How to get rid of flies...

[bradleyheathhays]

I've got an open shop that's in the shade and has a cool concrete floor through most of the morning and early afternoon. It seems to attract flies so I thought I'd ask about getting rid of them. I'd go with flypaper but I'm guessing someone has a better idea along the lines of using apple cider vinegar in a jar covered with an inverted funnel for fruit flies, but for house flies. Any ideas?

 

[Myfordman]

They are just bored. Give them a fly paper to read and they will be no trouble!

 

[Phil Pascoe]

An electronic zapper.

 

[Jacob]

Traditional way of getting flies to move on is to place a heap of s**t a little distance away. Hope that helps.

 

[Spectric]

You may not have noticed but these are American flies, you may need different tactics to handle them.

 

[D_W]

Flypaper is a good way to make a permanent exhibit of some flies for the others to look at. Popular in the states 40 years ago (including hanging over kitchen tables in some cases - yum), but it seemed like the flies remained.

If you want to keep the flies out, a screen is the only way I've seen that actually works. If you could put a cowpat on the floor right next to a small exhaust fan, i'm fairly sure that the ones in the building would find their way back out.

 

[Inspector]

Man they must be real bad. This being the third forum I've seen the same thread. Barn swallows I said before and say again. Lots and lots of barn swallows.

Pete

 

[Glitch]

You need spiders, lots of them.

 

[Rorschach]

Close off your shop. If flies are attracted to your workspace you will never make more than a dent in their numbers.

 

[glenfield2]

I’m doing my boat up on a chicken farm; summer time means lots of flies
Last summer there was a veritable plague. I spent more time swiping them with one of those electric tennis bat things than working but the only really effective things were fly papers.
Just messy when you get your hair caught in one!

 

[Ollie78]

Get some Frogs.

 

[Steve_Scott]

I came in here to say bring them down to the metals bin at the local recycling centre but then realised you typed flies, not files....

 

[lucgizi]

A few pots of Venus flytrap. They have a more aesthetic appeal than flypaper I'd say

 

[Phill05]

Maybe a concrete breaker see whats buried under floor!!

 

[Jacob]

Could be a personal hygiene issue?

 

[Stan]

An electronic zapper.

Indeed. I have a portable one like you find in butchers shops. The flies love it! Just imagine their conversation:


Hey, no! Don't look at the light!

I-can't-help-it. It's-so-beautiful.

< crack >
(silence)

 

[HappyHacker]

I have put jam jars outside, with a little jam in and a hole in the lid, for the wasps and caught lots of flies.

The electric zapper is good in an enclosed space, not sure about using one in an open space. If you go for the zapper make it a good commercial one, the cheap ones do not work.

 

[D_W]

Maybe a frog pond in the center of the floor.

 

[sirocosm]

I have seen large versions of the fruit fly bottles for regular flies, and when I googled for a picture I found this, which looks like the same thing, but larger. It is for horse stables.

 

[Tris]

If you can get bonemeal fertiliser mix some with water and put it in a trap, the sort made from a plastic bottle cut in half is ideal. Place these a good way from your workshop and they should keep the flies away.