A fly buzzing around your home can quickly get on your nerves. In addition, house flies also transmit various diseases and are therefore not welcome guests in our home. Especially in summer, when windows and doors are often open, the pests always find a way into the house. However, what can you do to...get rid of the annoying flies? We show you how you can build a simple fly trap using home remedies and catch insects quickly and effectively.
DIY fly trap – the best home remedy for flies
The tried and tested methods for ridding your home of house flies all have a disadvantage. Fly swatters are unsightly and pesticides pose the risk of releasing dangerous chemicals into the air. A simple and unobtrusive way to stop flies from buzzing around your home is to set up a simple household trap. Below you will find out how to build such a fly trap and catch different types of flies.
Make your own fly trap for house flies
For one of the best and easiest fly traps you can build, you first need an empty PET bottle. Baited with a little sugar water or another attractive substance, a DIY fly trap placed in a hidden location will quickly attract common house flies. The flies smell the bait and fly into the bottle to get there (either to lay eggs or to eat). Once inside they are easily caught as they fly down the neck of the trap. The flies cannot fly back through the narrow opening, or they become flightless if their wings get wet. This trap can be used both indoors and outdoors.
What you need:
- serrated knife
- black pen
- cutting board
- Hole punch (optional)
- Two liter PET bottle
- Bait, e.g. B. ripe fruit
- Vinegar (optional)
- A piece of wire to hang the trap (optional)
Here's how:
Using a marker, draw a line all the way around the bottle, just below the tapered neck.
Using a serrated knife, cut along the line and separate the top portion of the bottle. Cut on a cutting board to avoid damaging your countertop or table.
Remove the cap, then turn the top of the bottle over and push it into the bottom of the bottle like a funnel to complete the fly trap.
Remove the “funnel” from the bottle so you can place the bait inside. Choose suitable bait for the trap.
Flies are attracted to almost any decaying organic material. So what goes into the flytrap? Here are a few ideas for bait that you can use around the house:
- Slightly overripe fruit
- A 50/50 mix of water and sugar
- Water mixed with honey or maple syrup for a stickier solution
- Apple juice, orange juice, cola, etc.
- Fruit-scented dishwashing liquid
If you use this fly trap outdoors, you should use a more scented bait. To keep bees away from your indoor or outdoor trap, add a splash of vinegar to the mix.
If you prefer a hanging trap, use a hole puncher to punch two holes in the top of the bottle. Make sure they go through both layers of the trap. Then thread a piece of wire through the holes, bend the ends, and your trap is ready to hang.
Tip: If you notice gaps between the edges where the “funnel” rests in the bottom of the bottle, tape them shut with tape, just in case a clever fly decides to squeeze away.
Although fruit flies do not transmit any diseases and are generally considered harmless, they multiply rapidly and can quickly attack the fruit peel. Are you currently battling a swarm of fruit flies in your kitchen? Get rid of them quickly with this simple, homemade trap. It also works well on fungus gnats.
Before you begin: Discard any overripe fruit that may attract fruit flies.
What you need:
- Apple cider vinegar
- Dishwashing detergent
- A glass or small bowl
Warning: Although vinegar is the main ingredient in this fly trap and is considered safe for consumption, liquid dish soap is not. Therefore, keep this solution out of the reach of children.
How to make the fruit fly trap:
Pour 250 milliliters of apple cider vinegar into a glass or small bowl. Add a few drops of dish soap to the jar. Set the trap where you saw the fruit flies and wait for it to do its job.
Why this works
Vinegar is aversatile, environmentally friendly home remedy. In addition to its use in cooking, it is an inexpensive ingredient for homemade cleaning products. Additionally, unlike many commercial products, vinegar does not give off harmful, pungent fumes.
The fruit flies are attracted to the smell of the vinegar and try to land on its surface. However, they get a surprise - because the dishwashing liquid breaks the surface tension of the vinegar, the fruit flies fall in and drown. This way you can say goodbye to the annoying pests.
More tips:
- You can also use a bottle with a small neck.
- Keep a fruit fly trap on your kitchen counter even after you've caught the fruit flies. It will prevent future infestations. You can store it in a pretty container so it doesn't stand out. The vinegar evaporates over time, so refill it when you notice it is running low.
Building a fruit fly trap: Alternative method
If you don't have vinegar on hand, you can also catch fruit flies by placing a piece of overripe fruit in an open plastic bag. Just wait for the fruit flies to gather on the fruit. Then close the bag carefully and trap the flies inside.
Build a simple fly trap for fungus gnats
Are your flowers orHouseplants affected by fungus gnats, then you can catch the small flies with a glue trap. The so-called yellow traps can be found in specialist shops, for example, but it is not at all complicated to make such a fly trap yourself.
What you need:
- yellow cardboard or paper
- Honig
- Drinking straw or wooden stick
- Glue
Brush bright yellow index cards with a little honey. Stick a card on a straw or stick and stick it into the soil of the infected houseplant. Yellow attracts mosquitoes because it is the color of plants that are under stress and whose defenses against predators are weakened. When the fungus gnats come to investigate, they will stick to the honey.
