this post was submitted on 12 Aug 2024
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submitted 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
 

The weather has finally warmed up here and now there plenty of super annoying houseflies. They're way to fast to swat and have an annoying habit of landing on you.

I've tried Google's suggestion of water/vinegar and a bit of dish soap in a bottle, but they don't seem to go for it at all.

I'm up for trying anything, please make suggestions!

Edit: Thank you to all for your suggestions. So far I've tried the idea of spraying them with surface cleaner which appears to work well

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[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Not sure what kind of beasts you have but some apple cider vinegar and dish soap works like a charm for me. Definitely need to find the source though. Usually it’s some old fruit that got left out somewhere.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 months ago

The apple cider vinegar gets fruit flies but the house flies just aren't interested.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 months ago

I bought a couple of these for around the house. https://a.co/d/5vjsVs3 Works very well but mostly at night.

Also to make sure you regularly do the dishes, take out trash and clean up any food sources for the flies. After using the above and doing the above, mine went from insanity to maybe 1 or 2 around the house in about a week or two.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 months ago

I slap them mid air when they are slower and with a towel when they fly more erratic and quick.
Satisfying and I get to feed my fly trap

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 months ago

I open a window and they fly to it. Then I shut them out.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 months ago

Play wildly upbeat frantic fly punk music and when they're all worn out from shaking their little fly asses - nab 'em.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

Fly strips work. They work even better after catching a few flies (I guess misery loves company!). They're cheap too.

The vinegar thing is for fruit flies or gnats - it doesn't really work on typical house flies.

Or... you could use a fly gun. ..... : D

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 months ago

Warning about those hanging fly traps. I used them and somehow the glue got aerosolized and spread to every surface of my apartment. I never no idea how this happened but everything I own was covered in brown sticky dots. It was a mother fucker to clean.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 months ago

If you want to catch then when they land you can slowly approach them with both hands like you're gonna clap. They will try to avoid one hand and fly to the other hand and you can catch it.

Fan works. Bubble maker like the one on weddings can discourage fly and mosquitoes.

I use rubber band like on a rubber band pistols to shoot them when they land.

Let the friendly lizard and spiders stay around the house. They will help you get rid of them.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 months ago

My cats take care of most of them.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

Toy salt shotgun. Start hunting.

Edit: just saw another comment recommended the one i used to have. Bug-a-salt. It was the only thing that worked when we had something like 200 flies in a tiny 3-bed apt.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 months ago

I have a Bug A Salt Home and Garden edition and I love it. I'm in a dry climate though, so the salt doesn't clump up. Mileage may vary if you're in a humid place.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 months ago

If you want to swat them, you need to move your hand slowly at first. They seem to not notice or care if you move slowly and don't cast a shadow over them as that will frighten them. I use these same techniques for macrophotography, and it works, but you have to be patient.

I could also recommend getting good at snaping towels. Once you get good at it and you can judge distances, you can hit flies mid-flight.

Or if you just want to buy something and have 50ish bucks to spend you can get this

https://www.bugasalt.com/pages/shop-collections#threefive

[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 months ago

I roast em with a blow torch

[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 months ago
[–] [email protected] 11 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Invest in venus flytraps. They're very loyal pets.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 months ago (3 children)

But have some special needs most people don't know of! They are native to Virginia, they are not tropical plants. Therefore part of their life cycle is a yearly dormancy period due to snow. Put your venus flytrap OUTSIDE in the winter folks! Also I'm told you should only use distilled water. And don't touch the mouths and cause them to close without feeding.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 months ago

I just water them with longer standing but still hard water. It's very happy.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 months ago

In addition, be sure to supplement their diet with the occasional human leg

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 months ago

What happens during years it doesn't snow in Virginia? Do they just die?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 months ago

Get a dish towel wet and use that to swat at the fly. The weight of the water and the extra length of the towel let's you get it going faster than the fly can react.

[–] [email protected] 31 points 2 months ago (4 children)

I have a BUG-A-SALT that attached a laser sight on. It can take out a fly from a few feet away. And it makes it fun.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 months ago (2 children)

fellow bug-a-salt owner here. can confirm this works great and makes it fun.

now tell me amore bout this laser sight?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 months ago

Maybe I can't shoot for shit, but the laser is a must for me. YMMV, but I aim a little ahead of the bastards from about 6-8". I nail about 9 of 10 if I'm careful.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 months ago (2 children)
[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 months ago

LOL, that's way fancier than the one that came with mine. Kids broke it, but you got me thinking on rolling my own.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 months ago (1 children)

They got an EOTECH Holo attachment?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 months ago

Just attach a short picatinny rail!

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 months ago (2 children)

I wonder how that fares against cockroaches...

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 months ago

They have a high power one for those bastards.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 months ago

Not great against hard shelled insects in general. It doesn't phase Junebugs unless you catch them right and they lose some legs but that feels cruel even for stinkbugs.

[–] [email protected] 16 points 2 months ago (3 children)

Seems kinda messy to be shooting salt all over your living space, though.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 months ago

It's really just a small pinch of salt that comes out

[–] [email protected] 13 points 2 months ago

Well, you can lick it right up after and get your extra post-workout sodium and protein.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 months ago

At least its salt, quite inert, not sugar

[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 months ago

After watching their promotional video with a French Swedish Chef blasting flies on sweets while doing a dance I'm sold.

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