[lifehacker]

Does anyone know of an alternative to flyspray? I hate flyspray and refuse to buy it but the flies in our kitchen atm are driving me nuts There are dozens, I've emptied rubbish, recycling, the benches are clean, there is no food anywhere, the floor is mopped and they are still around, I have no idea what htey are coming in for, we have no screens and the kids are in and out the door so it's hard to stop that. Just hoping someone might know a natural alternative to keep them at bay.
I heard wormwood helped and I have a wormwood bush so I tried that but it didn't help all that much.

TIA

[*mylittleprince*]

DH bought these hanging tubs from Bunnings. You put a dry sachet in, add some water and it works it's magic. It has greatly reduced the flies - they are hung outside the back door. Do you have any holes in your flyscreens? We do and this contributes to the problem. We are currently battlign fruit flies even though we do the same as you - no food left out, clean kitchen, etc. We are putting a glass of apple cider vinegar with clingfilm over the top, piercing some holes in it and then are attracted to it and then try to get into the liquid and die.

[lifehacker]

DH bought these hanging tubs from Bunnings. You put a dry sachet in, add some water and it works it's magic. It has greatly reduced the flies - they are hung outside the back door. Do you have any holes in your flyscreens? We do and this contributes to the problem. We are currently battlign fruit flies even though we do the same as you - no food left out, clean kitchen, etc. We are putting a glass of apple cider vinegar with clingfilm over the top, piercing some holes in it and then are attracted to it and then try to get into the liquid and die.

We have no screens. I have apple cider vinegar, I will try that, thanks

[librablonde]

We have issues here with flies as well and kids constantly leaving the doors wide open. I want to go to Spotlight and buy one of those magnetic flymesh curtain thingy's that you hang over any door, so the magnets will close the flymesh curtain as soon as the kids walk through. They cost about $20.

[KirstenMc]

I use lavendar oil in an oil burner as a general purpose insect repellent, which works quite well, but it sounds like your fly population may be bigger than mine

I know a guy who 'collects' flies outside (and feeds 'em to his chooks!), by reusing plastic bottles (think 2-3 litre juice or milk bottles), cutting a small hole in both sides, and fill about 1/4-1/3 full with warm water with 1 tsp vegemite disolved in it, in the bottom.

I'm not sure why it needs the hole and can't just depend on the hole at the top (he keeps the lid on) but maybe it's that they can fly back up and out, but can't find the one on the side? Or maybe it's to make the opening closer to the vinegar, to attract them.

Anyway, he leaves says he leaves it for about a week then strains out gazillions of flies - then just puts the revolting water and starts again. Bit too pongy for the kitchen bench I think, but could reduce the fly population outside?