As soon as you open the window in summer to let some air into the heated apartment, they flow in - flies. There are numerous home remedies to get rid of the annoying insects quickly. In combination with a flytrap you have made yourself, you will get rid of the flies in no time at all. We show you 6 fly traps to build yourself. Follow our instructions.
Build fly traps yourself
Flies find access to the house, no matter how small, regardless of whether there is a fly screen or not. And then the flying insects annoy us wherever they can. Whether at the dining table or during a cozy evening in front of the TV, flies can get on our nerves. If you don't feel like going hunting with a fly swatter, you can try fly traps. It does not always have to be the high-priced models from the trade. Fly traps are easy to build yourself. With the right instructions and the right home remedies, you can easily build your own fly trap.
Build a fast flytrap
Sometimes it just has to be quick. This variant is probably the simplest type of fly trap. Simply fill a bowl or cup with a suitable attractant. A mixture of sweetener, sugar and water is well suited for this. The sweetener is poisonous to flies, while the sugar is used to attract them. For an effective effect, use at least 10 sweetener tablets.
Fly trap from a screw-top jar
A simple variant to build a flytrap is the screw-top jar. Instead of throwing away that old jam or pickle jar, just use it as a fly trap. And that's how it works:
- Fill the screw-top jar with sugar water, fruit juice or other attractant
- Drill several holes in the cover with a screwdriver or cordless drill
- Holes must be big enough for a fly to fit through
- alternatively stretch plastic foil with sufficiently large holes over the glass
danger: The holes must not be too large, otherwise there is a risk that the flies will escape again.
The glass can be set up both indoors and on the balcony or terrace. The sweet liquid lures the flies into the glass, from which they can no longer find a way out. You should replace the trap every 2 days.
Build a flytrap out of a PET bottle
Also this fly trap can be placed indoors and outdoors. A flytrap can be made from an empty PET bottle in no time at all. You need:
- empty PET bottle
- sharp knife or scissors
- masking tape
- duct tape
- suitable foods or juices as attractants
manual
1. First stick the masking tape around the top third of the bottle. This ensures a straight cut. Then cut the bottle in two along the masking tape. You can now remove the masking tape again.
2. Remove the cap from the bottle and insert the cut piece into the bottle, opening side down. A kind of funnel entrance is created. Now attach the two cut edges with the adhesive tape.
3. Finally, fill the trap with a suitable attractant. A 1:1 mixture of vinegar and washing-up liquid is ideal. The smell of vinegar attracts the flies and the detergent reduces the surface tension of the liquid so that the flies can no longer cling to it.
live trap
If you are a big animal lover and just want to remove the flies from your home, the trap can also be used as a live trap. Just put kitchen paper in the bottle and soak it with the attractant. The flies thus collect in the bottle, but cannot drown. You can then release the flying insects into the open.
tip: Instead of paper towels, you can also use ripe fruit, animal bones or fish skin.
glue trap
The adhesive strips from the trade are among the classic fly traps. But you can also easily build the sticky traps yourself. All you need is parchment paper, string for hanging and honey or syrup as an attractant.
1. Cut the baking paper into strips approx. 3 cm wide
2. Poke a hole in one end of the strip to thread the hanger through
3. Smear honey or syrup on the strip
4. Roll up the strip and leave it for a few hours
5. Now you can hang up the strip in a suitable place
tip: To avoid falling into the sticky trap yourself, you can also attach the strips to a closet door or shelf.
Fly trap outdoors
If the flies are a nuisance in the garden or on the terrace, you need a stronger scented bait. In this case, you should rely on fishmeal. The fishmeal is mixed with water and can be filled into the traps just like fruit juice or something similar.
danger: Fishmeal should only be used outdoors. The smell is unpleasant and simply too strong for living spaces.
Natural home remedies as an attractant
It doesn't always have to be the chemical club. There are numerous home remedies to lure the flies into the trap. How to naturally lure the flies into the trap:
- Mixture of vinegar and washing-up liquid (apple vinegar works best)
- sweet fruit juices (apple juice works great)
- champagne or wine
- cucumber water
- sugar water
- honey or syrup
- ripe fruit
- Animal bones (ask your butcher)
- fish skin
- fishmeal-water mixture
- Mixture of sweetener, sugar and water
keep flies away
If you don't want to kill the flies right away, you can simply keep them away from the living area or the coffee table. The following options keep flies away:
- lay out very ripe fruit at a distance
- Arrange apples or lemons studded with cloves
- Plant marigolds, lavender, basil or peppermint and distribute in the desired fly-free area
- Set up scented candles with essential oils such as eucalyptus or lavender
- Attach lounger bars to windows and doors
- do not leave food lying around in the open
- ventilate at dusk if possible
tip: When buying fruit and vegetables, look out for rotten spots or even maggots on the fruit to prevent fruit flies.