretty bad. I'm the swatter wielding maniac constantly fighting them off. Nasty little things.

 

[Sammy]

Not bad here.

 

[CGUARDSMAN]

They are always an issue on our place as we have some turkey farms in the area. I set out fly traps and put baggies of water on the doors.

 

[A'sta at Hofstead]

Bad here too, I actually put fly strips on dh's hardware list today, they are everywhere.
We keep the pens clean etc.

 

[Jim S.]

I live in town and there aren't any livestock type animals or really any animals around to speak of and I am pretty sure I don't want to be spraying chemicals all around the house or the kids..but thanks for the advice

It's granules, not a spray. You shake them on the ground. :shrug: Different strokes. Ever look up all the diseases certain flies can give your kids? Here, I'll make it easy...the site also has etimology and prevention...

http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2111.html

The bags of water are rumored to work. I know the BBQ in town has them over the drive-in window and they say they work. Other than that, and keeping garbage, pet feces, etc., under control, fly strips and a flyswatter are the only non-chemical controls of which I know.

 

[busybee870]

ok i need details on the baggie set up please

 

[rkintn]

It's granules, not a spray. You shake them on the ground. :shrug: Different strokes. Ever look up all the diseases certain flies can give your kids? Here, I'll make it easy...the site also has etimology and prevention...

http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2111.html

The bags of water are rumored to work. I know the BBQ in town has them over the drive-in window and they say they work. Other than that, and keeping garbage, pet feces, etc., under control, fly strips and a flyswatter are the only non-chemical controls of which I know.

Ya know, I am not really sure why you seem to think that I live in unclean conditions hence the flies but let me assure you I do not. I also appreciate your concern over the health of my children hence the reason why I came here looking for maybe some non toxic solutions. I don't intend on spreading around granules or spray since I have a 4 yo boy who loves to dig in the dirt and sit on the ground while outside. I am going to go with the fly strips, baggies of water and fly swatters. Thanks again, for your advice.

 

[BlueHeronFarm]

Don't bother with the baggies - they don't work.
We tried a homemade trap that someone in one of these forums suggested. Cut the top 1/2 of a plastic soda bottle off and invert it. Glue it into the bottom 1/2 - so it looks like a funnel going in. Put an inch or so of wine or honey water or soda - they go in to drink and can't get out and drown. We caught a few.

....but now we use QuickBayt. ...you can put the granules in a small dish and put it well out of reach of the kids. A little goes a long way and the stuff is miraculous.

If you're still unsure, the fly tape is the next best thing.

 

[donsgal]

do the flies seem really bad this year?! I swear every time our front door is opened THOUSANDS of the annoying buggers come swarming in! Okay, maybe not thousands but alot! Anyway to get rid of them or deter them from coming in the house? Seems like I heard somewhere about hanging up baggies of water but I really don't remember....

The flies seem worse when the cows across the street are up to the pond, which is right across from our house. But yes, generally, they seem worse this year. It might have to do with all the rain we have gotten. Also when it is humid the flies seem so sticky! They just will NOT leave you alone.

donsgal

 

[HilltopDaisy]

The flies are just terrible here. Someone told be that some agency, can't remember who, released black flies in an effort to control Gypsy moths? Could there be any truth to that?

 

[farmwife]

I had heard that here in PA, they left flies out(big ones) to control the gypsy moths as well.

We were at a campground and they were bad! No animals around there. They were the big ones too.

 

[chickenista]

I have seen the water baggie solution work. I thought it was amazing. Just fill a freezer bag with water and hang from the edge of porch overhang etc... you could try a wide spaced mesh bag or a wire "cradle". The flies think it a wasp's nest and bug someone else. We haven't had any knock on wood flies this year at all, but June bugs...lawdy.