Are you looking for the best fly trap? Read my opinions and find out what are the main types on the market.
Hello. The goal of this guide is to give you information on some of the systems used to eliminate flies, along with some useful advice, which can help you choose the best trap. Obviously, we will not deal here with professional insect pest traps, or specific models for particular sectors, such as fruit growing, for example, or olive growing, or to be placed in stables.
Table of Contents
Why buy a fly trap
If there is an insect, both in the house and in the garden, that is really annoying and irritating, it is the fly. Already hearing it buzzing is a distraction, because you know it will end up on you, on your hands or worse on your face. And distraction and assaults aren’t the only reasons to hate flies, because these nasty, nasty insects are also the cause of disease. They hang around everywhere, lean on food, love dusty corners, and are terribly prolific. But, if you think that the fly is only harmful in domestic environments, you really have no idea how much damage it can do outside the home, on plants, on flowers, on fruits. In short, flies are a real plague that is not easy to eradicate completely, but which must absolutely be contained in order to live peacefully. So the fewer flies around you the better. So let’s see, at least to begin with, how to drastically limit its presence.
Fly hunting
The hunt for these, and other domestic insects, can be done thanks to various solutions, all readily available on the market, such as the fly trap. Obviously there are fly traps that work great in domestic environments, and traps that are used for outdoor environments. And, needless to say, there are solutions that are fine in both cases. So first of all let’s try to better understand how this trap works and how to choose the right one, also based on your needs.
How a fly trap is made
How close you get to this sector, especially if you are at the first experiences, what is presented to you is a world so full of different solutions that the possibility of getting confused is high. So the first thing to do is to be clear on how a trap of this type works and how it is made. In every self-respecting product there is first of all a lure for flies, then there is the fly killer, and finally there is the container, or the support, which holds everything together and makes it work. So let’s see how it is made, element by element.
1. Liquid food bait
The bait is represented by the product that is added to the trap to attract flies. You can find many types, and with different effects. The most common baits are those that urge their need to feed, they are generally liquid, and often have an unpleasant smell for humans, precisely because flies love rotting foods.
One of the most effective baits, in fact, are the rancid fish or chicken soups, or, alternatively, the liquid solutions made by competent companies, which have the same effect. The latter are much more comfortable, they are ready and above all they do not spoil the kitchen. Some types of liquid food baits, in fact, can be made at home by mixing, for example, beer and jam, or sugar and fruit juice. But you can also make them with water, sugar and vinegar, or sugar and lemon.
Others, on the other hand, must be purchased ready-made, either in liquid form or in granules to be dissolved in water. Liquid food baits generally attract a fairly wide range of flying scavenger flies and insects, also because, if they are in the process of expelling the larvae, the decaying food becomes a great place to deposit them for hatching.
2. Get sexually attractive
Another type of fly bait widely used to attract flies is the one that attracts them sexually. Flies have a fairly short lifespan, about a month or so, but they are terribly prolific. As with many other insects, the mating fly is also attracted by the smell of the excretions of the female’s hormonal glands. So just reproduce this smell to attract them.
But when choosing a sexually attractive lure you must also take into account two factors. First of all, the male of the fly is used to smell on the female’s body and not in the air. And then the hormone has to be the one specific to the fly, or it won’t have any effect on the fly. So, to comply with the first requirement, you have to make sure that the sexual attraction bait is distributed on the support and not sprayed.
As for the second one, you have to check that it is specific for flies and not for other insects, or, even worse, that it is declared generic for all diptera, which is most likely not true. Generally the formulation on the label, if the bait is specific for the fly, shows the wording “Z9-tricosene”, together with other products that have a fly killing effect. It is also very important to know that its attractive effect increases when exposed to the sun or at least in bright light.
3. Chromotropic chromatic bait
Another type of excellent bait for attracting flies is the colored one, especially in yellow. This bait is mainly used in chromotropic traps, either associated with a fly killer or only with the aim of attracting them to a particular place, and distracting them from another. The need to attract flies to a particular place without killing them derives from some factors, such as the usefulness of the fly in the life cycle, the maturation of the manure, the pollination, the feeding of the animals. Topics that will not be addressed here for reasons of space.
The characteristic of this bait is its color which is particularly attractive for flies. A property already well known in agriculture for years, as farmers have long used yellow paper strips to direct flies away from fruit and vegetables, and concentrate them where they can be useful, such as piles of manure or cultivated fields. flowers with hives for bees. Among other things, the lure for chromotropic flies, unlike that with pheromones, does not have to be specific for every type of insect, but attracts a wide range of flies and gnats, in an undifferentiated way.
At most you have to adjust to the color you choose, because to attract Diptera, including flies, Hymenoptera and Rincoti, you have to use yellow, for Aphids green is better, and for Tentredini white is excellent. Once you have attracted the flies you just have to kill them, unless your goal is to use them for another purpose. But in this article we limit ourselves to considering the “elimination of flies” option, so we see the second element, and that is the fly killer.
4. Moschicide (insecticide for flies)
The chemical fly killer is a synthetic product belonging to the insecticide family. In agriculture, antagonistic insects are also used, which directly attack the larvae and eat the eggs. But for homes, and to arm fly traps, you need products capable of attacking the adult insect or poisoning the eggs before they hatch.
The most effective products use compounds based on pyrethrins, a naturally occurring poison contained in some flowers such as chrysanthemums. One of these is Imidacloprid, an active ingredient that acts rapidly on the fly both by contact and by ingestion, or the additive methomyl, equally toxic. These are products that are generally sold in powder or granules, mixed with bait to make them palatable.
But these poisons can also be distributed in the environment thanks to other systems, both inside the traps for flies and in aerosols, having the foresight, after having sprayed them, to ventilate the environment. At this point all that remains is to analyze the various supports.
Types of fly traps
Often a trap for flies is chosen for support rather than based on its active principle and the system of attracting them, but there are supports that are good everywhere and others specific for any type of environment. Let’s see the most common.
1. Electric fly killer
The electric resistance fly killing lamp performs a double action. The first is to attract flies using a UV light that simulates the sun’s rays. The second is to strike them quickly with an electrical resistance. It is a non-polluting device with a quick effect that you can safely use in the home, either internal and external, and that works for the entire range of visibility of the light.
The resistance fly lamp is inserted in a container protected by a large mesh net, which allows the entry of flies and mosquitoes, but blocks the moths, which are also attracted by the light. The only recommendation, for effective use, is to turn off all other lights in the room, so that the insects are attracted only by its lamp. At the base of the lamp there is a drawer where electrocuted insects fall, which must be periodically emptied into the garbage.
The consumption of the lamp is minimal, between 6 and 8 Watts, and the resistance absorbs electricity only when it is shorted due to the fly resting on its net. The most common models plug into the mains, but there are some UV fly killer lamps that can be plugged into a computer’s USB output. However, these traps are devoid of electrical resistance.
2. UV ray fly killer
The UV ray fly killer, also known as a suction trap, attracts flies and mosquitoes thanks to lamps that emit light radiation capable of attracting these insects. Some models also have different lamps, to be used during the day or at night, which more easily attract the types of insects related to sunlight or radiation from human blood.
This type of fly lamp does not burn insects with an electric resistance, but attracts them and conveys them inside a mesh cage, thanks to the use of a fan. The fly approaches attracted by the light and is sucked into the vortex of the fan, which pushes it into the cage preventing it from turning back. This lamp is cyclically emptied by opening the cage outside the house, to prevent flies from flying back into the rooms.
3. Fly paper (large, small and food grade)
The big card for outdoors
How to kill flies? Large fly paper is one of the chromatic traps, at least the outdoor type. With this type of trap, the fly is attracted to its favorite color, which for many insects is yellow, and rests on the surface that is impregnated with glue. The glue prevents it from flying off and can be wiped off. The glue obviously, being for exteriors, is resistant to rain and heat. This fly trap is absolutely non-toxic and ecological.
The small paper for interiors
Small fly paper is also part of the chromatic lures, but it also adds to this type of attractiveness some attractive aromas. A strategy that obviously can only work indoors, because here the smell can be perceived more easily and attract the fly. The color of these indoor fly paper traps is a rotten yellow to brownish color. A characteristic color of foods in the process of rotting and putrefaction.
The added aromas, when there are, are of a natural type and not easily perceptible by the human sense of smell. To find out if the model you are buying also has attractive aromas you should consult the technical data sheet on the package.
The paper for food
The fly paper for food can be placed without problems in the kitchen and can also be placed in the pantry where you store food. When you buy this product always check that its quality is certified by the CE and that therefore the glue is not of the toxic type. This fly paper has neither flavorings nor insecticidal products added to its glue. It is placed on the internal doors of the cabinets, using the adhesive face.
4. Indoor bottle trap
Kitchens are often a favorite haunt of fruit flies, buzzing around both the baskets and the trash can. The bottle trap is a fairly simple and effective way to catch them. It is a wide-necked bottle, on which a one-way cap is inserted. At the bottom of the bottle you can put some attractive mush or very ripe fruit.
The fly will smell and enter the bottle. But when he tries to get out he will find the road blocked by the one-way plug. Bottle and cap are washable and reusable and, if it is no longer possible to remove stains and dirt, being made of recyclable material, you can throw them in the glass and plastic recycling bin.
5. Outdoor jar trap
The outdoor jar fly trap uses the same attractive logic, with the difference that it is not a one-way cap but the viscosity of the bait that keeps the insects inside. It is a jar, a couple of liters of capacity, which you will have to fill halfway with very fragrant mush that attracts the surrounding insects, and prevents them from ending up on the table and on food. It is a trap for flies to be used outside, during outdoor dining and picnics.
Having poured the bait into it, which you can buy in specialized stores, close the jar with its lid, which is equipped with rectangular windows. The flies are attracted by the smell and enter the jar ending up in the molasses. Molasses acts as a bait and a trap. In fact, its viscosity prevents flies from flying away, immobilizes them and makes them drown. When it is full you just have to empty the jar and restore the liquid bait. One template that you can use both indoors and out, for example, is the fonee.
6. Net trap with bait (Fly net)
Known as the rancho fly trap, the bait net trap resembles the cage anglers use to catch crustaceans. This trap is made with a cylinder structure, covered with a dense net. Its base is open and supports a bowl with palatable bait.
Above this bowl there is a cone, also in the net, inside which the fly starts to escape, but which instead directs it into the cylinder, from which it can no longer come out. An absolutely ecological trap, which allows you to catch insects without damaging them and release them elsewhere if you don’t want to kill them.
7. Biological chromotropic trap
The chromotropic biological trap is used to biologically block infesting insects, therefore to eliminate flies without insecticide. It is a trap to be placed in series in an outdoor environment, where there are fruiting plants or other crops that are easy prey for insects. The trap consists of a bottle with a colored cap, which acts as an attractive element from a distance, and a natural mush that attracts the insects into the bottle and prevents them from laying eggs.
The cap has the same breading as any bottle cap, so you can alternatively use a disposable plastic bottle as well. In the cap, of rotten yellow color, there is also a hook that is used to hang it from a branch or other support. In the package, in addition to the series of bait caps, there is also a manual that allows you to create the baits in a homemade way, if you prefer not to buy the beautiful and ready-made ones. Obviously the type of bait you put in it depends on the type of insect you want to trap.
8. Trap for wasps
There trap for wasps it is very similar to the jar trap, with the difference that the cap is one-way and prevents the wasps that enter from coming out again. The wasps enter the ampoule attracted by both the yellow color and the scent of the bait and then remain entangled. Bees are generally not attracted to this type of bait, but the package also provides you with practical recipes that are specific to some types of insects and not others.
Other solutions against flies
1. Pumps for spraying and nebulization
The spraying pumps they can be used both outdoors and indoors. What matters is whether the pesticide is compatible with inhabited environments or not. Although it is a tool used to spray wide-ranging pesticides, often harmful to human health and beneficial animals, the spray pump can also be used to spread natural solutes, which inhibit the vital functions of insects or animals. move away.
In fact, there are now many products of natural origin on the market that are able to effectively fight harmful insects, without using chemical pesticides. But obviously this topic will be treated separately, in an article on natural bollards. And the same goes for sprayers, since there are now many types, even small and domestic or large, shoulder and motorized.
2. Electric anti-mosquito racket
This racket works with a net, electrified by rechargeable batteries. It is a plastic structure that has the shape of a tennis racket and a button in the handle. When you see a fly, or a mosquito, just approach it to the insect and press the button. A bolt will cross the net of the racket and electrocute the insect.
An economical and effective trap, which can be recharged by placing it on a special base, or by inserting its plug into the electrical socket. If you are wondering how to kill bothersome flies, this device is for you.
3. Catch flies
The fly catcher trap is perfect for trapping any type of crawling or flying insect. It is a plastic tube, with a pistol handle, and long plastic bristles at the end. When you spot an insect, simply place the bristled part on it and pull the trigger. A spring, placed inside the tube, will close the bristles, trapping the insect.
At this point you can drop it out the window, or imprison it in a jar if you need it for school research or observation. The fly catcher is perfect for catching any type of small animal, without having to touch it with your fingers and without killing it. It is therefore also good for spiders, geckos, lizards, butterflies.
4. Outdoor solar trap
The outdoor solar trap works like the electric discharge fly killer, with the difference that the light it diffuses is much stronger. These are UV lamps of at least 30 Watts, inserted in a structure of about 60 centimeters, by 15, by 30, to hang on the patio or in the garden.
This trap is electrically powered by connecting it to the home network, and has a high voltage electrified grid. This grill is capable of burning even medium-sized insects, such as wasps and hornets, and works over an area of 80 or 100 square meters.
5. Pheromone trap for cooking
Do you want to understand how to get rid of flies from the kitchen? The pheromone trap is for you, and it’s pretty much the same as the glue fly trap. The only difference is that it is flavored with pheromones, which have a sexual attracting effect on food flies and pasta butterflies, and do not pollute the environment.
Just place them in the kitchen next to the cupboards, or inside the food cabinet door. The attractive effect of these devices lasts on average a month or a month and a half.
6. Ultrasonic repellent
The ultrasonic trap emits frequencies that annoy some insects forcing them to move away. They belong to the category of ultrasonic deterrents for mice (read our guide), but you have to be careful that the frequency of the trap you choose is the one suitable for the insects you want to drive away or it will not work at all.
Some of these devices also give you the ability to adjust the sound modulation, so that you can choose the one that suits the type of insect you want to drive away. These are medium effective bollards and if you decide to buy one it is better to take the adjustable model, and patiently test which frequency is really annoying to your flies.
How to get rid of flies in the house
The best way to understand how to limit flies in your home is to prevent them from getting paw. In this case the baits, unless they are integrated into a fly trap, would only be counterproductive. Much better to limit their access with a series of fairly effective remedies, such as window barriers, or repellents. And it is also essential to avoid accumulations of dirt and dust, because they are the places where flies nest most willingly.
1. Barriers on the windows against flies
One of the most effective ways to prevent flies from entering the house are the barriers to be placed in front of the various openings. Doors and windows, in fact, are the preferred access route for all insects, and especially for flies. Whichever method you decide to adopt to avoid flies, mounting barriers is always a good idea, because at least you reduce the number of insects that circulate in the house.
As insect barriers, of course, you are spoiled for choice, but you can divide them into categories and choose from those that seem to you best suited to your needs. Let’s start with the net curtains.
Net curtains
Net curtains are an excellent deterrent for flies in the house because they prevent them from entering, but they allow you, especially in the warmer seasons, to keep the rooms open and ventilate. They are curtains in light cotton, semitransparent, woven in a medium knit, very light in color, preferably white. They are excellent for both windows and passage openings, such as the door to the terrace or the garden. Obviously moving them away, or taking advantage of the lateral spaces, some insects get to pass. But they would already be far fewer. If you want a net tent, just fit a good tent holder and you’re done.
Insect curtains
Insect curtains are much more effective than mesh curtains, and they let more air through. The problem instead concerns the light, because they are made with a solid and opaque material, so they reduce the brightness in the house. In fact, insect tents are widely used in the South and in hot countries, where the shade also brings coolness. It is a set of threads that descend from a stick, generally made of wood, in which pieces of cane or hard plastic plugs are attached. Just a breath of wind and the pieces move annoying the flies that avoid venturing.
Mosquito nets
Another very effective system is that of mosquito nets. Their nylon mesh is very tight and prevents the entry of any insects, including flies and mosquitoes. You can mount them stably, using a wooden frame and nailing the net on them, or buy magnetic or sliding curtain ones, so you can also open and close the external shutters.
The decision to install mosquito nets could reduce the presence of flies in the house to such an extent that any other defense system is useless. But you don’t have to give insects the chance to proliferate in your home, always tending every corner free of dust and dirt. A range of cleaning products, such as dust sprays, are very useful for this.
2. Anti-dust products (antistatic sprays)
Talking about dust products in a fly trap article may seem out of place, but it’s not at all. The reason is that any strategy you want to adopt against flies if you give them the opportunity to nest you will never be able to eradicate them. And the dust is the best place for flies to nest. But removing the dust from the whole house every day, every day, is not always easy, so even in this case you can resort to some tricks.
And since dust tends to concentrate in places where electrostatic charges are greater, just spray frequently in these areas an antistatic spray, made especially for dust, to significantly reduce accumulation. Even better if the antistatic spray is scented, because it will also work as a fly repellent.
3. Repellents (plants, diffusers, ultrasounds)
The reaction to smells that a human being can have is very different from that of a fly. The fly loves severe odors, laden with rot, a sign of advanced decomposition, because they know that they will find the food they like. Feeding on what decays is part of its role in the great cycle of renewal of matter. When the matter has done its part it decomposes and the fly facilitates this passage. For this reason, whenever possible, it is best to avoid its destruction, or at least limit it to what is necessary.
At the end of the putrefaction process, however, the matter tends to recover and frees odors, such as moss, undergrowth, freshly moved earth, which signal to the fly that that place no longer requires its presence. Indeed, particularly intense spring fragrances can work as real repellents. To achieve this, you can grow fragrant plants at home, such as carnations and geraniums, or strong essences, such as lavender, and still avoid attracting flies by letting there be dust in some hidden corner.
And the electric scented aroma diffusers also work very well, improving the scent of the rooms and keeping them away. Among the deterrents for flies there are also ultrasounds, which become particularly effective when the environment is sound reflective and the waves bounce almost everywhere. But when the onslaught becomes intentional then you can’t help but unleash the fly hunt.
How to get rid of flies outdoors
The best strategy for limiting flies outside the home is to attract them elsewhere with a series of more or less natural finds that act as bait. The bait for flies, among other things, is also the best way to remove them from orchards, or from tables set for outdoor picnics. In short, if you are outdoors and do not want to spend your time hunting them away, perhaps without success, you must make sure that they are attracted to something more interesting than your dish or your crops.
Obviously avoid removing them during the pollination period, because in that case their contribution is essential to complete the reproductive cycle of the plants. And we will return to the topic of baits when we talk about traps in the chapter dedicated to hunting flies.
